Print Competitions

  1. There are eight print competitions each year: Rounds 1 to 4 in both colour and monochrome.
  2. There is only one class for members of all abilities.
  3. All prints must be mounted and must bear the title of the print and the member’s name on the reverse.
    The title must be identical to the PDI uploaded in Photoentry.
    Print mounts must have dimensions of 40cm x 50cm.
    The printing can be done by either the member or a printing service.
  4. A member can enter a maximum of three prints in each separate competition.
  5. Prints must be handed in on the Monday of the competition by 19.45pm
    A digital version of the print must be uploaded to Photoentry by midnight on the Saturday preceding the competition.
  6. The title of each print will be announced as it is displayed using the title from Photoentry.
  7. At each competition the judge will be asked to mark all entries out of a maximum of ten points.
    In addition, the judge will award certificates to the top four prints in each class, if necessary by the award of a plus mark to one or more of the prints.
    All certificated prints are eligible for entry into the final competitions at the end of each year.
    (N.B. See also the General Rule below regarding limitations on the number of prints which may qualify for finals competitions.)
  8. Print final competitions are held each year for all prints eligible under Rule 7, when the judge will be asked to select a winner in each class plus three further certificates of merit.

Projected Digital Image Competitions

  1. There are four Projected Digital Image (PDI) competitions each year (Rounds 1 to 4).
  2. There is only one class for members of all abilities.
  3. A member can enter a maximum of three PDIs in each competition
  4. Images must be in a JPEG format with a maximum horizontal dimension of 1400 pixels, and a maximum vertical dimension of 1050 pixels, these should also be in a sRGB colour space.
  5. PDI’s must be uploaded to Photoentry by midnight on the Saturday preceding the competition.
  6. The projector used to judge the images will be calibrated to the sRGB colour space.
    The background displayed around the images will be black.
    The title of each image from Photoentry will be displayed at the time of showing.
  7. At each competition the judge will be asked to mark all entries out of a maximum of ten points.
    In addition, the judge will award certificates to the top four PDI’s, if necessary by awarding a plus mark to one or more of the PDI’s.
    All certificated PDI’s are eligible for entry into the final competitions at the end of the year.
    (N.B. See also the General Rule below regarding limitations on the number of images which may qualify for finals competitions.)
  8. PDI final competitions are held each year for all images eligible under Rule 7 above, when the judge will be asked to select a winner in each class plus three further certificates of merit .

General Rules

  1. If the number of members entering any competition is at least four, the number of entries going through to finals evenings shall be as stated in the Rules above.
  2. If the number of entrants is less than four, then the number of entries going through to finals evenings will be equal to the number of entrants (i.e. if there are three entrants then three entries will go through to finals evenings, if two entrants, then the top two entries will go through, and if only one entrant, then only the winning entry will go through.)
  3. If necessary, the number of entries per member may be limited on the evening, at the discretion of the competition secretary.
  4. Images not selected for the finals may be re-submitted in not more than one subsequent competition.
  5. All images, including any added layers, backgrounds, textures, etc. must be the photographer’s own work.
  6. The Rules in this section apply to all competitions.

Competition Classes: Entry Guidelines

There is a single class for competition entries, all members are encouraged to enter in every competition, as this will give them valuable feedback from, in most cases, a very experienced judge, commenting on how the image could be improved either technically or compositionally.

Competitions for Set Subject Trophies

  1. There are four set subject competitions: the Rose Bowl and the Evershed Shield,  The Jeff Royce Challenge trophy, The Gates Shield.
    All are competed for on an annual basis.
    The Rose Bowl subject is natural history.   (For specific rules for this competition see – Nature Photography Rules)
    The Evershed Shield subject is London Life and/or London Architecture.
  2. There is also:
    The Jeff Royce Challenge Trophy (Urban and Nature)
    The Gates Shield (Landscapes, Seascapes, Cityscapes)
  3. Each member may submit for each trophy a maximum of five entries which must be projected digital images (PDIs).
  4. The judge will choose a winner plus three further certificates of merit.
  5. The trophies for each of these will be presented at the AGM in February.

Handicap system

  1. The handicap will be available to all new members who at the time of joining the club do not have any photographic distinction.
  2. Qualifying new members will be asked if they want to enter competitions with the handicap at the time of joining the club, based on the following sliding scale
  3. First two PDI/print competitions: 1.5 extra points
  4. Third PDI/print competition: 1 extra point
  5. Fourth PDI/print competition: ½ extra point
  6. Any subsequent competition: no extra points