COMPETITION REQUIREMENTS AND ELIGIBILITY

All members are eligible to enter competitions. The photographer must have shot all images submitted for competition. 

​

A member may enter a maximum of two projected image, monthly for competition. A photographer may not submit the same image more than once a year. All images for a given month, must be different. 

The subject for each monthly competition is either open or a special topic.  subjects and are listed on the Competition Topics web page.

An image that has placed first, second or third in a monthly club competition is not eligible for re-entry in any future monthly club competition regardless of changes in media, cropping, orientation, processing or title. If the photographer has taken other similar exposures of the same scene, these images are considered duplicates of the winning image and are not eligible for competition.

​

COMPETITION CLASSES

• Beginner photographer (B)

• Advanced photographer (A)

• Master photographers (M)

 

NEW MEMBERS

New members may begin in either Beginner or Advanced Class when they first enter competitions. Once the class is chosen, the photographer is expected to remain in that class for the rest of the club year.

​

ANNUAL REVIEW OF CLASSIFICATION

After the last competition of the year is judged, Chairpersons review results of the year’s competitions and submit recommendations for member to be advanced to the next level. Recommendations for advancement are based on the photographer’s consistent production of high quality work as evidenced by average score and winning record in monthly competitions. Final approval is by the Executive Committee.

 

ADVANCEMENT

The club Executive Committee may recommend that certain photographers move from Beginner Class to Advanced Class at the end of the competition year. A member who is recommended for advancement may choose to remain in Beginner Class for one additional year, and must advance the following year.  A Beginner may choose to participate in the Advanced class at the start of the new competition year even if a recommendation is not offered by the Executive Committee.

Advancement to Masters is by invitation only. The Executive Committee annually reviews and approves worthy photographers for advancement from Advanced Class to Master Class. These recommendations are announced at our Annual Christmas Banquet in December of each year. A member recommended for advancement to Master Class may choose to remain in Advanced Class until recommended again for advancement.

 

JUDGING 

The competition chairpersons will select photographers from outside the club to judge entries. The judges are asked to evaluate images based on impact, composition and technical merit. Competition scores may range from 65 – 100 based on the general criteria below. A score of 75 is considered to be a good image. 

​

95 - 100: Exceptional
90 - 94: Superior                                        
85 - 89: Excellent
80 - 84: Commendable
75 - 79: Above Average
70 - 74: Average
65 - 69: Below Standard

​

Judges are asked to consider the following when scoring an image.

Impact – the sense one gets upon viewing an image for the first time. Compelling images evoke laughter, sadness, anger, pride, wonder or another intense emotion.

Composition – important to the design of an image, bringing all the visual elements together in concert to express the purpose of the image.

Technique – the approach used to create the image. Printing, lighting, posing, capture, presentation media, and more are part of the technique applied to the image.

Certificates are awarded to the winners in each class and category. There is only one award for each place; however, it is possible that an honorable mention, a third or even a second place may not be awarded.

​

IMAGE OF THE YEAR COMPETITION

Images placing 1st, 2nd or 3rd in any category and class in a monthly competition, are eligible for Image of the Year awards. First, Second and Third Place awards for Image of the Year in each class and category are presented at the Annual Christmas Banquet

.

NUDE PHOTO POLICY

Photographs of nudes are not accepted in any competition or contest held by the Pushbutton Photo Club. 

​

WATERMARKS

Images should not have any identifying information that is visible on the image or mat, such as watermarks, signatures, logos, etc.

ACCEPTANCE OF RULES

Submission of projected images in a club competition implies acceptance of all of these Competition Rules.

 

ESTABLISHMENT AND CHANGE OF RULES

These rules were established and approved by the Club Committee and are subject to change by the Club Committee as warranted.