5: Annual Competitions

The following competitions will be held on an annual basis.

·       Nature

·       Monochrome

·       Landscape

·       Creative Photography

·       Audio Visual

·       Hewitt Cup

·       Macro & Close Up

The specific rules for each competition are described below and are in addition to those laid out in the General Rules Section 1.

Please note that Competition Sections (Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced) do not apply to Annual Competitions.

To compensate for this, bonus points will be awarded to any member ordinarily competing in either Beginners or Intermediate sections who gain a placing or highly commended in any of the Annual competitions.

 Bonus points will be awarded as follows:

·      Placing 1st, 2nd, or 3rd (per image) – 2 bonus points

·      Highly Commended (per image) – 1 bonus point

5.1. Nature Competition

The John Sowman Memorial Trophy will be awarded for the best print of a Nature subject.

The Bowker-Praed Challenge Trophy will be awarded for the best Projected Image of a Nature subject.

Each member may submit up to 3 images for each of these competitions.

Rule 1 - We define Nature as depicting living, untamed animals, and uncultivated plants in a natural or adopted habitat. 

Photographs of animals which are domesticated, caged or under any form of restraint or controlled conditions, zoo or game farm animals, wildfowl, or other bird collections, as well as photographs of cultivated plants, ARE NOT ELIGIBLE. 

To further clarify, birds or animals which are not native or naturally migratory visitors to the country in which they were photographed, and which are photographed within collections or under controlled conditions are assumed to be restrained or controlled and are therefore ineligible.

Minimal evidence of humans is acceptable for nature subjects, such as barn owls or storks adapting to an environment modified by humans.  

Eligible wildlife is not limited to mammals, birds, and insects.  Marine subjects and botanical subjects (including fungi and algae) taken in the wild are suitable subjects, as are carcasses of extant species in their natural environment.

Rule 2 - The original image must have been taken by the photographer; whatever photographic medium is used. 

Images are restricted to ‘Traditional’ images (See Section 1 General Competition Rules).

Any manipulation or modification to the original image is limited to cropping, minor retouching of blemishes, selective lightening, and darkening, and must not alter the content of the original scene. 

Cloning is not permitted.  Focus stacking is permitted.  After satisfying the above requirements, every effort must be made to use the highest level of artistic skill in all nature photographs.

Rule 3 - Accurate, brief, descriptive titles are recommended for nature photographs.  In both above Nature Competitions, the use of 'cute' or 'humorous' titles should be avoided.

Rule 4 - Entries should allow for a well-informed person to be able to identify the subject material and to certify as to its honest presentation. 

Rule 5 - Entries will be subject to scrutiny by the Competition Secretary and two other well informed people to determine their eligibility under the above definitions.  Members will be informed if an entry cannot be accepted and given the opportunity to substitute where possible.

Rule 6 - In order that the Competition Secretary can check eligibility of entries for the annual nature competitions under these rules, entrants are required to send to the competition secretary by the closing date a list of their entries in numbered order, stating the title, species depicted and the location at which they were taken (place, county, and country).

If an entry is deemed ineligible for the competition, the competition secretary shall endeavour to inform the entrant in time for a replacement entry to be submitted.

5.2. Monochrome Print Competition

The Constance Mundy Trophy will be awarded for best Monochrome Projected Image.

The Fox Talbot Trophy will be awarded for the best Monochrome Print.

Each Member may submit up to 3 images for each of these competitions.

Rule 1 - Monochrome shall be as defined by FIAP as 'A black and white work fitting from the very dark grey (black) to the very clear grey (white) is a monochrome work with the various shades of grey. 

A black and white work toned entirely in a single colour will remain a monochrome work able to stand in the black and white category; such a work can be reproduced in black and white in the catalogue of a salon under FIAP Patronage.  On the other hand, a black and white work modified by a partial toning or by the addition of one colour becomes a colour work (polychrome) to stand in the colour category’.

Rule 2 – Images may be ‘Traditional‘ or ‘Creative’,  see Section 1 General Competition Rules.

5.3. Landscape Competition

The Derrick Turner Memorial Trophy will be awarded for the best Landscape Projected Image taken within the British Isles

The Silver Birches Trophy donated by Robert Harvey will be awarded for the best Landscape Print taken within the British Isles

Each member may submit up to 3 images for each of these competitions.

Rule 1 - Landscape shall be defined as 'an extensive area of natural scenery'.

Rule 2 - The British Isles requirement for the Derrick Turner Memorial Trophy is a geographic term, and includes Ireland, the many off-shore islands and, by tradition, the Channel Islands.

Rule 3 - The title of the entry must include an indication of the location of the landscape.

Rule 4 - The emphasis is on 'Natural Scenery', although for these purposes, reservoirs and artificial lakes, managed woodland, ploughed/cultivated fields etc are included in the term 'Natural'. 

Man-made/built structures are also acceptable provided they are depicted in their natural setting.  Such structures should not be the main subject of the image.

Rule 5 - Images are restricted to ‘Traditional’ images (See Section 1 General Competition Rules).

Rule 6 - The essential integrity of the scene must be maintained, and the making of physical changes to the landscape by digital means is prohibited.  It must be possible to go to the location and see the scene exactly as it appears.  Thus trees, fences, telegraph poles and other permanent structures must not be removed or added.  Additionally, it is not permitted to use a sky from another picture/location.

Rule 7 - It is however legitimate to remove 'transient' elements of human origin from the scene, notably people, vehicles, boats, aircraft, and vapour trails since this does not detract from the principle of being able to go to the location and see the scene exactly as it appears.

Rule 8 - Entries will be subject to scrutiny by the Competition Secretary and two other well informed people to determine their eligibility under the above definitions.  Members will be informed if an entry cannot be accepted and given the opportunity to substitute where possible.

Rule 9 - In order that the Competition Secretary can check eligibility of entries for the annual landscape competitions, entrants are required to send or give to the competition secretary by the closing date a list of their entries in numbered order, stating the title and the location at which they were taken (place, county, and country).  If an entry is deemed ineligible for the competition, the competition secretary shall endeavour to inform the entrant in time for a replacement entry to be submitted. 

5.4. Creative Photography Competition  

The Demiurgic Trophy, donated by Rod Stowell, will be awarded for best Creative Photography Image.

Members may submit up to 3 Projected Images for this competition.

Rule 1 - Creative Photography shall be defined as 'The use of photography as a means of expression and as a vehicle for the photographer to make a personal photographic statement. 

The photographer should seek to stimulate the imagination and arouse the emotions of the viewer.  It should be the input of the photographer which makes the description of creative, appropriate.'

Rule 2 - All elements of a creative photographic image for this competition must be derived from the photographic images of the maker.

Rule 3 - In the interest of stimulating new work, it is a requirement for this competition that the base photographic image should have been taken within the last two years, and that any image, whether in original state or modified, which has been entered into any Club competition previously will not be eligible.

5.5. Audio Visual Competition for the Croall Plaque 

5.5.1. The competition is open to digital audio-visual presentations only and will be judged either by an invited judge or by members of the Club.

5.5.2. Entries must not be more than 12 minutes in duration and be with an audio soundtrack.

5.5.3. Any member may enter a maximum of two entries each year, but if the total running time for all entries exceeds 75 minutes, the Competition Secretary has the discretion to reduce the number of entries to one per member.

5.5.4. Members’ names should not be shown on the AVs.

5.6. Hewitt Cup Challenge

5.6.1. Each member may enter up to a maximum of three themed sets each comprising five digitally projected images and will be judged as a set by all Club members present on the night of the competition.

5.6.2. Each set will be marked out of a total of 10 marks.  The average of all marks given for the set will be used as that set's League score.

5.6.3. The competitor obtaining the highest total League score (across all sets) shall be the winner. 

5.6.4. The members entry of 3 sets of images shall be drawn from at least 2 sets of photographic genres.

5.6.5. In the event of the competition being over-subscribed and only 2 of each 3 sets being used, the 2 sets which are used shall be drawn from different photographic genres.

In the event of a tie in total points, the winner shall be the tied competitor who has the highest score for a single set.  In the event of a tie in both overall points and the highest scoring set, the scores for each tied competitor’s second scoring sets will be considered. 

Photographic genres are as follows Portrait, Astrophotography, Landscape, Street Photography, Travel, Nature, Abstract, Creative/Composite, Sports, Architecture, Still Life, Nude.

Points shall be awarded for the top 6 entrants, those coming 4th, 5th and 6th being deemed to be 'Highly Commended' for this purpose.

5. 7. Macro and Close Up Competition

The following rules are specifically for the Close-up and Macro competition and are in addition to the Club’s General competition rules.

5.7.1.  A macro image is defined as an image whose subject is reproduced to at least 1:1. That means that the image on the camera sensor is the same size, or bigger, than the real-life subject.

5.7.2.  A close-up image is defined as any image that shows the subject closer and in greater detail than would be seen with the naked eye.

5.7.3.  No animals should be harmed or distressed, nor any habitat damaged in pursuit of an image for the competition.

5.7.4. The final decision as to whether an image fits the definition of close-up or macro will be at the discretion of the Competition Secretaries. 

 

 

Back to Competitions home page.

< Previous 04: Open competitions 06: Photographer of the Year Competition Next >