Competition Rules / Awards

All skill levels are welcome.

Learn to compete through competition and critique

Each month members are encouraged to participate in the photo competitions based on predetermined topics (listed below).  There are two photo competition entry categories – Color and Monochrome (includes black-and-white).  Members are divided into two (2) groups for competition based on photography and editing skill levels:

1) Novice – Members in the Novice group are beginners in photography.  Members competing in the Novice group may submit up to two (2) images, either Color and/or Monochrome (includes black-and-white).

2) Advanced – Members in the Advanced group are experienced photographers.  Advanced group members may submit up to two (2) entries in each category, Color and Monochrome (includes black-and-white), for a total of four (4) photos.

A paid membership is required before entering competitions.  Winning photographs are usually printed in the Chapel Hill News & Views monthly magazine on the Sweetwater Camera Club page and occasionally in the Community Section of the Douglas County Sentinel.

Competition entries for January through November are submitted digitally and are accepted until midnight on the Sunday prior to the monthly Thursday night meeting.  The information on the format and the process to submit digital photographs is explained in the SCC COMPETITION PHOTO UPLOAD INSTRUCTIONS below.  The cost is $1.00 per entry and must be paid prior to the competition.

Competition Entry Rules Checklist For Digital and Print Competition

• Paid Membership
• $1.00 Competition fee per entry
• Photos may be taken at any time (no time limit), unless otherwise noted
• The same photograph may not be entered in Color and Monochrome (inc b-&-w) categories in the same monthly competitions
• Photos that have received previous recognition in any monthly SCC competition are not eligible for the current competition
• NO watermarks, names, logos, or text OF ANY KIND allowed on the front of the image/mat
• Photos cannot have a digital border

Photos that do not adhere to competition rules will be disqualified from competition without refund.

The December competition is a printed photo competition.  There are 2 topics for December entries:

1. Artist’s Choice – The member’s best photograph taken during the current year (Novice and Advanced judged separately)
2. SCC Outing – The member’s best photograph taken during one of the camera club’s outings from the current year (Novice and Advanced judged together) 

Printed competition entries are accepted between 6:00 pm and 6:30 pm on the night of the December meeting.  There is no cost for the December competition.

Print Competition Rules Checklist

• Print Size – smallest side 8″
• Must be dry mounted or matted so that the print lays flat
• Only single mat. Single layer mat should be black, white, or cream – – Textured and/or designed mats are not permitted
• Not permitted: Frames, glass, tabs, plastic over wraps, etc.
• Entry information must be legibly printed and firmly attached on the back of image/mat only (the use of acid free artist tape is highly recommended)
  
• Artist’s Name
• Title of the image (Be Creative)
• Which Competition? — Novice, Advanced Color, or Advanced Monochrome (includes black-and-white)
• Write the word “TOP” and draw an arrow designating the top of the image

Photos that do not adhere to competition rules will be disqualified from competition without refund.

Awards

The judge(s) will select a First, Second, and Third place winning image in each group and ribbons will be awarded.  All advanced competition participants receive one point for entering the competition, regardless of the number of entries or the number of categories they enter.  Points will be awarded on the following basis:

First Place – 4 points      Second Place – 3 points       Third Place – 2 points      Competition Entry – 1 point

At the end of the year, points will be tallied and the SCC Photographer of Year will be announced for the Advanced group.  The Photographer of the Year will have their membership dues waived for the following year.

The Novice group will receive no points.  Moving from Novice to Advanced is the choice of the photographer.  Once a photographer moves up to the Advanced group, they may not go back to Novice.

Rules

Rules are subject to change as needed at the discretion of the Sweetwater Camera Club, Inc. President and/or SCC Officers’ discretion.

SCC Competition Photo Upload Instructions

Sweetwater Camera Club, Inc. Publicity

Winning competition photographs are usually printed in the Chapel Hills News & Views monthly magazine on the Sweetwater Camera Club page.  We do not guarantee that any winning or submitted photo(s) will appear on any Sweetwater Camera Club publicity pages or other materials.

The Sweetwater Camera Club winners and featured member pages and other publishing services are provided through the gracious generosity and at the convenience of the publicity committee. Our primary mission is to advertise and market Sweetwater Camera Club Inc. as a service and hobby club to the city of Douglasville, Douglas County, and surrounding communities.  Image submissions may be cropped, lightened, darkened, and/or altered by the Director of Publications to meet the page layout, makeup, composition, and printers’ requirements.  Editing, selection, and organization for publication of winning images and featured member images are at the complete and final discretion of the Sweetwater Camera Club Director of Publications.

Images to be published must always be in good taste, family-friendly, and without references to questionable content or activities.  Images portraying or suggesting nudity, sexual attraction, unlawful activities, violence, inappropriate touching, obvious publicly controversial imagery, and dangerous activities that might influence children or minors are forbidden.  This list is not all-inclusive and may be incomplete.  The rule is:  If there is any question, the image will be left off the pages or not used for advertising the Sweetwater Camera Club, Inc.

This in no way affects the ranking of the image in the Sweetwater Camera Club competition for the month or for the yearly “Photographer of the Year” announcement.  Exclusion from advertising activities in no way reflects negatively upon the submitting photographer.  Historically, image makers have stretched the limits and boundaries of art.  The rules are to protect relationships with media associates as well as Sweetwater Camera Club, Inc.  The submitting photographer is asked to consider and respect the legal protection of the club and its reputation and help protect the magazine, news or other media outlets and their advertisers/supporters from complaints and/or legal action by the public.

Featured Member(s) Page — Each month a current member is (or members are) selected by the President to have their work submitted for publication on the “Featured Member(s)” page in the Chapel Hills News & Views.