Competition Rules
St Austell Camera Club work within a framework of rules for our competitions. Our competitions are enjoyable ways to see a variety of photographs and hear and learn from feedback by the independent judges.
To keep the events running smoothly there are some rules and you can follow. They include the requirements on photo sizing, and other information for digital image competitions. They are also available from the Competition Secretaries at any meeting.
Other camera clubs follow a similar structure. SACC is a member of the CPA (Cornwall Photographic Alliance) and the WCPF (Western Counties Photographic Federation), this allows affiliation with the PAGB (Photographic Alliance of Great Britain).
As well as holding internal competitions, we are able to enter external competitions hosted by the CPA, WCPF & PAGB.
1.1 Entries to competitions are only open to club members. A member is defined as anyone who has paid their annual subscription.
1.2 Submission of an entry by a member is deemed to imply knowledge and acceptance of all competition rules.
1.3 The Committee's decision will be final regarding all matters relating to the interpretation of these rules and any disputes arising there from.
1.4 Although every care will be taken of images entrusted to the Club for whatever purpose, neither the Club nor any representatives can accept any responsibility for loss or damage however caused. Therefore all images are submitted to the Club at the owner's risk.
1.5 Amendments or additions to these Club rules shall only be made by executive decision of the Committee and may be without prior notice to its members.
1.6 Any Image which does not conform to club rules will be liable to disqualification.
1.7 A minimum of ten entries for each section are required in any competition. If entries are low, the hand-in date may be extended, the competition postponed or cancelled. This decision rests at the discretion of the Competition Secretary.
1.8 At the end of each competition night members should collect their entries.
Any entries not collected on the competition night can be collected at the next meeting.
2.1 Images and their component parts (all digitally manipulated layers) must be the original work of the entrant.
2.2 The entrant must be the author and hold copyright, having produced all images and component parts through a photographic process (digital or film camera).
2.3 If digital manipulation has occurred the Committee retain the right to view the original images used to create the entered image.
2.4 If the Committee deems an image to be in breach of the Club authorship rules it will not be eligible for any Club competitions.
3.1 All entries to be submitted on or before the hand-in date. Late entries may not be accepted.
3.2 Competitions are divided into two sections; Digital Projected Images (to be known as Digital) and Mounted Print Images (to be known as Prints).
3.3 Slides are not permitted and should be printed or scanned as a digital image.
3.4 Entries for each competition shall be limited to the number of images specified by the Committee at the start of the season.
3.5 Each image, either as Digital or Print, may only be entered twice into ‘Open’ or ‘Themed’ competitions. You may also enter the image once into the ‘Image of the Year’ competition subject to the additional entry rules that apply. However, any image whether print or digital which has been placed (First, Second or Third) in any previous internal competition will not be eligible to be entered in any subsequent competition whether held in the same or any subsequent season (except for the Image of the Year competition held in that same season). Up to 2 Digital images may be submitted for a ‘Silver & Gold Discussion’. Any such image may however be resubmitted to a subsequent ‘Silver & Gold Discussion’ but only once.
3.6 The same, or significantly similar image, may not be entered into both print and digital image sections for the same competition. If this occurs only the first copy will be accepted.
3.7 All images must be titled correctly (as per rules 4.3 & 4.4) and entered anonymously.
3.8 In submitting entries for Club competitions you agree to make them available for selection for any external or inter-club competitions, and for inclusion within the Club's website gallery and/or competition section.
3.9 Any image already receiving a placement at any other camera club, cannot be entered into a St Austell Camera Club competition. AGM May 2020.
3.10 Images taken during club workshop evenings cannot be used as entries for club competitions.
4.1 Prints may be self or trade processed.
4.2 Prints should be mounted on card with an overall size no greater than 500 x 400 mm. For external competitions the mount size must be exactly this size.
Example - Mounted Print size Landscape
Example - Rear of the Mount Title
4.3 Prints must be titled on the top right hand corner of the back. This titling format denotes the viewing orientation of the print. The authors name must NOT be present on the image or mount.
4.4 Digital images PDIs must have their title as the filename - e.g. Image Title.jpg
4.5 Digital Images should be submitted via DROPBOX or on a Memory Stick and on or before the hand-in date. The authors name must not be present within the image filename.
4.6 Digital images must not exceed 1600 pixels wide (w) OR 1200 pixels high (h) in size.
They should be saved as a Jpeg (.jpg) at the finest (highest) setting. It is recommended, as the images are to be projected, to save them with the colour space set as sRGB.
Incorrectly sized images may not be accepted for competitions.
Example - Projected Digital Image Landscape
Example - Projected Digital Image Portrait Orientation
Example - Projected Digital Image Square
4.7 Should the total number of submitted images in any competition, silver and gold discussion, general critique or fun knock-out exceed 80, it may be deemed too large an amount to judge competently. The competition secretary will consult with the President (and any other Committee Members deemed necessary) to review the issue. In extreme cases some entries may be removed to reduce the total number of images to the preferred number.
5.1 AI image processing and manipulation has been part of camera and post-processing software for several years.
5.2 AI-enabled algorithmic automation of basic imaging processing (including exposure optimisation in-camera, the cloning of a background, or removal of subject elements), as being under the control of the photographer and represents an on-going evolution of long-standing capabilities.
5.3 Establishing exactly what is and isn't the product of AI will become increasingly hard to discern and will require ongoing consideration, transparency and discussion when reviewing work for judging.
5.4 To be acceptable as a valid competition entry, the initial and components within an image must have been captured with the authors use of a camera and light.
5.5 Images generated solely via AI are not photography and as such are not accepted in any competition.
6.1 Competitions will be independently judged, unless otherwise stated.
6.2 Prints and Digital images will be judged as two separate categories, with each category being awarded first, second and third places, plus two Highly Commended and Commended places.
6.3 As judges for competitions are booked their names will be published on the website and/or programme. Any change in judge will be notified to the members as soon as possible.
6.4 Any image deemed to be at odds with the competition definition or theme may be rejected by the Committee or the Competition Judge; their decision is final.
7.1 Scoring system
The scoring is based on the same system used for Battle and CPA competitions.
Every entry will receive a score from the judge ranging from 20 (highest) down to 8 (lowest). The judge will award first, second, third, highly commended and commended.
This scoring system allows for all image entries to be graded accordingly.
Amongst the many scenarios, it would be possible for a member to not be placed in any competition but still score highly and consistently enough to receive the “Photographer of the Year” award.
Every entry will receive at least 8 points. This system will encourage entries and also allow members to judge how well they have done in each competition through the year and in relation to other members.
7.2 Points are not awarded from 'Silver & Gold' Discussion nights.
7.3 The member with the highest total point score during a Club season will be awarded the ‘Photographer of the Year' trophy. The league table of points will be displayed on the Club website and Club notice board, both of which are updated at regular intervals.
7.4 In the unlikely event of a points tie, the member with the most 1st placements (also 2nd, 3rd and Highly Commended if needed) will become the overall winner.
7.5 The winning member will hold the title of ‘Photographer Of The Year’ until the conclusion of next season's competition.
8.1 The Club requires images (Prints and/or Digital) for competitions with other clubs.
8.2 All members images, either previously shown or not, are eligible for inclusion for selection.
8.3 Each member can submit up to 4 images in each section (Digital and Print) for selection.
8.4 A maximum of 3 images (Prints and/or Digital) per member may be selected for inclusion in to a competition or critique.
8.5 The final images selection will be conducted by a selection committee, unless otherwise stated.
8.6 Normal competition and entry rules apply for all submissions.