Paignton Photographic Club

see 'About Us' for Constitution

General Information

1. General Information on Competitions.

a. Throughout the season the Club holds several competitions and, through appraisal by those asked to judge, this is one of the best ways to gain proficiency. All members are strongly encouraged to enter as many competitions as are available.
b. Competitions are open to all members.
c. Please bear in mind that if you do not enter a projected image or print, we may not have a full evening’s entertainment on competition evenings. It is incumbent on members to support the programme for the benefit of the club.
d. The programme is laid out on a two-page spread with the date and event on the left-hand page. Any requirements by you for that date appears on the right-hand page (hand-in date is usually three weeks before the competition).

2. General Information on Images.

a. To maintain fresh competition material, the same or significantly similar image may be entered only once as a print or projected image. It thereby becomes ineligible for any future competitions with the exception of the Dyment Trophy for projected image of the year, or the Poulson Cup for the print of the year, and must be entered in the same season.
b. Up to three images can be entered in each competition (apart from image of the year competitions). Should the number of entries be too high then the third image shown on the entry form from each photographer will not be entered, but can be used in subsequent competitions.
c. Each photographer must own the copyright of every element of the image. Clip Art and Copyright Free material are not permitted. An entry may be rejected if it does not conform to competition rules or if it is deemed to be unsuitable.
d. Entries will be returned to members usually within 14 days. The Committee may request an exceptional image for the purposes of representing the Club in outside competitions, exhibitions, and the website. Every care will be taken of members’ work as far as is possible.
e. By submitting images for competitions or diplomas, the entrant permits the club to use any of the entered material in external competitions or for publication on the web. Web images should be medium quality and a maximum height or width of 600 pixels. Right of reproduction will be assumed unless specifically withheld.
 
3. Preparing your work for submission.

Ensure that the relevant entry form has been completed and that the titles agree with those on the print or projected image.

3.1 Preparing Projected Images.
a. Images can be submitted via email or on a CD or USB which should be clearly labeled with membership number and name.
b. Images to be resized according to current specifications. For example, if the resolution of the club projector is 1400 pixels by 1050 pixels, then images to be no larger than 1400 pixels wide and 1050 pixels high. Therefore, landscapes to be a maximum of 1400 pixels wide and portraits to be a maximum of 1050 pixels high.
c. Smaller images are acceptable but will be projected smaller on the screen. Images that are too large will be automatically reduced in size which may compromise quality.
d. Images must be JPG and named using a 2 digit number followed by a space then a short title. Please use only keyboard characters 0 – 9, letters A – Z, [and ( ) which is required for the Sleep Competition only].
e. Up to 3 images may be entered and should be enclosed in a folder with the photographer’s name. e.g. folder: My Name - containing images: 01 My First Image; 02 My Second Image; 03 My Third Image.

3.2 Preparing Prints.
a. All prints for competitions or exhibitions must be mounted on card of your choice. The maximum mount size for prints is 50cm x 40cm which is the only mount size allowed for external competitions and exhibitions. A backing board large enough to cover its area should protect the print if using a windowed mount.
b. Write your membership number, print number and title (as filled in on the entry form) on the back of the print in the correct orientation for the image. This is important where the displaying of the work is open to interpretation.
c. In addition to the print, a digital version is requested for use in external competitions or the website. Images for the website should be a maximum of 600 pixels width or height and saved at medium quality.

4. Trophy Competitions.

4.1. The Sections Competitions.
The Photo-Kine Cup is awarded for the highest total in ‘A Section’ and the Royce Cup is awarded for the highest total in ‘B Section’. The G.E.M. Trophy will be awarded for the highest total in A1 Section.
a. To maintain an equitable standard of competition, members will, as far as possible, be divided into three groups designated A1, A, and B according to proven ability. New members to the Club may ask or be asked to produce a ‘folio’ of their work in either projected or print form to assess their ability for the more advanced group. Classes A/A1 will be run using a promotion/relegation system.
b. Marking for each Sections Competition will be as follows: One mark for each image entered. The judge then selects the top six images and awards six marks for first place down to one mark for sixth place, but, only the highest scoring image per member is added to the aggregate. There are no other marks awarded under this scheme which is designed to cut down on a judge’s workload.
c. There are four sections to the competition which are spread over the season. At least two sections will be ‘Open’. Themed competitions may form part of the Sections Competitions – see themed competitions.

4.2. Themed Competitions.
The Jessop’s Cup is awarded for the best image/print panel in the competition; and the Model Village Cup is awarded for the best projected image in the competition.
a. The subject for themed competitions is set before the new season.
b. Themed competition may form part of the Sections Competition.
c. Images must have been taken within two years of the competition date.

4.3. Punt Cup.
Awarded for the best triptych on a subject of your choice.
a. A triptych is a print or mount containing three images that don’t overlap.
b. Please note mount size is not to exceed 50cm x 40cm.

4.4. Sleep Trophy.
Awarded for the best set of three projected images from different categories, subject or class of photography.
To assist the judge, the title and subject or class is required on each image. E.g. 01 Sunset (L); 02 Bird (N); 03 Church (A).
Use category/class abbreviations given below in brackets:
a. Architecture (A)
b. Creative (C)
c. Landscape including Seascapes (L)
d. Natural History (N)
e. Photo Journalism (J)
f. Portraiture including candids (P)
g. Record (R)
h. Sport/Action (S)

4.5. Dyment Trophy.
Awarded for the ‘Projected Image of the Year’. The competition is open to all members and images must have been taken within 15 months of the competition date. Any image submitted is exempt from the ‘ineligible’ rule and may have been used in other competitions in the current season but cannot be entered in both the Dyment Trophy and Poulson Cup.

4.6. Poulson Cup.
Awarded for the ‘Print of the Year’. The competition is open to all members and images must have been taken within 15 months of the competition date. Any image submitted is exempt from the ‘ineligible’ rule and may have been used in other competitions in the current season. An image cannot be entered in both the Dyment Trophy and Poulson Cup.

4.7. Mason Trophy.
Awarded for the best judged Audio-Visual sequence.
The competition is open to all members.
a. Commentary and/or music can be used but, unless a member has a full IAC licence, all music used should be royalty free.
b. Digital entries should be in the form of an executable file (EXE) copied to a CD or USB.
c. Entries should not exceed twelve minutes in duration. Less than five minutes would be the optimum length.
d. Joint entries will be accepted up to fifteen minute duration but only one nominated member can be awarded the trophy.
e. Members may enter up to two sequences but if there are too many entries in the competition only one sequence will be judged.
f. If two sequences are entered, only the highest scoring sequence will count.
g. Entries are ineligible for future submissions in the Mason Trophy competition except in modified form.
h. Single images can be used in any other trophy competition.
i. A Diploma will be awarded a Pass to any sequence awarded 75 marks or above; a Credit to 80 and above; and a Distinction to 85 and above.
j. The top two entries will be chosen to represent the Club in the annual WCPF AV competition.

4.8. James Wilson Award.
Awarded for the best Creative Projected Image.

5. Diploma Information.

You are strongly advised to seek assistance from the Club’s Adviser on Diploma submissions in the preparation of a Diploma. The name of the Adviser for any given year will be printed in the yearly handbook. A Diploma is an ongoing task and not confined to any one year. Start as soon as you feel competent and add to your folio following advice from the Club’s selected Adviser.
a. There are two types of Diploma - the General Diploma and the Specialised Diploma. A member may not submit for the latter unless he/she has gained the former.
b. Apart from the award of a Diploma no letters such as CPAGB are ascribed to the successful applicant. Despite this lack of an outward show of success, the gaining of a General Diploma is generally considered a big mark of success within the club and members should consider the gaining of such an award as a high priority.
c. Any successful Section B member will be promoted to Section A in the following season.
d. Titles and sequence or print layout numbers should be added to individual images. . Print submissions will be viewed as a panel. A folio of images should be numbered in the order they are to be shown. A panel of prints should be accompanied by a placement plan where a number on the back of the print is shown on the plan.
e. Images can be used in any Trophy competitions.
f. If the diploma is successful, the panel of judges will award a Pass, Credit, or Distinction.

5.1 General Diplomas.
This is a folio of ten images of your own selection and must follow the guidelines for competition submission.
All submissions should show competency in dealing with ‘Depth of Field’, ‘Exposure’, ‘Composition’ and ‘Use of Light’.
5.2 Specialised Diplomas.
A member who has attained a General Diploma is eligible to submit a folio of 15 images in the following year.
When submitting a specialised diploma the photographer will be asked to provide a statement of intent of no more than 50 words as to why the images were taken.
A specialized Diploma can be one of the following subjects:
a. Architecture. The folio should show competence with exposure, format, and where applicable the use of foregrounds for framing or enhancing the subject. Architectural detail is permissible.
b. Landscapes including Seascapes. The folio should show competence with the use of appropriate format, exposure, composition and quality of light.
c. Portraiture. The folio should show competence in photographing human subjects, both indoors and out. Domestic animals only (not birds) will be considered as a complete set but any Diploma would be specified ‘Portraiture (Animals)’.
d. Natural History. The folio should show competence in photographing wildlife, insects, vegetation, geological and other natural history subjects to give them identifiable factual representation. They should be in their natural environment. Images taken in zoos, wildlife parks, and humans or their work should not be included. Cultivated plants or domesticated animals or birds are not permissible.
e. Creative Techniques. The folio should show imagination in manipulating reality to show an eye-catching image. Techniques (either at the taking stage or using computer software) can embrace the use of filters, sandwiched images, slow shutter blur, double exposure, bas relief, solarisation, zoom etc. It will be an advantage to submit a varied folio.
f. Sport. The folio should show competence in capturing the range of movements, expressions and exertions of the participants.
g. Audio Visual. Only one Diploma award is allowed but it is possible to gain another award at a higher level via the Mason Trophy or later modified sequences.
h. Themes/Contemporary. The folio must portray a subject of interesting photographic substance. Prior consent of Committee is required for each Theme regarding its suitability as a subject.

6. The Knight Shield.

This trophy is awarded to the member who is considered as giving the greatest service to the club during the season in any

7. Western Counties Photographic Federation Competitions and Members Exhibitions.

The Club is part of a nationwide network of photographic clubs. We are a member of the Western Counties Photographic Federation (WCPF) who in turn is associated to the Photographic Alliance of Great Britain (PAGB).
We seek to gain prestige within our Federation by the work we submit for Competitions and Exhibitions. If you are serious about improving the quality of your work you should support the work of your Federation and feed off the rich supply of work on view.
The Club has a WCPF representative who will be watching out for outstanding images and members are asked to co-operate with material when requested which is desirable for the prestige of the Club.
Titles, name of author and club should be provided as stated in the PAGB or WCPF rules. Projected images should be correctly resized, and prints should be mounted on 50mm x 40mm board.

8. Members’ Print Exhibitions.

The Club will from time to time, hold a Print Exhibition of members’ work that has been approved by the Committee, to advance the work of the club and for the benefit of its members. It is also a useful advert for potential new members to the Club.