CdCC Competition Rules

These rules were last updated on May 29, 2010

CdCC encourages members and judges to read the article Judging at the Club Level which was written by club member JC Roy for the February, 2010 edition of The Reflector, a publication of the Delaware Photographic Society.

Conduct Of the Competitions, Print and Projection

Procedure

1. The Competition Committee Chair is responsible for conducting the CdCC Club Competitions and for recruiting members to assist with the tasks associated with the running of competitions.
2. All print competition entries must be submitted to the Registrar by 8:00 PM. Late entries may only be accepted with the approval of the Competition Committee Chair.
3. The deadline for uploading images to the web site for projection competitions is when the respective competition uploading is disabled on the web site. This may occur at any time after 11:59 PM on the Sunday immediately prior to the competition. Instructions for uploading are available by clicking here.
4. The Registrar is responsible for collecting all the entries into the competition, noting the details of each entry on the entry form for each level, ensuring that member's images are entered into the correct level and that no member enters more than the correct number allowed. The Registrar will check each image to make sure that it complies with the CdCC rules for entry into the competition (e.g. eligibility, presentation and content). The Registrar will also review the condition of each print in a print competition to ensure that they cannot damage other entries in the competition (e.g. excess glue from mounting the print which might stick to other entries).
5. Once prints have been accepted by the Registrar for a print competition, they may not be changed, modified or substituted in any way. A member may request that an entry be withdrawn up to the start of the judging of their level.
6. Images for projection competitions may be deleted or substituted at any time prior to the submission deadline (see above).
7. Once all the entries for the Competition have been received, the Registrar will carefully shuffle the prints in a print competition using a technique to be determined by the Competition Committee Chair that ensures that a maker's photographs are presented to the judge in a non-consecutive order. Software will be used to shuffle images into a randomized order for a projection competition.
8. As the entries for each level are presented, the Chair announces to the judge and the membership:
   
   
   1. Competition Level (A, B, C, or Y)
   2. Category (Open or "Assigned Topic")
   3. Number of entries (total in level)
   4. Number of prizes to award (in each Level)
9. Photo titles are required for record keeping. The title of each photo will be announced as it is placed before the judge for critique.
10. During print competitions, all entries will be presented to the judge for a brief initial viewing. On the second showing, the judge will critique and eliminate entries. If, after the second showing, there are more entries left in the competition than there are prizes to be awarded, then there will be a third showing for the judge to eliminate the requisite number of entries so that the number of prints remaining is the same as the number of prizes. The judge will then view the remaining prints to determine the awards.
11. During projection competitions, the judge will critique the images and assign a score of 1 to 9 to each where 1 is unsatisfactory and 9 represents the best. He or she may then make awards beginning with the images scoring a 9. If there are more awards to give, the judge shall choose from the images scoring an 8, and so forth, until all of the awards are given. Depending upon the judge, other scoring methods may be used, such as pre-selecting a group of images prior to assigning a final scores.
12. The Chairperson or his/her delegate will announce the award winning entries. In print competitions, the makers shall identify their images as they are shown. The viewing software in projection competitions will identify the image makers. Ribbons will be presented by the Competition Chair or his/her delegate at this time.
13. Failure to follow the competition rules as stated herein may result in the mandatory removal and disqualification of an entry from the competition by the Competition Committee Chairperson. Disqualified photographs may be critiqued by the judge but will not be eligible to win any prizes.

Eligibility

1. Only members whose annual dues have been paid, and who are in good standing, may compete in CdCC competitions.
2. A member need not be present at a competition to compete.
3. All entries must be the original work of the competitor.
4. Photographs submitted to CdCC competitions should represent the recent work of the maker and should not be more than three (3) years old.

Competition Levels

1. Members will be able to compete at one of four (4) levels. A short description is included below for each level to give the member an idea of where to start to compete in the different categories. Please note that the descriptions provided are intended to show some of the typical experience that may be found at that level:
   
   
   1. Advanced: Professionals, have had college courses in photography, sold photographs, extensive successful experience in camera club competitions, been a photography competition judge, typically uses high end photographic equipment.
   2. Intermediate: Has a good understanding of composition and lighting, may have had some mentoring in photography, has sold photographs, some successful experience in camera club competitions, typically uses higher end photographic equipment.
   3. Entry Level: Beginner, may not yet understand F-Stops, aperture settings, shutter speeds, composition and lighting; typically uses point & shoot cameras or uses higher end cameras set to automatic; little or no success or experience in camera club competitions; new to photography.
   4. Youth: Generally, 18 years old or under regardless of knowledge or experience.
2. All new members will be required to declare their preference for the level they wish to compete at prior to entering their first competition of the year.
3. Members who begin a year competing at a given level, or enter a given level during the course of the year, may not move to a lower level until the end of the calendar year.
4. When a member who has been competing at the B or C level earns 75 points, that member must move to the next higher level at the start of the next calendar year. Members may be moved to a higher or lower level at the discretion of the Competition Committee.
5. Members who have not won any prize (e.g. 1st, 2nd, 3rd or HM) at their existing level having entered in at least six (6) competitions during the calendar year may petition the Competition Chair to move to a lower level. The Competition Chair may approve or deny the petition at his/her sole discretion. The Competition Chair's decision is final and may not be appealed.
6. Youth members are not eligible to be moved to the A, B or C levels unless by exception. The Competition Chair may direct the move to an A, B or C level only in extraordinary circumstances.
7. Youth 1st place images are eligible to compete for Best in Show (monthly and annual) awards.

Competiton Categories

Typically, the CdCC competitions each year will have twelve assigned theme competitions. Subject matter for the assigned category will be distributed by email and through the CdCC web site or in any other manner deemed suitable by the Competition Committee, to all members and potential members no later than December 1st for the following competition year.

Good Taste

Any image that is in "Good Taste" may be entered. The Competition Chair, or his/her designate, will determine what constitutes "Good Taste" and may bar entries that, in their opinion, may be offensive or inappropriate for display. As CdCC has a Youth category, and children under the age of 18 may be in attendance at club meetings, members should ensure that their entries are appropriate for this type of audience. If in doubt, members should consult with the Competition Chair, or his/her designate, prior to the start of the competition.

Presentation of Print Entries

1. All prints submitted to CdCC competitions must be mounted on firm material e.g., mat board, poster board, foam core, etc. This prevents bending or warping. The prints may have a border, or can be mounted edge-to-edge. The material on which the print is mounted can be of any color. At the discretion of the maker, prints may also be over-matted with a window mat of any color. It should be noted that most Judges prefer white mats.
2. Prints may not be presented in any type of frame or covered with any material e.g., a clear bag.
3. While the competition volunteers will take every care when handling prints, makers must ensure that their entries are sturdy and robust enough to withstand being stacked, moved around, turned face over, displayed in the light box and handled a number of times. Any print that comes apart or separates from the mounting material may be removed from the competition at the discretion of the Competition Committee Chair.
4. The length of the shortest side of the print may not be less than eight (8) inches. The length of the longest side of the mounting/backing board or mat may not exceed twenty four (24) inches. Note that competitions in camera clubs other than CdCC usually stipulate a 16" x 20" maximum mat size.
5. Prints must be identified on the back with the maker's Name, Title of Print and Level of Competition in the upper left hand corner. An arrow, clearly visible, must point to the top of the print, next to the previous information. Failure to include all the above information will result in an automatic disqualification and the print will be removed from the competition. The following is an example of the identifications required on the back of a print/mat:
   
   

Format of Projection Entries

1. In order for all competitors to have an equal advantage and considering the software the club has selected to use for displaying and scoring images during the competition, it is necessary to require all images be scaled to 768 pixels along their longest edge and 96 pixels per inch.
2. All images must be saved in sRGB color space, not Adobe RGB.
3. All images must be saved in JPEG format with a .jpg extension

Information relating to sizing and saving images is available by clicking here.

Number of Entries

Members may submit a maximum of two (2) entries to each CdCC competition. The Competition Committee may at their discretion, change the number of entries allowed to be submitted. One month’s notice is required to change the number of entries allowed. Such notice is to be given to the general membership of CdCC by email and in the club's web site.

Re-submission of images

1. Entries that have previously placed (1st, 2nd, 3rd or Honorable Mention) in any CdCC competition are not eligible for re-submission. Similar photographs to those which have placed in any CdCC competitors (e.g., slight position change, slight exposure change, slight cropping, etc) are not permitted. Remember, the point of the themed competitions is to make the member stretch and grow in an area of photography where they might not be comfortable. A non-placing entry, including prior year entries, may be resubmitted only once.
2. Any member who submits an entry that is ineligible because it had previously placed will be excluded from the following two (2) Club competitions.

Level size

1. There must be at least two (2) entries within a level, A, B, C or Y, for an image to be judged. The judge is permitted to critique and assign a score to a single entry.
2. If there is a single entry in a level, the image will be awarded Honorable Mention.

Placing awards

Note: Judges are not required to award 1st, 2nd, 3rd or Honorable Mention if the entries are not deemed worthy and may award additional Honorable Mention awards on a case by case basis due to the level of a particular competition. Honorable Mention awards are not given in any particular order.

Point awards

Judging

1. All entries will be anonymous to the Judges.
2. No comments from the audience are permitted during the judging.
3. Judges are required to briefly critique each entry. To identify what they like/dislike about the photo, what makes it a good photo, and how it could be improved. (See section below on Judging Guidelines). A score of between 3 and 9, with 9 being the best, must be given in projection competitions.
4. The judge's decision will be final and may not be appealed.
5. Judges (at their discretion) may award special recognition to a photograph that does not come in 1st, 2nd, 3rd or Honorable Mention. No points or award will be given for this recognition.

Best-in-show — Monthly competition

When all of the levels have been judged, all the 1st place winners from each level will be exhibited and compete against each other for the Best-in-Show award.

Best-of-year — Yearly competition

At one of the club's regular December an additional competition will be held amongst the entries that won in the past year's Monthly Best-in-Show winners to determine the annual Best-of-Year award. This competition will be voted on by the members in good standing present at the December meeting by secret paper ballot.

Dispute Resolution

Any dispute concerning the conduct of a CdCC competition, the eligibility of entries or any other aspect of the competition shall be decided by the Competition Committee Chair or, in his/her absence, by a majority of the members of the Competition Committee who are present.

Rule changes for competitions

1. Members may recommend changes to the rules governing CdCC competitions either through the Competition Chairperson, or a Competition Committee Member, who will submit the proposed change to the committee as a whole.
2. Any rule changes must be approved by the Competition Committee and submitted to the Membership for final acceptance.

Recording and publication of competition results

1. Competition Committee Chairperson will delegate to a Committee Member the recording of point totals and maintenance of the Members point standing for the year.
2. Committee Member will provide the records to the Committee Chairperson and to the web site officer for publication on the club's web site.

Judging Guidelines

The judge shall use the following guidelines during competition judging.

Main elements in evaluating images

1. Technical
   
   
   1. Design elements
      
      
      • Horizontal/vertical choice
      • Patterns/textures
      • Composition elements
      • Placement of point of interest
      • Light/dark values and balance
      • Color values and balance
      • Sharpness
      • Background
      • Minimizing distracting elements
   2. Subject matter
      
      
      • What and why selected — motive of photograph
      • What included — what not
      • Complementary background
   3. Imagination or point of view
      
      
      • Uniqueness
      • New perspective
      • Unusual lighting
   4. Technique or difficulty
      
      
      • Timing, a captured moment
      • Treatment of movement or speed
      • Management and control of light
      • Exposure
   5. Presentation
      
      
      • Appropriate cropping
      • Choice of mounting
      • Clean, dust-free
      • No signalers
2. Viewer Impact
   
   
   • Mood, emotion, feeling affect on viewer
   • Message or story
   • Strength or impact (the WOW factor)
   • Creativity

Consideration in judge's comments

1. Recognize and mention the positive elements of an image when present.
2. Recognize and mention those non-technical aspects (Viewer Impact 1-4) when present.
3. Give positive constructive suggestions first as a substitute and alternative for critical negative type of comments.

Consideration in Scoring

1. No single good element of evaluation should forgive poor elements (unless the poor elements are not a factor in the overall image. However, several good elements could be sufficient to overcome some poor elements.
2. A successful image should satisfy most, if not all, of the elements of evaluation.
3. A successful image should be recognized regardless of the expense of travel, advanced expensive equipment, or difficulty that may have been used to produce the image. Conversely, an image produced by expensive travel or equipment should not automatically be considered to be a successful image.