Delaware Photographic Society
Print Competition Rules 2024-2025
August 2024
GENERAL
The Delaware Photographic Society (DPS) holds competitions to encourage club members to learn to print, show, and improve their photographic work. Monthly print competitions are held on the third Mondays of September, October, November, January, February, March and April. Competition meetings begin at 7 PM in the DuPont Pavilion at Cokesbury Village in Hockessin, Delaware. A year end competition for the Color and Monochrome Prints-of-the-Year is held in May.
CATEGORIES
There are three competition classes: Class B, Class A, and Salon. Each class will have three categories: (1) that month's assigned subject in color and monochrome, (2) open color, unrestricted subject and technique, and (3) open monochrome, unrestricted subject and technique.
Monochrome is defined as paper base white and one color (black, brown, sepia, blue, or warm tone similar to chemical toning in the gelatine silver print era).
ELIGIBILITY
The competitions are open to all Delaware Photographic Society members whose current dues were paid prior to the competition. Exhibitors must have made the original film or digital captures of all parts of a composite image including, but not limited to, sky, background, and subject matter. While artificial intelligence (AI) software is allowed to make luminosity, color, and sharpness correction, creation of subject matter via AI software is not allowed.
Any image that has been previously selected in an intra-club monthly competition, whether in print form or as a projected image, may not be re-entered in DPS monthly competitions. For a selected image to be entered again, the image must have been substantially changed from when it was previously entered and selected, subject to the judgment and discretion of the Print Director or a member of the Standards Committee. If this matter is unclear, consult with the Print Director.
CLASSES
- Class B is for members who are new to print competitions or do not yet have a success record in producing competition prints.
- Class A is for members who have been successful in print competition and recommended for Class A by the Standards Committee.
- Salon Class is for members who have demonstrated high skill in producing successful competition prints and are recommended for Salon Class by the Standards Committee.
CLASS ASSIGNMENT
Entrants will be assigned to competition classes by the Standards Committee prior to the first competition in September, or thereafter, prior to the first competition that the member enters. Members may petition the Standards Committee for placement in a different class.
PRINT SIZES
Print size limitations are made to reduce the cost of printing for members early in their journey as photographic print makers.
• Class B: Maximum print size of 8-1/2” x 12”, maximum mount size of 11” x 14”.
• Class A: Maximum print size of 13” x 19”, maximum mount size of 16” x 20”.
• Salon Class: Maximum print size of 16” x 20”, maximum mount size of 16” x 20”.
Failure to comply with the rules can disqualify the print for that month’s competition.
MAXIMUM NUMBER OF ENTRIES PER MONTHLY COMPETITION PER MEMBER
Assigned subject (color or monochrome) – 1 print for each month.
Open subject color – 1 print for each month.
Open subject monochrome – 1 print for each month.
PRINT COMMENTS
While a print is in the viewing box for competition, anyone may request ‘Comment Please’ which will be done as a discussion session following the competition. At that time the requestor must be present and ask what they desire to know about the print or if they wish the judges and audience to discuss the print.
Each member may also bring one or two prints for Discussion Only. These should be placed in a separate group under the 'Discussion Only' sign at the entry table.
After all entries are judged there will be a discussion of the entries when a judge as well as meeting attendees can comment on the print as a learning experience for both the member who created the image and people in attendance.
ASSIGNED SUBJECTS
A list of upcoming Assigned Subjects is published in the “The Reflector” and on the DPS website. Assigned Subject competitions are conducted in all classes. All prints that are to be entered in the Assigned Subject contests for the 2024-2025 DPS year must have been captured after September 1, 2023. The date of original image capture must appear on the back of the print. The judging panel for any monthly competition will have the final determination as to whether or not a print fits the assigned subject.
Assigned Subjects: please refer to the list published here: Assigned Subjects
The Open categories have no date, technique or subject requirement.
ONLINE ENTRY AND LABELING
Members are encouraged to use unique, relevant, descriptive titles for their prints, not generic placeholder names.
The exhibitor must enter all print titles and digital files of the prints via the DPS Members website at least three (3) days prior to the Print Competition (i.e. by the preceding Friday midnight). The digital file is necessary for visual identification during the judging process.
An entry label, available online to be printed by the exhibitor, must include the exhibitor’s name, print title, competition date, and class in which it is entered. Assigned Subject prints must also include the date of original image capture. The label must be securely adhered to the upper left hand corner on the reverse side of the print mount. The location of this label determines the print orientation for presentation to the judges which is particularly important for abstract images.
No identification marks, names, or titles may appear on the front of the print.
MOUNTING
Prints should be mounted on an appropriate mount board, such as those produced by Bainbridge, Crescent, Clear Bags, Savage, Blick or another vendor of similar smooth material. Window overmats or slip-in mounts are acceptable. Prints must be well secured to the mount to prevent slippage. Since prints are stacked one on top of the other, effort should be made to eliminate any sharp projections, rough surfaces or adhesive substances on the back of the prints. Any transparent cover over the print needs to be secured at all four edges and will not be removed during competition. Prints on aluminum or acrylic plastic are not allowed. Framed prints are not allowed.
JUDGING AND SCORING
Prints in each category and class will be previewed in the light box by the judge(s) before scoring begins. Prints will receive a score from 1 (low) to 9 (high) from the judge(s) and will be ranked by score. The score for each entry will be recorded and published online in the members website.
SELECTED PRINTS
Prints with scores in the top 25% of each monthly competition (plus tie scores) will be designated as “Selected”. Prints so designated are shown to the audience after the judging, and are eligible for Print-of-the-Year competitions. Any prints that have been selected may not be reentered in subsequent monthly competitions.
DISQUALIFICATION
Exhibitors are responsible for adhering to the competition rules. The Print Director, at his discretion, can disqualify any entries that fail to conform.
ANNUAL AWARDS
Cumulative scores will be kept at the members website for each member in each category and class. First, second and third place brass plates will be awarded to the top three members plus ties in each category and class at the end of the club year.
Additional awards can be given at the discretion of the Print Director.
PRINT-OF-THE-YEAR COMPETITION
A Morris-James Color Print-of-the-Year (CPOY) and Larry Hinson Monochrome Print-of-the-Year (MPOY) competition will be held in May. Each member may enter any or all of their selected prints from the current club year. Assigned color and monochrome prints will be separated by the competition software team before the POY competition. Assigned and Open subject prints will be judged together in the color category and in the monochrome category for POY.
The POY competition will be juried by three qualified judges who are not DPS members. In order to make a critical evaluation and decision for each POY, the judges will closely examine at least three prints with the top two or three scores from the initial lightbox judging round and come to a consensus agreement for each POY.
The maker of the Color Print-of-the-Year will receive the Morris James Award medal.
In honor of Larry Hinson, an excellent monochrome print maker, the Larry Hinson Award medal will be given to the maker of the Monochrome Print-of-the-Year.
Up to 10 Honorable Mention ribbons will be awarded to exhibitors in the color category and up to 10 in the monochrome category in each class (Class B, Class A, Salon). Members who won POY in the color or monochrome category are not also eligible for an Honorable Mention in that category. Honorable Mentions are limited to one per member in the color category and one per member in the monochrome category.
IMPORTANT NOTICE
The volunteer print workers conducting the competitions will take all reasonable care in handling the prints to prevent damage. However, neither the workers, nor the Delaware Photographic Society will be responsible for any damage or loss that occurs to a print. Entering the contest signifies your acceptance of this notice.
The competition software can print nice labels for competition entries. Templates to create your own labels can be downloaded here: MS Word or as fillable PDF Form
Questions about the print rules should be addressed to the Print Director, KARL LECK, at karleck@verizon.net or 610-388-0298.