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Info on our Club Competition
The Club holds monthly competition for its members. The second Monday of each month is the competition night.
Our competitions are intended to be a means to improve one's photography. Members should use the competition as a motivational tool to better their own work. Awarded Competition points are kept for the purposes of grouping photographers with "like" abilities and experiences together. It is also a measure of a member's participation level in the club.
Regardless on how you may feel about competition and points, we encourage your participation! Sharing our photographic works and getting feedback may it be positive or negative is at the heart of what Camera Clubs are all about!
Images are entered into a"Set Subject" category and an "open" category. The theme for the Set Subject is given in the yearly Club program. Only images following the theme can be accepted for this competition. In the open category any image can be entered.
Two images may be entered in both the set subject and open categories for prints and slides. Prints have to be mounted and slides will need to be in slide frames. There are specific rules about sizes of the mount and spotting of slides.
The Competitions process seem complex at first, may be even frightening but really the best way to understand them is to come to a meeting and see how it all works. Our members will help you, and answers any of your questions. After all it is our hobby and should be fun.
Grades
Work is entered in two grades, A - for experienced photographers, and B for novices. The entered work is grouped as follows:
- “B-Grade, Print, Open”
- “B-Grade, Print, Set Subject”
- “A-Grade, Print, Open”
- “A-Grade, Print, Set Subject”
- “B-Grade, Slide, Open”
- “A-Grade, Slide, Open”
Print Competition
For any print submitted to the club for competition, it is required that it be matted in some fashion; either flush to foam core (gator board) or framed with matt board and backing board. The print should be secured, so it is not loose. The minimum outside measurement for any print mat is 200mm by 300mm; and the maximum is 400mm by 550mm; with a maximum thickness 6mm. The print itself, inside the mat, may be any size.
Prints entered in competition must also be labeled on the back-side of the print, in the upper-left hand corner, (this indicates the top of the image) with the following information:
- Title of the image or Untitled
- Category ( Set Subject or Open)
- Level ( A-Grade or B-Grade)
- Orientation Mark ( which site up)
Slide Competition
Slides need to be mounted in a non glass slide holder and should be correctly spotted in the bottom left corner. This is to ensure that the slide is not projected upside down or back to front. Title, category and level should be written on the plastic mount. They may be masked or cropped.
However, the maker's name may not appear anywhere on any entry. Non-competition images, 6" x 4" may be displayed for comment and advice on the Small Prints Board at each meeting.
Please Note:
The Club will take all care of your images, however you enter your image at your own risk for loss or damage.
As the images will be given to outside people (judges are not normally members of the club) they are out of our control.
Evaluating - Judging
Images entered into Manawatu Camera Club competitions are critiqued by an impartial outside judge chosen by the Club committee. Judges are experienced photographers or are involved in art in some manner like teacher, artist, business owner, etc. The judges perform two functions at club meetings. The first is to evaluate and critique images on their technical qualities, visual impact, and give the entry an award. The other purpose and hopefully more meaningful, is also to teach and share their knowledge of photography, fine art etc. in an effort to improve the photography of all who attend. When entering competitions, it is VERY important to keep in mind that the opinion of the judge is just that, an opinion. A judge may not like your particular image on a given night, but rest assured that a different judge on a different night might think it's a wonderful image. Some judges are very critical, while others are very constructive and instructive. Don't let negative comments from a judge discourage you. Take it as an opportunity to improve your photography.
All entered work will be evaluated and given one of the following four awards:
- Honours - An excellent standard of work
- Merit - A high standard of work
- Commended - -A good standard of work
- Accepted - Minimum standard accepted
see also Awards & Judging Info
Points are awarded in all categories, and are accumulated and tracked for the purposes of advancing members to higher competing level sand the eligibility for Club trophies at the end of the year. However, the committee can and advance a member to a higher levels on application and viewing of a portfolio. Accumulating points is also an indication of a member's active participation in the club. Points are awarded at our monthly competitions in the following manner:
| Categories: |
Set Subject |
Open Competition |
| Accepted |
1 |
1 |
| Commended |
3 |
2 |
| Merit |
5 |
4 |
| Honours |
7 |
6 |
A-Grade work is evaluated more stringently than B-Grade, eg a Merit award in A Grade would be worthy of an Honours award in B grade.
Further to the awards given to each entry the evaluator will declare the best Print of the Evening (from all print entries), the best Slide of the Evening (from all slide entries) and his favourite of these two as the Image of the Evening . Judging Comments
Comments by the evaluator may refer to some of the following criteria:
- Impact -
How do you react to the total image? What are your feelings/impressions?
- Creativity -
What does the image indicate to you?
Do you see mood, emotion, mystery, abstract images, clever use of shape, movement, contrast, character, clever use of light?
- Visual Design -
Is there a centre of interest, or links between key points in the image?
What guides you though the image - lines, pattern/s, shapes, or colour?
How is the subject positioned? How is the subject framed, (is this appropriate)?
- Technical Aspects -
( the technique used should not usually be more important than the image produced)
Is it necessary for the image to be sharp?
Are the colour hues or tonal balance appropriate for the subject?
Has lighting been captured to the best advantage?
- Presentation
A reasonable standard of presentation is expected for all work.
Work should be well-mounted, with no bubbling, scratches, or dust spots.
Mounts should be chosen to enhance the image.
Rules
The following rules have been established by the MCC as guidelines for competition:
- Limit (2) two prints per section per monthly competition.
- No print, slide or digital image shall be entered more than two times: One time in "Set Subject" and one time in "Open"
- Prints and Slides must be properly labeled, supplied on the set date to the Competition Secretary with an official entry form.
- The Manawatu Camera Club will take all care of the entries but you do enter your image at your own risk for loss or damage.
Promotion from B Grade to A Grade
At any time, a B Grade worker may submit to the Committee a portfolio of either six prints or six slides. These will be assessed, and if of a high enough standard, the worker will advance to A Grade.
Any club member who attains 60 or more points during a competition year will automatically advance to A Grade provided that 25% of entries have been awarded Merit or Honours.
Your own garden, a local park, downtown or up country - photo opportunities are everywhere. The art is seeing them!
Small Print Board
This is not a competition. Small prints un mounted can be entered to be evaluated by other club members. A good way to start to get active in photography and the club.
1. Place your small prints on the Small Prints Board. (Maximum two; second Monday of month).
2. There will be NO JUDGING or members' voting.
3. Write your name on the back of the print OR email them to Richard: offcampus@infogen.net.nz
4. You can remove your prints at the end of the night OR DO LEAVE THEM on the board.
5. Prints left at the end of the night will be scanned onto a CD.
6. These images will be displayed on the large screen at the practical meeting (4th Monday).
7. Praise and recommendations will be made by those who attend on that evening.
8. More individual help in touching up photos and mounting may be arranged by the owner of the image plus a helpful experienced MCC member.
We only grow by taking risks. Try it out. Have a go. Bring your images. The only way to improve is by doing it, doing it lots and get feedback. So how does this sound?
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