PSC CONTEST INFORMATION
PSC conducts two types of competitions: quarterly and annual. The annual contest is in place of the fourth quarter contest.
GENERAL RULES AND GUIDELINES
Keep in mind that we are a “family friendly” club, so please do not submit images of subject matter that you would not want your children to see.
You may not enter an image that has previously won a first-place ribbon in any prior PSC quarterly or annual contest.
Only members who have paid their dues for the membership year (October thru September) may enter contests.
CONTEST THEMES
Each year in October, the PSC membership votes on the themes they want for the coming calendar year. The votes are reviewed by the Board, which finalizes the four themes for the contests. The most popular theme is assigned to the annual, second most popular is for the first quarter, etc. If there are not four clear winners, the Board resolves the issue.
The following table summarizes the schedule for all the contests. The month refers to the date of the club meeting in that month.
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CONTEST
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OPEN
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CLOSE
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PRESENTATION
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First Quarter
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January
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February
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March
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Second Quarter
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April
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May
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June
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Third Quarter
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July
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August
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September
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Annual
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October
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November
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December
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QUARTERLY CONTESTS
A quarterly contest is a single contest, that does not distinguish between the Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced levels: everyone competes against everyone else. The quarterly contests are digital only, with the rules for submission the same as those covered in the “Annual Contest” section.
You may enter up to three images.
The first quarter contest opens for entries on the day of the club meeting in January, closes at the end of the day of the club meeting in February, and the results presented to the membership at the club meeting in March.
The second quarter contest opens on the day of the club meeting in April, closes at the end of the day of the club meeting in May, and the results presented to the membership at the club meeting in June.
The third quarter contest opens on the day of the club meeting in July, closes at the end of the day of the club meeting in August, and the results presented to the membership at the club meeting in September.
ANNUAL CONTEST
The annual contest opens on the day of the club meeting in October, closes at the end of the day of the club meeting in November, and the results presented to the membership at the club meeting in December.
The PSC annual contest consists of (1) an open digital division, (2) a themed digital division, and (3) an open print division. In addition, submitters are divided into Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced categories, which are self-selected by the contestant, except for the advancement rules covered below. If you wish to change your category, contact Martin Fish or Randy Ware.
The contest will be judged by a panel of three judges. As in past years, those in attendance at the banquet will also choose a People’s Choice winner in the digital and print divisions.
You may enter up to three images in one of the following categories in each of the themed digital, open digital and open print divisions (i.e., a maximum of six digital entries and three print entries):
• Beginner: If you have been photographing less than three years and have never won a first-place ribbon in an Annual Contest, you may enter your images in this category.
• Intermediate: If you have been photographing at least three years and have never won a first-place ribbon in an Annual Contest in the Intermediate category, you may enter your images in this category. You are encouraged to move up to the Advanced category when you feel ready, regardless of whether you have won any ribbons.
• Advanced: If you have been photographing at least three years and have won a first-place ribbon in an Annual Contest in the Intermediate category, you must enter your images in this category. All others who have been photographing for at least three years and who feel they are ready may enter this category.
Images entered in the digital open and print divisions may be taken at any time and of any subject matter. Images submitted in the themed digital division may be taken at any time but should depict subject matter that fits with the theme. Guidance on what qualifies for a theme will be provided to the club in the Newsletter.
Instructions for Digital Entries:
• Submit entries via our Visual Pursuits website: .
• Entries must be in JPEG format, no more than 1920 pixels (on the long edge) by 1080 pixels (on the short edge).
• Total file size for each image must be not more than 2.0 MB (2000 KB). Otherwise, the person making the slideshow will have to reduce the size so the software does not crash.
• DO NOT include your name in the image title. Do not put a name or watermark that could identify you in your image.
Instructions for Print Entries:
• No identification markings may be visible on the front of the entry.
• In the upper right hand corner on the back of the image, in a space no larger than 4 inches by 4 inches, print the title of the image, your name, phone number and the division you are entering (A for Advanced, B for Beginner and I for Intermediate). Make sure this information is securely fastened to the back of the image, so that we do not have images with no information.
• The size of your print entries cannot exceed 18” x 24” with mat and cannot be smaller than 5” x 7” without mat.
• All prints must be mounted on foam core or some hard material no thicker than 1/4 inch. A mat is optional.
• Do not submit framed or canvas prints.
• Metal prints are acceptable, but they cannot exceed the 1/4-inch limitation, so floating mounts or other hardware attached to the back of a metal print are not allowed.
• Images may be enclosed in a see-through bag or wrapper for protection. However, they will not be removed from that bag or wrapper for presentation to the judges. WARNING: If you are using a protective bag or wrapper, do not use tape that covers any part of the front of the image. This makes it very difficult for the judges to see your image! (This has actually happened in the past, making this warning necessary….)
• Do not deliver your prints in any kind of box or container. All boxes and containers will be disposed of and will not be returned to you.
• If you need to deliver your prints before the November meeting, please contact Martin Fish, contest chairperson, via email at fishmp@aol.com to arrange a delivery time and place.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me at the email address above.
A Word About Your Categories:
In the past, you have provided your category (beginner, intermediate, or advanced) at the time of the contest. Visual Pursuits requires this information to be entered into our Visual Pursuits database which can only be changed by a membership manager or an administrator.
Competing Using Visual Pursuits
If you (1) wish to compete, but do not have access to Visual Pursuits, or (2) have lost your password, please drop me an email and I will try to fix the issue.