Competition Rules

Purpose: The goal of our competition is to help members improve their photography skills through comparative critiques and to encourage experimentation via topic selection. As such, the rules are designed to maximize participation.

Schedule: Presently, two competition annually is scheduled: once in the Fall and once in the Spring.

Categories: Competition will be held in three categories: Novice, Intermediate, and Advanced. It will be up to the member to decide which category to enter. However, if a member chooses a category, all his/her entries should go to the same category.

- Any member who has accrued 3 wins over any length of time in a category, not counting Honorable Mentions, is expected, though not required, to “graduate” to the next level.

- For each competition, if a category has two or less entries, the competition committee reserve the right to cancel the category.

- For specialty topics, separate experience levels may be eliminated at the discretion of the competition committee.

Awards: In each category, available awards are: 1st, 2nd, and 3rd places plus unlimited number of Honorable Mentions. Prior to each competition, the judge will be instructed that any image containing sufficient artistic and technical merit to be competitive at regional club level competition qualifies to receive Honorable Mention. The judge shall set the qualification threshold.

- The full range of awards is only available if a category has 6 or more entries. With 3 or less entries total, the 2nd and 3rd place awards will be cancelled. With 4 or 5 entries, the 3rd place award will not be given. If a given category has only one or two entries, the judge may choose not to give any awards.

- All award winners will automatically be entered into the yearend CCACC slide show unless they have been shown in prior years.

Eligible Entries: Competitors must be dues paid members of CCACC. Each member may enter up to 5 images per competition. For competitions that include more than one topics, separate limits may be imposed on each topic. An age limit may be imposed in terms of image capture time to be announce prior to the competition. In the event that an image contains elements captured at different times, e.g., a moon from a separate photo shoot inserted into a landscape, all elements must conform to the time limit.

- Images that have won a CCACC photo club award are not eligible.

Deadline: Entries must be received by midnight on the last Sunday before the competition date. Entries may not be modified or substituted by other entries after the deadline. However, entries may be withdrawn up to the competition date. Members may begin to submit their entry after the club meeting a month before the competition.

Submission Guidelines: All entries must be electronic and submitted to the competition coordinator as an email attachment. Receipt will be confirmed by email reply.

Image format: electronic file in JPG format.

Image dimensions: width 1920 pixels or less, height 1080 pixels or less.

File size: no limit.

File Name conventions: Novice-Your Name-Title of Image.jpg

Intermediate-Your Name-Title of Image.jpg

Advanced-Your Name-Title of Image.jpg

Special Topic-Your Name-Title of Image.jpg

Example: Advanced-John Chang-White Sand Sunset.jpg

Software Processing: Software manipulations of an image, even those that alter the photographic pixels, e.g., adding noise, blur, simulated brush strokes, are generally permitted if performed by the competitor. However, all image elements introduced into the image must be photographic in origin and must be captured by the competitor. Digital filters and painting techniques that artificially create new image elements not of photographic origin are prohibited. The lone exception to this rule is the “stroke:” one thin line—one or two pixel wide—surrounding the entire image.

Etiquette: In keeping with our stated goal and with due respect to the judge’s efforts, members who enter each competition is expected to be present at the judging to hear the critiques. In the event that the competing member cannot be present, a representative knowledgeable of the “where,” “when,” and “how” the submitted photographs were made should be appointed.

- To maximize fairness, all entries are anonymous during judging. Members are prohibited from commenting on any entries in a category during judging until all winners are announced for that category even if questioned by the judge. Members are welcome to discuss their entries with the judge post judging, usually during intermission or at the end of the meeting.