Member of the Photographic Society of New Zealand

 

 

There are no rules for good photographs, there are only good photographs.
Ansel Adams


Competition Awards and Judging Criteria

Manawatu Camera Club

Competition Awards

To archive consistency, the MCC believes that the following guidelines will be helpful to all members. It may be as well useful to less experienced judges as they seek a foundation for developing their art of judging.

A strong image should display some or all of the following elements:
For example:

•  achieving technical excellence,

•  showing a knowledge of the importance of choice of subject,

•  good lighting,

•  dramatic composition,

•  handling depth of field effectively,

• eliciting emotional impact,

•  exhibiting freshness and creativity.



Accepted:
An Accepted would be awarded to an image that may have either some technical flaws, or has no significant strengths. Such an image is sometimes referred to as a record shot. It is acceptable , but does not generate any special interest or stir emotions. It is the quality of image that we would expect that most hobbyists should be able to take as a minimum standard. It has the technical proficiency that modern auto-exposure, auto-focus cameras allow. The author has made a correct exposure in a non-difficult lighting situation and the subject of the image is sharp. However the image lacks those elements towards which image-makers who are working at polishing their craft should be striving.
An Accepted could also be awarded to an image that did have one of the strengths just mentioned (which might have earned it a Commended) but that strength has been neutralized by a significant flaw.

Commended:
This is a good solid image , an image towards which every MCC member should be striving as a minimum. Such an image is technically correct and a bit more. It exhibits AT LEAST ONE of these elements: showing a knowledge of the importance of choice of subject, of good lighting, of dramatic composition, of handling depth of field effectively, of eliciting emotional impact, or of exhibiting freshness and creativity.
The elements of the image work together. There may be minor flaws but they are compensated for by other elements in the image. For the most part, images that score a Commended do not break the "rules". If a rule is broken, it is broken with intention and works to enhance the image. A Commended is the first step above a technically correct but otherwise uninspiring image. It is the start on the path towards the high impact image.

Merit:
An image that scores a Merit is a very strong image . Such an image is technically correct and much more. The elements of the image must work together. If there are flaws, they are minor and hard to find. Obvious flaws must be compensated by other elements in the image. Images that score a Merit may break the "rules". When the rules are broken, they are broken for impact. Technical excellence is expected. Difficult exposures, effective use of selective focusing and depth of field, as well as other advanced photographic techniques are commonly found in such an image.

Honours:
An image that scores a Honours is an exceptionally strong image ; i.e. true photographic excellence. It need not be a perfect image, just a very, very strong image. Such an image is technically correct and much, much more. The elements of the image must work together to form a whole that is far greater than the sum of the parts. There should not be any obvious flaws. Images that score a Honours may break the "rules". When the rules are broken, they are broken for impact. Technical excellence is expected. Difficult exposures, effective use of selective focusing and depth of field, as well as other advanced photographic techniques are very common in such an image.
While the score of a Honours should not be given out without very good reason since it implies true photographic excellence, if a judges feels that an image has the "Wohh" factor and immediately fell in love with it they should give it a Honours with no apologies to anyone. Authors of photographic images should not be made to feel that a Honours is impossible to achieve.

If you don't like your pictures, move closer.
Robert Capa

 

The Camera Club encourages judges to :

  • provide feedback that is helpful
  • assess an image on its own merit in an unbiased way
  • assess skill, craft and artistry
  • apply his/her assessment in a consistent manner
  • strive to remove personal bias and not unduly favour or penalize images based upon their subject matter, the specific technique used, the difficulty of the shot, or a knowledge of the maker or the club from which the image comes.
  • apply scores consistently so that all images given a certain score can be expected to be of comparable quality no matter in which class they are, or what technique was used to produce the image.
  • use the entire scoring scale effectively to differentiate images.
  • base the score on the merit of that particular image rather than those that surround it, those you have taken, or those you have seen before.
  • be willing to reward both freshness and creativity along with technical excellence.

 

 


Image by: Trelum, Title:SquarOut