Competitions

The NIH Camera Club has both Monthly Competitions for members and an Annual Competition, which doesn't require membership.

COMPETITION TOPICS

  1. The competition topics will be decided by the Board at the July board meeting. The topics for the coming year will be finalized and tentative topics for the year after that will be listed. The lists of topics and the definitions for those for the coming year will be published in the summer newsletter.
  2. For regular competition topics the definitions as listed on the attached Standard Definitions of NIHCC Competition Topics will be used. If the topic is not on this list, the board will define the topics. The topic definition will be read by the Secretary at the beginning of each competition.

COMPETITION DIVISIONS

  1. Categories (Image Type)
    1. Black and White Prints
    2. Color Prints
    3. Color Slides
    4. Digital
  2. Classes
    1. Novice
    2. Advanced

Note: A minimum of 4 entries and 2 different makers is required for a competition. Whenever there are insufficient entries or competitors to have a competition, Novice and Advanced classes will be combined. Members have the option of withdrawing from the combined competition.

General

  1. A member is not restricted to competing in the same class across image types (categories), except as noted below in number 7.
  2. New members may enter any class they wish. In fairness to true novices, experienced new members are encouraged to voluntarily compete in the advanced class.
  3. Once a member has competed in the advanced class within an image type, the member may not revert to the novice class for that image type.
  4. Once a novice earns 50 points in a particular image type, he/she must compete in the advanced class in that image type beginning within two months.
  5. A member may compete in each of the image types. Novice or advanced standing is independent for each category (image type), except as noted below in number 7.
  6. Up to four photographs per category (image type) may be entered by one member in any monthly competition.
  7. Any member who has achieved Master status (300 total points – see Judging and Scoring number 6b) must compete in the advanced class in all image types (categories).

Category (Image Type) Rules

Black and White and Color Prints

  1. Commercially produced prints may be entered.
  2. Maximum print size is 16x20 inches and minimum print size is 5x7 inches.
  3. All prints should be mounted on mat board not larger than 24 x 30 inches.
  4. All prints entered into competition must have on the reverse side, the maker’s name, photograph’s title, and an arrow pointing to the top of the image. No information may be written on the front of the image.

Slides

  1. Slide mounts: Slides must be mounted in 2x2 inch cardboard, glass, metal or plastic mounts not thicker than 3/32 inch.
  2. Thumb Mark: A dot or other distinguishing mark must be placed in the lower left hand corner of the slide as it is held by hand and seen correctly by the holder. Slides will always be oriented in the competition projector according to this thumb mark.
  3. Name and Title: All slides entered into competition must have on the reverse side the maker’s name and photograph’s title.

Digital Projection

  1. Dimensions: Images should be saved in jpeg (high) format, sized to be no more than 1024 pixels wide and no more than 768 pixels high.
  2. Color Space: The color space should be sRGB to correspond with the calibrated projector space.
  3. File Name: Each image must be identified with the initials of the club, the photographers name and the title of the image, i.e., NBCC~Tom Jones~Washington Landscape.jpg, separated by tildes (~), with no other punctuation  except a period ahead of the jpg designation (.jpg). Each CD should be marked with a fine point Sharpie with the owners name, and telephone number.
  4. Submission: Digital entries must be submitted on CD or email (NIHCameraClub@gmail.com) at least 10 days prior to the competition.

For more information about image size, view the article by John Boretos

JUDGING AND SCORING

  1. Selection of Judges: The NIH Camera Club Program Chairman selects judges for all competitions.
  2. Procedure: Prior to the competition, the Program Chair will review the judging guidelines and the scoring system used by the NIH Camera Club with the judge. The Secretary shall disqualify and remove any entry not conforming to the NIH Competition Rules. The judge(s) shall reject any entry not conforming to an announced subject and/or technique category. It is the duty of the Program Chair to instruct the judge(s) in the definition of such a category.
  3. Maker Identification: The identity of the maker of any photograph should not be made known to the judge(s) until all judging is completed, even if the judge(s) asks. Silence should be maintained at all times during the judging and there should be no visible or audible reaction to any of the images as they are shown.
  4. Judging: Within each competition class, the best photographs are selected by the judge(s) and are then ranked. There must be a minimum of 4 entries by at least 2 different makers in order to conduct a competition. 25% of the entries shall receive awards. The Secretary will inform the judges of the number of awards for each competition category.
  5. Scoring: Within each competition, points are awarded as follows:
    • First Place…6 points
    • Second Place………4 points
    • Third Place..2 points
    • Honorable Mention..1 point
  6. Point Accumulation:
    1. Points are accumulated in each separate category/class. This total is used to determine the member’s class.
    2. Points are accumulated over all categories/classes and over time. These points are used in awarding plaques and star merit awards and for determining “Master” status.
  7. Tallying and Posting: After each competition, points for that competition and cumulative points for the year for each member are tallied and recorded by the Secretary. Cumulative points are published in the June issue of the NIH Camera Club Newsletter.

SLIDE OF THE YEAR/PRINT OF THE YEAR COMPETITION (SPOFTYC)

  1. Eligible Images: Any (and only) photographs which have been shown in one of the intra-club competitions or the NIH Wide Photography Competition during the current NIH Camera Club year are eligible for the current year’s competition. Up to four photographs per image type (category) may be entered by each member.
  2. Categories:
    1. Black & White Prints
    2. Color Prints
    3. Color Slides
  3. There are no classes for this competition.
  4. Judging: Judging is done by members, using a numerical rating system, at the June meeting. Winners are then announced and the images shown. No points are awarded to the winners of this competition.