The Narooma Camera Club, like most others, runs an annual photographic competition for members. The basic idea is the Competition Coordinator publishes a list of ten set topics, one per month from February through November and invites submissions for each month. The outcome is Image of the Year in December.

It is not meant to just be competitive; the concept is that it also gives you a brief to try new things and the feedback helps you develop. These are the rules:

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General

The Competition Coordinator is a member of the club Committee with delegated responsibility to run the competition, maintain the Rules and competition email address and keep the necessary records, including properly storing the submitted images/files.

• Only financial members of the club can enter club competitions.

• All competition entries will be reviewed at each live monthly ‘Comp’ meeting, usually digitally on a Club Narooma TV screen. Prints will now only be used or accepted in special cases.

• Due to Covid-19, the competition moved to fully digital during lockdowns, with email submissions, judging over the internet and results uploaded to YouTube.

• The competitive members are grouped into 2 Divisions called A and B.

• Initial placement in a division when joining the club is by mutual agreement between the member and Competition Coordinator.

 

Setting the Topics

Members will be notified of the 10 set topics for the period February to November. These are documented and emailed to the members in time to prepare their entries by the first Tuesday in February. Set subjects will also be published on the club's website and Facebook.

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Submitted Photographs

• must be wholly the original work of the entrant, obviously. Images taken by others are not permitted.

• may be edited in "post processing". All such editing and manipulation of images using Photoshop or similar software must be the entrant's own work. While they may seek advice and guidance, the actual application of all adjustments must be done by the entrant.

• that are simple composites produced by using parts of different images, e.g., replacing a dull sky with a dramatic sky, are permitted if both were taken by and merged by the entrant.

• should normally appear as single images, not multi-image formats such as triptychs, unless specifically allowed in a particular Set topic.

• should still essentially be a photograph and not graphic art based on a digital capture, unless specifically allowed in a particular Set topic.

• there is no specific time limit on when images were taken or finished. (Ideally though, you would create new images using the Set Topic as your brief.)

 

Submitting Entries

Up to three entries per month can be entered in either Category of "Set" or "Open". Set meaning for that month's Set topic and Open for outside the monthly brief.

• The entrant will nominate which Category of Set or Open that each image is in.

• Members may enter either or both Categories, with no more than a combined total of three images but if three (3) are entered, at least one must be in the Set Category.

• Therefore; 2 Set & 1 Open. Or 1 Set & 2 Open. Or 3 Set & 0 Open. Or 0 Set & 2 Open.

• Use of multiple nearly identical scenes taken at the same place and time or re-use of the same scene with only different treatment, like B&W, is not permitted within each monthly submission.

• Entries that have already won awards, cannot be re-entered in later monthly competitions.

• Entries that do not win an award can be re-entered in later monthly competitions.

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Entries are to be submitted in digital format via the website https://www.naroomacameraclub.org/club-competitions - follow the prompts to enter your details. You will receive a confirmation from "Jotform" confirming your entry has been received. 
(We will still accept entries by email if the form cannot be accessed, send to: entries@naroomacameraclub.org )
Entries must be received no later than midnight on the first Tuesday of the month.​

• When submitting each entry, the email 'Subject' should include the Month and entrant's Name; then the body text should include Month, Name, Division, Category and a Title or brief description of the image for each attached file, e.g.

  • 1. April, Mary Smith, Division A, Open, Camel Rock

  • 2. April, Mary Smith, Division A, Set, Sea Missed

• Each image should be attached as a separate file in JPEG format

• Only show a title in the filename, e.g., "Camel Rock.jpg" (Do not put your name in the filename! The judge is not to know who entered it.

•  Image Specifications

  • set it to the highest JPEG quality

  • 1920 pixels on the longest side and no more than 3MB in size

  • A fine black or white border is permitted within the 1920 pixels

 

The Competition Coordinator may adjudicate on any questions of eligibility of an entry for the monthly Set topic. The member may appeal any such judgement to another Committee member. A quorum of the Committee must then decide the matter promptly before the judging. Note that the Committee reserves the absolute right to refuse to accept or allow display of any images deemed inappropriate. Page 3 of 4

 

Judging

Competition entries will be judged within 2 Divisions. A and B, as appropriate to an expected skill level and their interpretation of the Set topic. Judging will be carried out by experienced judges using one of the following methods:

 

• by a Judge who will come to make a live presentation to us – this will now be a special arrangement.

• by a Remote Judge, who will be sent the images and email us back their feedback then either

  • the images and feedback will be built into a digital presentation to be shown at the monthly meeting, where the feedback will be shared. Awarded images are displayed again at the end of each presentation. If no monthly meeting can be held, a link to the digital presentation will be shared with members via email.

 

All images will be judged, and are eligible to be awarded either Gold, Silver or Highly Commended (HC). There is a sliding scale of how many can be awarded based on how many are entered, please refer to the table below. Note these are a maximum limit, not an obligation, Judges hold the right to award as they deem fit.