Competition "rules" - preparation of images
GENERAL PROPOSITION
Hagley have a handful of "internal" (members vs members) and "external" (inter-club), competitions each year. Any paid up club member irrespective of their time with the club, or their photographic experience, are welcome to submit images for the internals and for consideration for the externals competitions. Again any paid up members can attend our pre-competition selection evenings, take part in discussion and vote for the images they feel will best fulfil the club's requirements for the external competition. Ultimately the member appointed competition secretary - or someone acting in their place - has deciding say.
Wherever logical to do so, the images representing the club in an external competition will be drawn from as many of the members as possible.
DIGITAL
Digital Images (ie not printed media) should be presented at 1600px x 1200pxi and, most importantly should be correctly labelled with the image name and your name within the 'file information' data.
The image should be saved as per it's title. Please see the step-by-step guide to DIGITAL IMAGE preparation here.
It would be most appreciated if members would also adopt this process with their images for the website and Facebook page.
PRINTS
We have updated this based on comments from judges over recent competitions -
Whilst there is technically no minimum size restriction for the print itself there is for the mount, so do bear in mind that the image needs to be viewed clearly from a distance.
The mount should be 20" x 16" and ideally the image presented within an appropriate aperture, not simply stuck on top of it.
Obviously professional custom cut mounts should offer a better presentation and quality but, you will find that the pre-cut mounts available from shops such as The Range are 16"x12" aperture within a 20"x16" mount. Double layer mounts will be different to this and you should check prior to printing.
16x12 is obviously a 4:3 aspect ratio - the same as the digital 1400x1050 is. If of course you have your camera set to an alternative aspect ratio, be it square 1X1) or some people prefer a 3:2 ratio, then you will need to account for this when preparing images for printing or of course ensure that you are buying correctly sized mounts.
For preservation of quality of image you should print at 300 dpi but please bear in mind that you cannot simply print an image that was already reduced to, and saved at, a lower resolution. If you have an image that has been "saved small" and attempt to print it at 16"x12" it will likely look terribly pixelated and give the effect that it is blurred or out of focus.
It is crucial to realise this if using an external lab as your digital representation will look fine and you will be very disappointed by the printed result. If in doubt, please speak to someone with more printing / technical knowledge within the club.
The print title should be clearly legible and in the correct orientation on the rear of the mount or image - do take care that it cannot be seen through the image and DO NOT put your name within the image or on the front of the image or mount.
Hagley have a handful of "internal" (members vs members) and "external" (inter-club), competitions each year. Any paid up club member irrespective of their time with the club, or their photographic experience, are welcome to submit images for the internals and for consideration for the externals competitions. Again any paid up members can attend our pre-competition selection evenings, take part in discussion and vote for the images they feel will best fulfil the club's requirements for the external competition. Ultimately the member appointed competition secretary - or someone acting in their place - has deciding say.
Wherever logical to do so, the images representing the club in an external competition will be drawn from as many of the members as possible.
DIGITAL
Digital Images (ie not printed media) should be presented at 1600px x 1200pxi and, most importantly should be correctly labelled with the image name and your name within the 'file information' data.
The image should be saved as per it's title. Please see the step-by-step guide to DIGITAL IMAGE preparation here.
It would be most appreciated if members would also adopt this process with their images for the website and Facebook page.
PRINTS
We have updated this based on comments from judges over recent competitions -
Whilst there is technically no minimum size restriction for the print itself there is for the mount, so do bear in mind that the image needs to be viewed clearly from a distance.
The mount should be 20" x 16" and ideally the image presented within an appropriate aperture, not simply stuck on top of it.
Obviously professional custom cut mounts should offer a better presentation and quality but, you will find that the pre-cut mounts available from shops such as The Range are 16"x12" aperture within a 20"x16" mount. Double layer mounts will be different to this and you should check prior to printing.
16x12 is obviously a 4:3 aspect ratio - the same as the digital 1400x1050 is. If of course you have your camera set to an alternative aspect ratio, be it square 1X1) or some people prefer a 3:2 ratio, then you will need to account for this when preparing images for printing or of course ensure that you are buying correctly sized mounts.
For preservation of quality of image you should print at 300 dpi but please bear in mind that you cannot simply print an image that was already reduced to, and saved at, a lower resolution. If you have an image that has been "saved small" and attempt to print it at 16"x12" it will likely look terribly pixelated and give the effect that it is blurred or out of focus.
It is crucial to realise this if using an external lab as your digital representation will look fine and you will be very disappointed by the printed result. If in doubt, please speak to someone with more printing / technical knowledge within the club.
The print title should be clearly legible and in the correct orientation on the rear of the mount or image - do take care that it cannot be seen through the image and DO NOT put your name within the image or on the front of the image or mount.