Chasco Camera Club 

Eligibility

1. Any member in good standing in this club may compete in image competition.   Members need not be present to enter images into competition.
2. All images submitted for competition, either in Print or Digital format, must be from the actual (original) images taken by the member submitting them.
3. All Images submitted during the current calendar year, regardless of the score it received, are eligible to be entered into the Year-End competition.
4. Images which have received an Award or Honor from this club are not eligible to be entered into any future monthly competitions.   Scores of 24 or higher are designated as “Awards” and scores of 21 through 23 are designated as “Honors“.
5. Images that received a score lower than 21 points may be altered by the maker to achieve a better image and re-submitted in a subsequent competition in the same category as the original entry.  Altered images may be reentered into subsequent monthly competition only and marked on the back as an Altered Image.  It will qualify as one of the two images entered for the month.
6. An Image may only be entered once on any single competition date.  Definition: The same Image entered in Color may not be entered in Monochrome or vice versa. The same Image entered in Print format may not be also entered in Digital format or vice versa.
7. The Competition Chair reserves the right to determine any image as DNQ (Does Not Qualify) in competition as in #6 or does not qualify for other reasons.  Some examples of “DNQ” could be Subject Assignment images that do not meet the Monthly Subject Assignment criteria, or an image was misclassified in a category or was entered into Year End Competition but never entered in a Monthly Competition.

Members Classifications

 There will be two (2) Classifications of entries by members:

A Classification:

 This classification will be assigned to members who have a more advanced photographic skill.

Note:  Once a member has achieved the A Classification he/she may not be reclassified back into B.

Determination of members Classification: 

Members whose average score was (22) or above will be placed in the (A) Classification of Photographer. All other members will be placed in the (B) Classification of Photographer.

New members will automatically be placed in the ( B ) Classification for the first year, unless they request to compete in the ( A ) Classification.  At year’s end his/her score will be averaged for any Classification change.

Note: At the end of each subsequent year’s competition, members who are in the (B) photographers classification, will have their accumulated scores averaged and may be advanced to the (A) photographers classification.

B Classification: 

This classification will be assigned to members who are developing the art of photography and want to learn more.

Award Certificates 

We have nine (9) months of competition. They will be divided into three segments of three (3) months each.   An Award Certificate will be given to the member in each classification with the highest average score in their classification.

Note:  Competition months are January through May and September through December. 

The Award Certificate Segments will be in three month increments and Certificates issued at the first Club meeting following the third month.  For example for the months, January through March, certificates will be given out the first meeting in April, however for the segment of Oct through Dec. the certificates will be given out at the last meeting in Dec.

The segments are;

First:  Jan. Feb. and Mar.;

Second, Apr. May and Sept. 

Third, Oct. Nov. and Dec.

Year End Award Ribbons

Ribbons will be awarded for, 1st. 2nd. and 3rd. place in each of the four image submission Classifications (A & B Color and A & B Monochrome )  at the Annual Awards Banquet.

Monthly Competition (January-May & September-December)

Each member may submit up to two (2) images in each of these five (5) Categories:

• COLOR PRINT
• COLOR DIGITAL
• MONO PRINT
• MONO DIGITAL
• DOCUMENTARY DIGITAL
• ASSIGNMENT DIGITAL  Each member may submit up to three (3) images in this category

Images entered in the category of “Assignment” and “Documentary” categories may be in submitted in either Color or Monochrome.

One “Images of the Month” will be selected from the Assignment Category that received the highest score.

 In the event of ties, the judges will decide which entries will be recognized as the Images of the Month.

The winning images will be featured on the Club’s Web Site for the next month.

The numeric results of all monthly competition will be posted on the Club’s Web Site.

Documentary Category

This is a new category for monthly competition and may only be submitted in digital format and may be submitted in color or mono.

“The definition of the category is a photographic image that tells a story or documents an interesting moment in time.

 Note:   post processing is restricted to cropping and global adjustments (to the entire image) for exposure, contrast, sharpening, noise and white balance correction.  No interpretative or selective editing is permitted.”

Judges will use existing criteria to score images, but should give the story the most weight.

The following corrections are not allowed in either post processing or in-camera:

• Changes applied in selected areas.
• Use of special effect filters on the camera or in post-processing.
• Infraed.
• HDR, panorama or other forms of image blending, vignettes, frames or borders applied either in-camera or post processing.

Monthly Assignments

Each member may submit up to three (3) images in this category:

A monthly assignment is a teaching technique and an attempt to provide a challenge to the amateur photographer. A challenge to try photographing something new and different.  To step outside ones comfort zone. To expand and stretch our photographic experience and techniques and adding to our skills as photographers.  

Guidelines for Monthly Assignment.

A monthly assignment is the assigned subject matter to be photographed by the maker. The photographic image must be a recent or new photographic image taken by the maker within the time frame of when the assignment list is published and the time the assignment subject is due for that calendar year.

Note, The Assignment subjects are published in November for the following years assignments.

A. The assigned subject must be the primary focus of the photographic image and easily recognized as such.

B. Monthly assignment will vary in subjects from year to year with the exception of two permanent subjects: “ What Is It ” and “ Special Effects ”.

“ What Is It ” The objective is to photograph an item that cannot be easily recognized by others. This may be accomplished by but not limited to, unique cropping, extreme magnification or camera angle. No computer manipulation may be used to distort or otherwise change the image.

    “ Special Effects ”  Create a single photographic image from one or more photographic images or by using in camera settings or a computer program to create a surreal or unnatural effect. Only images owned by the maker may be used.

. The processing of the image is unrestricted.

Note: This category may only be submitted in digital formate.   Creativity is highly encouraged.

Note: You may submit ( 3 ) three images per competition.   

Year-End Competition

Each member may submit up to three (3) images in each of the following five (5) Categories for Year-End Competition.

• Prints- Color
• Prints - Monochrome
• Digital - Color
• Digital - Monochrome
• Digital - Documentary  (color or mono)

Any image submitted for judging during the current calendar year, including Assignment submissions, is eligible for Year End Competition regardless of the score it received. Images may not be edited and must be entered in the same format as originally entered.

Preparation and Submission of Print Images

Prints must be securely mounted and should be no smaller than 8 X 10 inches and no larger than 16 X 20 inches including the mounting board.

Image title should be no more than six (6) words.

Labels are provided by the Club and must be placed on the back of the mounting board in the upper left hand corner and completely filled out except for the score.

Prints are submitted on the day of competition and should be submitted before the start of the competition meeting.

(Note: Competition meeting start time is 12:30 pm. for this logging in process. The General meeting starts at 1:00 pm. with the competition itself to take place after the General meeting) 

Eligibility of late entries (those submitted after the start of the General meeting) will be determined by the Competition Chairperson.

Preparation and Submission of Digital Images

Please read the instructions for submitting digital images.  

• Digital images must be in JPEG (.jpg) format.
• RGB mode -  In Photoshop select:  Image - Mode - RGB
• 300 DPI resolution
• 2400 pixels longest side
• Maximum quality 
• Note:  If your software offers you quality levels, choose the highest or least compressed setting for a better display.
• The FILENAME is the ACTUAL name of the file you would look up to find your photo on your hard drive.
• Filename:  The FILENAME of each image must include the following: 
• 1. First letter of the competiton category:  A - Assignment, C - Color, D - Documentary, or M for Mono
  2. The the maker’s last name_ first initial of firstname followed by a space
  3.  followed by the image title.jpg 

 Examples:    C_Jones_D The Time is Now.jpg  for the Color category

                     D_Taylor_J Jurassic Park.jpg         for the Documentary category

                      A_Smith_G  Flower Buds.jpg        for the Assignment category

                      M_Smith_T Flowers.jpg         for the Mono category

 (Nothing else should be included in the file name, (i.e. copy, #2, *, etc.) The image title should not be more than six (6)  words.) 

The deadline for submission is midnight the Friday before the Competition Meeting.

Emailing Digital Photos:

• You should submit all of your Color photos in a single email, all the Mono in a single email, all Documentary photos in a single email and all of your Assignment photos in a single email.

Subject line:

• Type the Month ( Jan. Feb. etc) followed by the Category (Color, Mono, Documentary or Assignment) only. 
• For End of Year competition, type, ( End of Year ) followed by the category ( Color or Mono)
• Do Not Add any other words to the Subject Line.

Body of Email:  

• In the body of the e-mail include your first and last name and the image title. 

Email Address:

• Entries should be e-mailed to the address specified on the Club’s web site ( chascocompetition@gmail.com ) unless notified of a change.

Judging & Critiquing

Monthly Competitions are held as a way for members to learn and develop as photographers. They give Club Members a way to exhibit their work and have the work reviewed.  It also is an opportunity to observe the work of other members.

Judging is the process of evaluating the work presented in a competition.  Images will be judged and scored based on its:   Image, Composition and Technical Qualities. 

Critiquing provides constructive feedback to the Member regarding the photograph submitted in a monthly competition so that he/she can learn to improve their photographic capabilities and  techniques.  Critiquing maybe provided before the score of an image has been announced.   More information on Critiquing, Judging and Scoring can be found here:  Photography Competition

Trophies & Awards

An Awards Ceremony will be held annually.  Our Competitions are for (9) of the  months from January through May and September through December.  There are no competition meetings in June, July or August.  The purpose of an Awards Ceremony is to present the trophies and awards earned for the prior year.   The Ceremony will be held in February of the following year.

   TROPHIES

    Best In Show Trophy

          A “Best In Show Trophy” will be awarded to the one image selected by the panel of independent judges from the 1st place winning images in each of the Year End Categories.

    William Lacey Trophy

         The “William Lacey Trophy” will be awarded to the maker who has the most overall accumulated points using the totals for the Category of Assignment in the current calendar year. 

   RIBBON AWARDS

   Year End Competition Awards

     As determined by a panel of independent judges, 1st, 2nd and 3rd place ribbons will be awarded for the best three images in each of the following Categories;

• Print Color
• Print Monochrome
• Digital Color
• Digital Monochrome

 Honorable Mention Award Ribbons may also be awarded in any category at the discretion of the Competition Chairperson.

   Best In Category Awards

In both Class A and Class B, a 1st, 2nd and 3rd place ribbon will be awarded to the individuals in each of the four (4) Categories listed below with the best 10 scores in each Category during the nine (9) monthly competitions of the current year.  Members must submit at least 5 images during the year to be eligible. Honorable Mention Award Ribbons may also be awarded in any category at the discretion of the Competition Chairperson.

• Print Color
• Print Monochrome
• Digital Color
• Digital Monochrome

General Notice of Copyright and Permissions

The copyright resides exclusively with the maker of the image, All Rights Reserved.

Photographic images are the property of the maker and may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or medium without the specific written permission of the maker.  Contact the Chasco Camera Club with questions and maker contact information.