2024 Competition Rules

 

CLUB RULES

PARA CAMERA CLUB (SA) INC.

COMPETITION RULES 

 

***** COVID 19 Pandemic Temporary Changes *****:

·         Competitions may be held on-line where COVID-19 restrictions prevent gatherings

·         Competitions are restricted to Digital Colour and Digital Mono sections

·         The number of entries has increased to four digital colour entries and four digital mono entries  for a total of eight entries (overrides Rule 2.1 and 2.2)

·         Please disregard any mention of print entries until further notice

 

 

1. COMPETITIONS

• Up to 10 Competitions are held each year on the first Wednesday of the months February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September and October, at the discretion of the Para Camera Club (SA) Inc. Committee.

• An end of year competition and exhibition is held at the end of each year.

•  Only Financial Members are eligible to enter Competitions.

• A member who wishes to enter the Competition but is unable to attend on Competition Night can ask another Member to submit their entries.

• Print entries should be presented to the Competition Secretary before 7.30 pm on the night of the Competition.

 

2. SECTIONS

 PLEASE NOTE THE FOLLOWING SECTIONS:

 SECTION 1.    DIGITAL COLOUR

 SECTION 2.    DIGITAL MONOCHROME (MONO)

 SECTION 3.    PRINT COLOUR

 SECTION 4.    PRINT MONOCHROME (MONO) 

 2.1 For each monthly Competition a maximum of 3 entries in any combination of open and/or set subject is allowed for each of the 4 sections. Overall you can submit 12 images in any monthly Competition.

 2.2 You may submit any combination of entries so long as it does not exceed the maximum allowed. You will be advised by the Competition Secretary if any entry does not comply with competition rules if time permits.

 3. PRESENTATION OF IMAGES

 3.1 Print entries must have your name and the title of the image clearly written on the back.

 3.2 The minimum size for print images area is 15cm x 10cm (6"x4").

 3.3 The maximum size for print images area including the matt is NOT to exceed 40cm x 50cm 16" x 20").

 3.4 The electronic print entry procedure is as follows:

 - Create a digital image file of your print entry; sizes are the same as the digital sizes.

 - Upload your print entries using the Club's Uploader (preferred) or alternatively attach the file to an email and send to paradigitalcomp@gmail.com with the correct file name.

 3.5 NAMING YOUR ENTRIES

 Prints are to be named like this:

 prn_col_open_month_title of image_yourname.jpg

 prn_col_set_month_title of image_yourname.jpg

 prn_mon_open_month_title of image_yourname.jpg

 prn_mon_set_month_title of image_yourname.jpg

 Digitals are to be named like this:

 dig_col_open_month_title of image_yourname.jpg

 dig_col_set_month_title of image_yourname.jpg

 dig_mon_open_month_title of image_yourname.jpg

dig_mon_set_month_title of image_yourname.jpg

Digital must be dig, Print must be prn
Colour must be col, Monochrome must be mon
Set subject must be set, open must be open
Month must be one of feb, mar, apr, may, jun, jul, aug, sep, oct or nov
Title of image can include spaces but must not contain any underscores. Please keep titles short
Yourname must be your firstname initial followed by your surname without any spaces or underscores

Examples:

·         dig_col_open_mar_My Picture_jbloggs.jpg

·         prn_mon_set_nov_My BW Picture_jbloggs.jpg

All entries must be received by Sunday midnight prior to Competition day. No print entries will be accepted on Competition Night unless negotiated prior with the Competition Secretary.

4. ENTRY PRESENTATION (DIGITAL)

4.1 Digital entries must comply with the following sizing:

• Horizontal image dimensions (width) maximum 1920 pixels
• Vertical image dimensions (height) maximum  1080 pixels
• Image file size is to be a maximum of 2MB
• Colour space for images should be sRGB IEC6 1966-2.1

Upload your images with the Club's Uploader Program (preferred) or alternatively email your images to paradigitalcomp@gmail.com.
Please check the bottom of this page for a tutorial on how to re-size your images for competitions.

5. ELIGIBILITY OF ENTRIES

5.1 All parts of photographs entered must have been taken by the author.

5.2 Commercial prints are acceptable provided they are "machine prints". Professional hand prints are not acceptable.

5.3 Any processing of an experimental nature for special effects must be the work of the author.

5.4 Straight copies of paintings, photographs or works of art are not eligible.

5.5 Prints from slides or Digital entries which have won Merits, Honours or Distinctions in previous PCC competitions are not eligible, unless the print has been altered from the slide or digital by experimental manipulation.

5.6 All monthly competition photos can be entered in one section only during the current competition year.

5.7 Entries which are very similar to those which have already won Merits, Honours or Distinctions are not eligible to be re-entered in future competitions. This does not refer to different photographs of identical subjects; it refers to minor variations of what is essentially the same photograph (e.g. subtly varied compositions in scenes or slightly varied poses or expressions in near identical portraits).

5.8 Entries awarded Merits, Honours or Distinctions may NOT be re-entered in future Competitions.

5.9 Entries not gaining Merits, Honours or Distinctions may be re-entered in the same category in monthly competitions one more time (twice in total).

6. JUDGING

6.1 Prints: The judge will have the opportunity to view all entries in each section prior to judging, enabling the judge to assess the standard of competition for that night.

Digital: The Judge will have the opportunity to view all entries prior to judging. This is to enable the Judge to assess the standard of competition.

6.2 Entries will then be presented separately and titles read out for the Judge to give his or her critique and score.

6.3 Any images from members deemed out of category in the Set subject definition will be given the choice to move it into the Open section up to the maximum allowance.

If they have exceeded their maximum limit the image will be removed.

6.5 Images that have been deemed out of category may be re-entered in a future competition.

6.6 Titles for individual entries will be announced.

6.7 The Judge will give an appraisal of each image as he or she sees fit.

6.8 The Judge will award a score for each entry on a 1-10 points basis as they see fit. 

10 points being considered a Distinction

9 points being considered an Honour

8 points being considered a Merit

6.9 The judge will select a Top Image of the night, one in each Section: Print Colour and Mono, as well as Digital Colour and Mono in both Set and Open.

7. END OF YEAR COMPETITION

7.1 The Competition Secretary shall keep an official record of all points scored by each image entered from all Categories and Sections.

7.2 Images in Monthly Competitions which have been awarded a Merit, an Honour or a Distinction will be eligible for the End of Year Competition.

7.3 Each member is limited to a total of 30 images across all sections and categories any and any combination thereof e.g. up to 2 images in each section and category to a maximum of 30 or 30 images in one section and category.

7.4 Sections include: Colour Print, Monochrome (Mon) Print, Digital Colour and Digital Monochrome (Mon)

7.5 Categories include: Open, People, Flora/Fauna/Fur, Contemporary and Landscape/Seascape.

7 .6 Definitions of Categories.

OPEN: A Photograph of any subject

PEOPLE: An image where a person or persons dominate. This may include, but not restricted to, traditional head and shoulders portraiture, environmental portraiture, a figure study and action shot or Photo Journalism shot where the people or persons are the dominate subject.

FLORA/FAUNA/FUR:  An image where a plant or plants, an animal or animals are the dominant subject.  This can include natural or man-made settings. Buildings and or people may be in the image but not dominate.

CONTEMPORARY PHOTOGRAPHS:   Where images have been modified during or after exposure using experimental techniques.

LANDSCAPES/SEASCAPES:  In a Landscape photo a body of land must feature.  In a Seascape the ocean must feature.  Human elements may be included, inland waterways are eligible and a photo where skies or clouds dominate is acceptable.

7.7   Entries must be received in exactly the same way as the competition in which they received their original award.

7.8   A panel of Judges (ideally 3 judges, one of whom will be the senior Judge) will score each entry.

7.9   The entry with the highest aggregate score will be declared the Top Image for each Category. In the case of a tied aggregate score, the panel of Judges will be asked to select the Top Image.  Merits will be awarded at the Judge’s discretion.

7.10   The panel of Judges will be asked to select a Top Image and a Runner up for each of the four sections from the Top Images of each category.

8. TROPHIES AND CERTIFICATES

Trophies and Certificates will be awarded at the End of Year meeting for the following:

8.1   A Perpetual Trophy, Achievement Trophy and Certificate for the Top Image in each section. A Certificate for the Runner up in each section.

8.2   A Trophy and Certificate for the Top Image in each category. A Certificate of Merit as awarded by the Judges.
  
8.3    Perpetual Trophies are to be held by the recipient for the coming year.  Trophies will also be awarded to the Top Image in each section.

9. Memorial Trophies

The following memorial trophies will be awarded at the end of year award presentation. The judge(s) will be asked to choose the winning image for each trophy from the end of year competition images:

9.1 The Carol Lamplough Memorial Portrait Trophy (Traditional Portrait)

9.2 The Stephen (Rolly) Robertson Memorial Wildlife Trophy (Non domestic wildlife both vertebrate and invertebrate including fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals, ideally shot in natural habitat or surrounding)

AMENDMENT TO THE RULES

The Committee may, at its discretion, amend the competition rules at any time. Any changes to a rule or rules which affect the operation of the PCC PhotoComp software must not be published until the software has been modified and released. Any alteration to the Rules will be announced to members at the next Club Meeting and by email.

Updated: 9th March 2021