Internal Competitions

Internal Competition Rules 2023-2024

Section 1  Awards & Trophies

Tom Dickson Trophy
Entry is up to 2 Prints and/or 2 Digital images.
The top image, digital or print wins the trophy

The Club League Competitions 1, 2 and 3
These three separate but identical League competitions are held over the current season with entry (for each of the 3 competitions) a max. of  2 Prints and/or 2 Digital images.

There are three trophies to be won in the league competition, one for the Print section, one for the Digital projected and a third for Mono Print.

The Print Trophy goes to the member with the highest total score from three out of the possible maximum of six prints entered in the 3 League competitions.

The Digital Trophy goes to the member with the highest total score from three out of the possible maximum of Six digital images entered in the 3 League competitions.

The Mono Print Cup goes to the member with the highest score from three mono prints out of the maximum of six prints entered in the 3 League competitions.

The Annual competition 
Annual Print Cup entry is up to 2 Prints. The top print will receive the trophy
Annual Digital Cup entry is up to 2 Digital images. The top digital image will receive the trophy

The Phototilly Portrait Print Trophy As part of the Five Internal competitions this trophy will be awarded to the member with the highest score from three Portrait prints out of the maximum of ten prints entered in the 5 internal competitions.

Section 2 Competition Definitions.

Monochrome Definition ( SPF ) – Monochrome is a black and white work fitting from the very dark grey (black) to the very clear grey (white) is a monochrome work with the various shades of grey. A black and white work toned entirely in a single colour will remain a monochrome work able to stand in the black and white category; such a work can be reproduced in black and white in the catalogue of a salon under FIAP Patronage. On the other hand, a black and white work modified by a partial toning or by the addition of one colour becomes a colour work (polychrome) to stand in the colour category.

Portrait Definition (SDCC)  A portrait subject can be wide ranging and in colour or monochrome but must be human.

PSA Definition of Creative Photography The PSA definition of Creative is “Altered Reality.” The image may be of any subject matter and must obviously display a change in natural colour, form, shape or any combination of these three. All images must be original and may not incorporate elements produced by anyone else. Artwork or computer graphics generated by the entrant may be incorporated if the original photographic content predominates. Images may not be constructed entirely within a computer.

Section 3  Rules. 

SDCC rules generally follows SPF guidelines at link below

SPF Competition Guidance

The SDCC reserves the right not to exhibit an individual image, and delegates such decisions to the Club Committee, competition judge or the Organizers of each Event.

There is only one grade of entry, which will operate for both Print and Digital Entries.


All images entered must be entirely the work of the photographer. Composite images are permitted provided all component images meet this requirement. For the avoidance of doubt, use of images from any other source including, but not limited to, royalty free image banks and clip art are not permitted.

NEW June 2023 – Additionally the SPF now states that – “The use of AI software is allowed provided all images used have been taken by you, and only your own photographs are used in the processing. No modifications are allowed based on AI generated text input or generated using images or elements not taken by the photographer.”     

 All images, including substantially similar [SDCC] , virtually identical [SPF] or sufficiently similar [PAGB] cannot have been previously entered in any of the above competitions.

This very subjective rule to avoid repeated images seems to have just lengthy vague guidelines from the SPF and PAGB with this final advise.  

“The SPF’s advice is to try your best to enter images that comply with the “spirit” of these rules.”

All entries must be submitted to the competition secretary 2 weeks prior to the competition

Section 4  Entry Preparation

Prints can be of any size up to 40cm x 50cm and preferably mounted. The title and membership number only should be written on the back. To fit SDCC Exhibition frames, print mounts must be 40cm x 50cm and under 4mm thick.

Digital images should be Baseline (standard) JPEG/JPG files no larger than 2MB. With dimensions of 1600 horizontal pixels max. and 1200 vertical pixels max. 8-bit RGB colour Mode with profile converted to sRGB colour space. Tutorials and further information on preparing your images for competitions can be found on this and other web sites.

1600×1200 is our club standard but the old 1400×1050 will still be accepted as long as we continue to use our Canon Projector.  Please note that images the wrong size or format may suffer from loss of quality or even fail to project.

Digital Image.  Entry by Dropbox File request link

All image file names should be changed to the following convention.

Your Image Title with underscore and membership number.

Example   
Image Title_xxx         Where xxx is your membership number

For Print Digital copies  add an extra underscore and a print identifier pnt

Example. 
 Image Title_xxx_pnt

Any other identifiers should also be separated by an underscore

Finally upload your images via the Dropbox File Request link.

Section 5  General Information

Score Sheets are sorted alphabetically so think about the first letter of your image title and not be longer than 25 characters.

Titles [PAGB]  It is highly desirable, and is best practice, for the Photographer to give each Image a unique Title, and for that Title never to be changed, whether print or projected.

Damage: all care will be taken but S&DCC cannot be responsible for any loss or damage to member’s entries.

Prints are posted without any special insurance using UPS carriers or similar.

On competition nights the external judge will be requested whenever possible to follow S&DCC’s preferred evening plan with prints being judged first, followed by the Digital images, allowing time for print viewing during our coffee break. Judging time available per image.

The judge will provide constructive comments on all the entries and award score points out of 20.

He will generally be requested to provide a clear winner plus 2nd and 3rd places that will be held back and viewed as the final images.

Judges are volunteers who are experienced amateur or professional photographers and are often members of other camera clubs in the area. They are familiar with the rules for entries and do their best to provide an informative and constructive assessment of the pros and cons of each entry. Like all of us, their assessments are to a certain extent subjective, and this may explain why good entries that meet all the rules may receive different assessments and awards. Some judges are more adept at discussing the artistic merits and weaknesses of an image, while others are fussy about seemingly minor technical ‘flaws’. It is important to remember that the opinion presented by the judge is a single opinion. Different judges can and do have varying opinions on the same image. We are very fortunate that these individuals take the time to travel here and spend an evening at the club, helping us all improve our photographic skills. More information on judging is available at the SPF web site

https://www.scottish-photographic-federation.org/all-things-judging

Use of Images: We ask  that members who enter internal S&DCC competitions will allow S&DCC to use their digital images and prints for the web site, external competitions, or other activities that S&DCC may be involved in. Copyright of photographs will always remain with the photographer. We will assume that you are agreeable to this unless you advise us in writing at the beginning of the season.

Rule Enforcement: problems or infringement of the rules should be brought to the competition secretary’s attention as soon as possible for guidance and solution. His decision and action will be final.

Help and information on any of the above will be available on club nights, the club syllabus and web site.

Tom Forrest

Competition Secretary