Competition Rules
In the past all images entered for club competitions have been checked only against the following criteria; Sizing, Colour Space and Title format. No check has been made of the content.
In future, ALL images entered in any SPS club competition, display or exhibition will be checked against the following criteria by the Competitions Secretary.
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Inappropriate or offending images WILL be disqualified at the point of entry. The Competition Secretary’s decision will be final, and there will be no appeal process for disqualification of inappropriate or offending images.
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Images must be directly related to the Competition Subject – any deviation may be subject to disqualification.
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All aspects and Copyright of every image MUST be your total and exclusive work as the submitting photographer.
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All competition rules hereinafter must be adhered to.
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In order to promote creativity and variety of images, Prints or DPIs may only be entered into one competition per season. Exceptions apply to images submitted to the Summer Challenge, Knockout & Mix & Match (see below).
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Any print or DPI which has previously received an award, a certificate and/or a maximum mark in the league may not be entered for any subsequent competition within the club.
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If this is not clear, please do not hesitate to contact the Internal/External Competition Secretary for guidance.
1. League Entries
Entries shall be limited to 4 prints or 4 DPI’s per member per competition. Entries must be the original work of the member, but processing may have been done commercially. No subsequent alteration to the title of either a print or a DPI is permitted.
a. Prints
In order for an image to be accepted into a league competition, prints must be mounted, with the title and the member’s membership number (as shown on membership booklet) clearly marked. The member’s name must not appear on competition entries. The maximum size of a print is 50cm x 40cm including mount. Every print must be accompanied by a JPEG version (max size 1600 pixels wide by 1200 pixels high) to be submitted as directed by competition secretary. The Jpeg MUST include EXIF DATA.
b. DPI
In order for an image to be accepted into a league competition, digital files should be JPEG format. Maximum 1600 pixels wide and 1200 pixels high, smaller images will be projected with a black background. The image must be correctly named, title must be in UPPER CASE and a space before and after the word ‘by’ so it looks like this:-
THE TITLE by A N Other.jpg
All DPI’s should be in sRGB colour space and MUST include EXIF DATA. All DPI’s are to be submitted as directed by competition secretary.
2. Closing Dates
The latest date for entry into all competitions will be the meeting held 2 weeks prior to the date of the competition, but no later. Except where specified. Any exception to this rule will be advised beforehand. Print should be handed to the Internal Competition Secretary and DPIs submitted as directed by the Internal Competition Secretary.
3. Marking
Judges will be asked to mark out of 20 with a 1st, 2nd and 3rd
4. DPI and Print of the Year Competition
All images marked 1st, 2nd and 3rd and those images scoring marks of 19/20 and 20/20 will automatically be entered into the relevant image of the year competition. In addition, every member may submit 1 image of their choice from the current season’s league entries. Other images may be selected at the committee’s discretion.
The work must be presented in its original form, not having been altered in any way. However, if this presents any problem, the member should contact the Internal Competition Secretary, following which the Committee shall make a ruling.
5. DPI and Print - Best of the Rest
All members may submit up to 4 images from this year’s league entries into the Print and DPI Best of the Rest Competitions. Images must not have been submitted into the Print/DPI of the Year, i.e. not been placed, scored 19/20 or been submitted by member. Other images may be selected at the committee’s discretion
The work must be presented in its original form, not having been altered in any way. However, if this presents any problem, the member should contact the Internal Competition Secretary, following which the Committee shall make a ruling.
6. Summer Challenge (DPI)
Dedicated to the memory of Marilyn Bliss, topics are circulated at the end of the preceding season with specified dates between which the images must be taken. Images are submitted by the specified closing date, (usually the first week of the new season). Number of images permitted per topic will be specified in the circulated directions. Images must comply with competition standards above. Images may be entered into ONE other competition (league, landscape, mono or set subject).
7. Landscape Competition
Entries shall be limited to 4 prints and/or 4 DPI per member and shall comply with league competition standards above. The subject will be ‘Landscape’ in its generally accepted interpretation.
8. Set Subject Competition
Entries shall be limited to 4 prints and/or 4 DPI per member and shall comply with league competition standards above.
THE SET SUBJECT FOR THIS YEAR IS:
DPI: The Sporting Life
9. Mono Competition
This is a DPI competition. DPI entries should be sized in the same manner as the League DPI competitions. Entries shall be limited to 4 per member. Images must be in monochrome and can be on any subject.
10. Panel Competition
An entry for this competition shall consist of 3 DPI and/or 3 Prints per member and shall comply with league competition standard (see rules 2 & 3). Each print entry shall be shown simultaneously and judged as a single, titled panel, Each DPI entry shall be projected sequentially and judged as a single, titled panel. Each member can enter two such entries of prints and DPI.
11. Mix ‘n’ Match Competition (DPI)
Club members shall be divided into two teams by the Chairman. Two team captains will be chosen. The team captains are responsible for selecting 25 DPI’s from the images submitted by team members. Images can have been used in other competitions. One team selects a DPI for the judge; the other team then aims match the DPI by means of subject, colour, shape, etc. One point is awarded if there is a match, and one point is awarded for the best DPI of the pair. This process is carried out alternately until all 25 DPI’s have been shown from each team. The winning team is that which has the highest number of points. THE JUDGES DECISION IS FINAL!
12. Knockout Competition (Print)
Members may submit up to 4 prints and shall comply with league competition standards above. Images can have been used in other competitions. Entries will be accepted on the night of the competitions. The images will be randomised into 2 groups. They will be presented 2 at a time with members voting for their preferred image. The ‘winners’ will progress to the next round, and so on until a final winning image is selected.
13. Digital Creative Competition
Entries shall be limited to 2 per member. Entries will be in DPI format only, re-sized and titled as per DPI competition rules. 2 images will be supplied by the Committee and can be digitally altered in any way the member wishes, no other image or parts thereof, can be added to this image.
14. External Battles/ Competitions
The External Competition Secretary may request prints or DPI’s to be submitted for possible selection by the Section Committee to represent the Society in inter-club battles or competitions run by regional Photographic Societies (e.g. the KCPA). It would be expected that such prints and DPI’s shall be mounted to comply with league competition standards (see rules 2 & 3). Members will be notified if their image(s) are selected for use and will be notified of any scores received.
It is at the Programme Secretary’s discretion as to whether any of the above competitions are entered onto the current season’s programme.
15. Certificates and Awards
Certificates will be awarded to those members gaining 1st, 2nd and 3rd in the following competitions:
League Print and DPI competitions
Print and DPI of the Year
Best of the Rest
Panel
Mono
Landscape
Set Subject Competitions
Trophies will be awarded to the following winners:
DPI League winner
Print league Winner
DPI of the Year
Print of the Year
Chairman’s Award
Marilyn Bliss Summer Challenge
Revised August 2025