Photographer of the year competition rules

General

  1. Open to paid-up club members only
  2. All images must have been created using photographic processes and be the work of the photographer (no stock or generative AI elements) [i]
  3. The competition will incorporate 3 separate sections for:
    • Prints (Print photographer of the year)
    • Digital projected images (Digital Photographer of the year)
    • Prints and digital (Photographer of the year).
  4. All members will compete in a single competition
  5. There will be eight monthly league competitions in the club year between October and June inclusive.
  6. Four print rounds will be held in October, January, March and May
  7. Four digital rounds will held in November, February, April and June
  8. Each monthly competition may be either open or on a set subject as determined by the competition secretary
  9. On entry a photographer may elect that a photograph not be award a score (un-scored) and receive only critique.
  10. The maximum combined number of scored and un-scored entries each member may submit per month is 4.
  11. Entries should be as anonymous as practical
  12. A particular scored image (or near duplicate) may not be used more than once in any given season.  A digital image and a print made from it (or near duplicate) will count as one image
  13. A particular un-scored image may be re-submitted with or without modification as a scored image in the same season
  14. Any scored photograph (or near duplicate) used in any previous season may not be used in the current seasons competition
  15. Colour photographs are defined as those which contain multiple colours in addition to basic monochromatic tones.
  16. Monochrome photographs are defined as those developed or executed in black and white or in varying tones of only one colour.
  17. The use of photograph subject or entire backgrounds made through generative artificial intelligence (AI/machine learning) is prohibited. Generative AI tools for content aware fill and canvas extension are permitted.
  18. Entries consisting of multiple discrete separate images (such as a triptych) are not allowed, except where the competition secretary expressly permits such photographs [ii]

NOTE:

[i] Elements in a photograph produced by generative artificial intelligence (AI) are not allowed. However, AI based photographic manipulation tools may be employed e.g. Noise reduction, sharpening, sky replacement (providing the substituted sky is your own) etc.
[ii] This rule does not apply to composite images.

Scoring

  1. Photographs will be assessed by an external judge (not associated with the club)
  2. Photographs may optionally be awarded one of 2 grades. In ascending order COMMENDED and HIGHLY COMMENDED.
  3. 1st, 2nd and 3rd places will be awarded for the photographs submitted in each months competition
  4. When calculating the participants annual score the two highest-scoring images from each months entries will be used.
  5. For the purposes of the overall league tables the grades and positions awarded in the monthly competitions will be converted to points as: 1st place=20, 2nd place=19, 3rd place=18, HIGHLY COMMENDED=17, COMMENDED=16 with the remaining photographs receiving 15 points.
  6. The contest winner will be awarded at the end of the season to the member with the highest total score in each section (Print, digital, combined). Should this result in a tie, the winner will be the member with the highest number of 1st places. If this does not resolve the issue, the number of 2nd and 3rd places will be considered followed by the number of HIGHLY COMMENDED, COMMENDED etc.

Submission

  1. Prints may be of any size up to the maximum mounting board size.
  2. All scored prints must be mounted on card up to 50 x 40 cm in size (but no larger than this). NOTE: Un-scored prints are not required to be mounted but must not exceed 50 x 40cm in size.
  3. The photographers membership number, photograph title and display orientation indicator (if required) should be recorded on the reverse of the print mount (or print if unmounted)
  4. Digital entries should be no more than 1600 pixels wide or 1200 pixels high, in JPEG format and the sRGB or any monochrome colour space.
  5. Digital entry file names should be structured as: Sequence Number_Title_ Member Number.jpg  The 3 parts being separated by underscores. For example “2_Landscape at Brecon_177.jpg” indicates an image titled “Landscape at Brecon” by member 177 and is the second of their entries to be displayed
  6. Print entries shall be accompanied by digital versions to competition standard
  7. If the total number of entries in the competition is deemed by the Competition Secretary to be more than the judge could be reasonably expected to consider, he/she may reduce the entry from each member. The sequence number will be used to indicate the member’s order of preference. Photographs with a high sequence number are most likely to be removed.
  8. If an entry is to be un-scored the competition secetary must be notified via e-mail at the time of submission
  9. Digital entries must be sent to the competition secretary by e-mail at address cardiff.compsec@gmail.com
  10. All entries shall be with the competition secretary no later that 2 weeks prior to the competition date

The club may use images entered into internal competitions for its publicity material, on its website and in external inter club competitions. The club will not use such images for revenue generation and copyright will remain with the photographer. If you are not happy to have your work used in this way please inform the Competition Secretary at the time of submission by e-mail at address cardiff.compsec@gmail.com

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