Competition Rules - Revised July 2024
Only fully paid up members of the camera club can enter work in these competitions.
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Members enter their work in one of 2 groups: Intermediate and Advanced.
There are 3 categories of competition: Colour Prints, Monochrome Prints and Digital Projected Images.
1. All images must have been taken by the entrant. The entrant must have the sole copyright to all the images they submit. The entry must be handed in by the date specified, otherwise the entry to the competition will be refused. By virtue of submitting an entry, the photographer certifies the work as his/her own. No clipart, digital art or photographs (other than those made by the entrant) may be used, in a whole or any portion of the image. When any graphic elements (other than photographs created by the entrant) are used in an image, the photographic content must still predominate.
Definition of Monochrome: Any photograph containing shades of only one colour. If toning is carried out it must be over the total photograph. Partial toning, and/or the addition of one extra colour, is not acceptable in the monochrome section and the work should be entered into the colour section.
2. Merit Competitions:
There are normally 3 merit competitions in a season. Work entered is commented on by an invited Judge, who selects the top 3 in each group plus a number of highly commended or commended images at his/her discretion. The placed images are marked as follows:
1st place 6 points, 2nd place 5 points, 3rd place 4 points, highly commended 3 points, commended 2 points and unplaced work is awarded 1 point.
At the end of the season, certificates are awarded to the winner and runner(s) up of each group based on their total scores in all the merit competitions.
Transfer between groups:
After the completion of the season’s Merit competitions, the committee will assess which members should be considered for transfer between groups. Transfers will normally be made following discussion and agreement with the individual members.
In exceptional circumstances, the committee may decide to direct that a member be transferred. In such cases the committee’s decision will be final.
Each category of competition will be treated separately, so any individual member may be in different groups for different categories of competition.
Additional to the above rules, any member may seek to transfer him/herself between groups, at the discretion of the Committee.
Re-entry
Any work that has not achieved a 1st, 2nd, 3rd, highly commended or commended may be entered into 1 further merit competition, this must be into the same group.
No photograph may be entered into more than one category of competition in the same season e.g a colour print may not be entered as digital projected image in the same season, or as a monochrome version of the print in the same season
3. Annual Internal Competition Panel of 3. Subject Open
3 separate prints displayed together on a theme. The section is open as follows: Intermediates and Advanced Each member may enter 2 panels (or more if the committee decides).
In each panel, the prints must be clearly labelled Left, Right and Centre as viewed from the front.
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4. Annual Internal Cosmic Competition.
This is a projected image competition for any monochromatic or colour image. This competition will be judged as one group. Each member may enter 3 images (or more if the committee decides). The committee will choose a set subject which will be announced in advance. The competition will be judged by the members present on the night.
5. Annual Print of the year Competition.
Members may enter up to 3 monochrome prints and 3 colour prints (or more if the committee decides). These must be work which has previously been entered in the season’s Merit competitions: new work is not allowed except under exceptional circumstances at the discretion of the committee. Certificates are awarded in each group for monochrome and colour prints.
6 Annual Digital Image of the Year Competition.
Members may enter up to 3 images (or more if the committee decides). These must be work which has previously been entered in the season’s Merit competitions: new work is not allowed except under exceptional circumstances at the discretion of the committee. Certificates are awarded in each group.
To boost numbers in the Print of the Year and PDI of the Year, we should retain all the photographs which achieved 1st, 2nd or 3rd place in the Merit competitions to put forward for the Print of the Year and PDI of the Year competitions. This means some members will have more than the usual 3 entries allowed, in which case the members concerned will have to choose which entries to use. Recognising that it will be harder with prints, but members who win 1st, 2nd or 3rd place will be asked to make sure these prints are made available for the Print of the Year competition.
Further, any members who have not won 1st, 2nd or 3rd place in any Merit competitions will still be able to enter work for the Print of the Year and PDI of the Year competitions.
General Rules and Information
7. The utmost care will be taken of all work submitted, but the Camera Club cannot accept any responsibility for loss or damage however caused. The copyright of any work always remains with the author.
By entering your work into the Camera Club competitions, you agree to support Walsall Wood and Brownhills Camera Club and for your work to be used by the Camera Club in any internal/ external competition entered by the Club.
8. Internal Competitions – Prints
Groups: Intermediates and Advanced
Each member may enter a maximum of 3 monochrome and 3 colour prints (or more if the committee decides).
Prints must be mounted and the overall size of the mount must not exceed 40cm x 50cm (16 x 20 inches).
All prints must also carry a title and the club name, entrants name, phone number and section.
A digital copy of the Print should be sent to wwccentries@hotmail.com. This will be not be used by the judge, but will be projected to enable members to see the image better.
Titles along with the entrants name and group entered should be given to the competition secretary one week prior to the competition or by the date specified by the club. No entries will be accepted after this date.
9. Internal Competitions - Projected Digital Images
Groups: Intermediate and Advanced.
Each member may enter a maximum of 3 pieces of work in their group (or more if the committee decides).
Each image must be submitted at the following size:
Maximum width 1600 pixels. Maximum height 1200 pixels. Saved as jpeg maximum quality.
Instructions for reducing the file size can be found on the club’s website.
Entries may be submitted on disc or by e-mail.
The e-mail address is wwccentries@hotmail.com
Any image that is submitted with an incorrect file size will be disqualified from the competition.
The images must be submitted 2 weeks prior to the competition date or by the date specified by the Club. Late entries may be accepted under some circumstances at the discretion of the Digital Competition Secretary.