Manitoba Camera Club

Manitoba Camera Club Competition Rules

DEFINITIONS:

Categories

Monochrome Prints
Colour Prints
Projected Images

Prints and images in the above categories may be from film or digital sources. Enhanced images may be submitted in any of the three categories.

Photographs
Monochrome prints, colour prints and projected images can be adjusted to produce the best image but are still essentially as seen when looking through the viewfinder. These adjustments may involve colour adjustment; exposure, brightness and/or contrast improvements; dodging and burning; sharpening; saturation/desaturation or conversion to monochrome; cropping, resizing, rotating; eliminating dust, scratches and distracting features.

Enhanced images
Enhanced images are those that have been altered to be fundamentally different than the image seen through the viewfinder. Changes to enhanced images include adding artistic or texture filters; removing or adding primary objects; creating a new image from one or more images; digital artwork; multi-layer compositions or collages; selective colouring, toning or tinting; and Polaroid transfers.

Monthly Competitions
One of six (6) regular competitions held from September to March inclusive. These are the only competitions for which points are awarded.

Club Year runs from September to April.

"Open" Competitions
An open competition may include any subject matter.

Member
A club member is defined as any person who has paid membership fees for the current year.

GENERAL RULES:

1. Competitions are open to all members.

2. Members may submit two (2) entries in each category in each monthly competition.

3. There are two (2) levels for competition - Junior and Senior.

4. New members will compete at the level best suited to their experience as determined by that Member and the Competitions Committee. Experienced salon exhibitors and professionals will compete at the Senior level.

5. A member moves up to the senior level in a given category after being awarded ten (10) or more points in that category during a previous club year. Members may also elect to compete in the Senior category. In both instances, members may not revert to the junior level, except under special circumstances approved by the Competition Committee.

6. Entries by mail from out-of-town members are welcome. If submitting prints or slides, return postage must accompany the entry otherwise the images will not be returned or stored.

7. Entries by e-mail can be sent to entries@manitobacameraclub.ca. See the section on e-mail and digital images for specific rules.

8. MCC accepts no responsibility for any slides or prints that are not picked up, unless prior arrangements have been made with the Competitions Committee.

9. Entries must be submitted to the Competitions Chairperson by the specified entry deadline date. Entry deadline for e-mailed images is 10 p.m. on the specified entry date. Consult the MCC program schedule for specific dates.

10. The image must be the original work of the competitor.

11. Model releases, if required, are the member's responsibility.

PRINT IMAGES:

12. More than one image in a single mat is allowed.

13. Commercially processed images are acceptable in all categories.

14. All prints must be matted and/or mounted, but not framed nor fronted with glass or other material.

15. Prints, including the matting, must not exceed 20 inches in length or width.

16. All prints must have the competitors name, level and category on the back of the mount with an arrow to indicate the top. Titling of prints is at the discretion of the competitor.

17. No identifying marks may appear on the image or mat except as specified in #16.

E-MAIL, DIGITAL and SLIDES:

18. Digital images can be submitted on a CD or e-mailed to entries@manitobacameraclub.ca

19. Digital images must adhere to the following rules:
? Entries are to be submitted in jpeg format;
? There is a maximum file size of 2 megabytes;
? Files must be named as follows:
o level (“j” for “Junior” or “s” for “Senior”)
o your membership number
o an underscore and
o a sequential number starting at 1.
o Example: s123_1 - this shows the first, senior, projected entry by member 123.
? Entry deadline is 10 p.m. on the second last Tuesday of each competition month Consult the MCC program for specific dates.
20. The CD or floppy disc must be marked as follows:
? entrants name AND membership number
? entrants level (i.e. senior or junior)
? competition theme and date and
? number of projected and enhanced files.
Example:
John Buchanan 123
senior
jan/08/open

21. Slides may be mounted in glass, cardboard or plastic slide frames.

22. Slides larger than 35-mm format slides are acceptable on the proviso that the competitor submitting them provides the means for viewing them at both judging and critique.

23. Slides must have a dot on the bottom left corner (when viewed as the slide should be seen). The competitor's name and level must also be on the mount.

24. Images not meeting any of the above outlined criteria may be disqualified.

ENTERING IMAGES IN SUBSEQUENT COMPETITIONS:

A particular image may be submitted for competition a maximum of two times, with the following stipulations:

a) Any image entered in a monthly competition in one year may not be re-entered in a monthly competition in the same or subsequent MCC years.

b) Any image entered in a monthly competition in one year may be entered in an Annual Competition.

c) Any image entered only in an Annual Competition in one year may be entered in a monthly competition in a following year.

d) Images which are so similar that the Competition Committee members can not readily distinguish it from a previously submitted image shall not be entered into competition.

JUDGING AND POINTS AWARDED:

Points are awarded as follows:

1st place 5 points
2nd place 4 points
3rd place 3 points
1st honourable mention 2 points
2nd honourable mention 1 point

These placings are at the discretion of the judges.

At the discretion of the judges, an entry in each monthly competition will be designated the “Image of the Month.” Two points are awarded.

The judging will be arranged by the Competitions Committee. Three (3) judges will adjudicate the entries.

Any member who judges a monthly competition will receive three (3) points towards the "Grand Aggregate Award" total of that individual.

Judges' decisions are final.

ANNUAL AWARDS and TROPHIES:

Aggregate Award: Awarded to one member in each category at each level. It is based on the accumulated total score in an individual category in all monthly competitions. In the case of a tie, the higher number of 1st places, then the higher number of 2nd places, etc. will break ties.

Grand Aggregate Award: Awarded to the member with the most points. It is an accumulation of all the points in all categories in each monthly competition.

Annual Open: (Year-end "Open" competition). Awarded to one member at each level in each category. No points are earned in this competition. To enter a member must have submitted at least one entry, in the appropriate category, in two or more monthly competitions during the current club year. Unlike the monthly competitions, up to three images may be submitted in each category. Label all entries "Annual Open” and indicate both the level and category.

Year-End Competitions: Open to all members. Each of these competitions has a theme: Architecture, Animals and Life Images. One award will be presented to the winning image for each theme.

All members compete at the same level.

Rules regarding size of images are consistent with the regular MCC competition regulations.

Further details follow for each of the three year-end competitions.

a) Architecture
• Each member may submit a maximum of four (4) images.
• Label all entries "Architecture."
• The Henry Kalen Trophy will be awarded to the best image.

b) Animals
• Each member may submit up to four (4) images.
• The topic includes mammals, insects, birds, fish, amphibians and reptiles however humans are excluded.
• Label all entries "Animals."
• The Arko Trophy will be awarded to the best image.

c) Life Images
• Each member may submit up to four (4) images.
• The images must tell us something real about the human condition, make us think about life (for example, about working, danger, monotony, excitement, despair, joy, times gone by, life styles, social comment or whimsy but the message must be real.
• Judging will be based on adherence to the theme and form and composition.
• Label your entries "Life Images."
• The MCC Life Images Trophy will be awarded to the best image.

d) Contemporary Photography
• Each member may submit up to four (4) images.
• Images should depict a departure from realism, often through the use of montages, motion blur, patterns, filters, selective focus, colouring or toning, zoom exposures, and other techniques via the darkroom or the computer.
• Images may often be more art than photography, but they must begin with one or more photographs that are the sole work of the creator of the image (i.e. no clip art). The purpose of such techniques is to alter reality to the point where the image is drastically different than what was originally viewed through the viewfinder.
• Label your entries “Contemporary Photography.”
• The Delannoy Trophy will be awarded to the best image.

MISCELLANEOUS:

Special competitions may be announced at any time. Conditions of entry will be set by the Competitions Chairperson. No points will be awarded for these competitions.

The Manitoba Camera Club Inc. reserves the right to make duplicates of all placing images and, with the photographer's agreement, enter these into national and international competitions.

The Manitoba Camera Club Inc. will be the owner of these duplicates (but does not assert rights to the content) with all credits given to the photographer.

Members must own all the rights to the works submitted. As such, members hold the Manitoba Camera Club harmless from any breach of copyright laws in Canada and elsewhere.

The Manitoba Camera Club Inc. will not accept liability for loss or damage of entries, however caused.

Participation in a competition indicates complete acceptance of competition rules.