Members are encouraged to enter the club competitions. As a beginner this can be quite daunting, but the judge’s feedback given anonymously (unless you finish in the top group), can be very beneficial and help you become a better photographer.
Entry Conditions
By entering your images into our competitions, you consent to your images:
a) Appearing on the BCC Club website,
b) Being considered for and entered into External Club Competitions
c) Appearing on External Club Competition websites
b) Being considered for and entered into External Club Competitions
c) Appearing on External Club Competition websites
Terminology
If you are not familiar with the terminology, then briefly:
PDI = Projected Digital Image. This is simply a JPG that is projected onto the screen. No author identification or similar text/logo may appear on the image
PRINT = a printed image with a minimum size of 300² cm. No author identification or similar text/logo may appear on the print
MOUNT = a 50cm by 40cm mount card to display the print, in either portrait or landscape orientation. It must be carefully backed by another large card. Please ask in the club if you are not sure about this. A label on the back, top left, identifying the club’s name, author name, image title and competition date.
PRINT = a printed image with a minimum size of 300² cm. No author identification or similar text/logo may appear on the print
MOUNT = a 50cm by 40cm mount card to display the print, in either portrait or landscape orientation. It must be carefully backed by another large card. Please ask in the club if you are not sure about this. A label on the back, top left, identifying the club’s name, author name, image title and competition date.
The Competition
Club competitions will be for PDIs, Prints or both. When both, the prints are usually judged in the first part of the evening and the PDIs judged in the second part.
So that all the members can see the print being judged we ask that a PDI should also be supplied for each print. This is just for projection and will not be judged, the judge will only consider the print. The judge may, for instance, talk about the composition by reference to the projected image but the final score is based only on the print.
Each competition can have different rules regarding the subject, maximum number of PDIs and prints. Some limits may be a mix of PDIs and prints with each member being allowed a maximum combined submission, for instance the rule may state each member can submit EITHER up to 2 PDIs and 1 print OR up to 2 prints and 1 PDI.
Format and Sizes
In line with most camera clubs the PDIs and mounted prints must conform to a set of standard sizes and formats. This is a summary of the requirements…
PDIs
NB unless stated otherwise the image dimensions and maximum file size will apply to all BCC competitions
Resized to either or both 1600px wide and/or 1200px high (see Photoshop Resizing below)
Ensure the colour profile is sRGB (sRGB is the Standard Red Green Blue colour space, a universal standard for digital displays and the internet, designed to ensure consistent and predictable colour representation across different devices)
The file format must be JPG / JPEG and 8-bit (this may be listed as “24 bit” by some software applications)
Ideally the file size should not exceed 10Mb. If it is larger than 10MB and is used to represent the club in an external competition it will need to be re-saved until below 10MB
Upload the PDIs using Photo Entry (see below).
Prints
Create a PDI for each print in the same format as above. This will need submitting to the appropriate competition within the Photo Entry system, see below.
Most members choose to mount their prints. However there are numerous online printing and mounting services out there that will be able to do this for you.
Entry Submission – Photo Entry
All PDIs (for both PDI and Print competitions) should be submitted using the online Photo Entry system.
Both the prints and PDIs must be submitted at least 1 week before the competition date. Competitions are normally closed to any further submissions or changes 1 week before the competition date (normally this is midnight on the preceding Tuesday.)
Typically prints are brought into the club on the preceding Tuesday. If you are not able to drop your print off then contact the competition organiser in enough time to arrange a mutual drop off before the deadline. Late arrivals may not be accepted for the competition. We do not normally expect to receive prints more than 2 or 3 weeks in advance although special arrangements can usually be accommodated if necessary. As previously mentioned, a matching PDI must be uploaded for each print submitted.
Most competitions are set up on Photo Entry a long way in advance and are available for all PDI uploads, including those for both PDI and Print competitions.
Before the Photo Entry system can be used you will need your personal User ID and password. You will receive your ID and use-once password by email. This will remain your User ID for as long as you are a member of the club.
Login to the Photo Entry service https://compent.photoentry.uk/compent/
Enter your User ID and your password. The first time you login to this service you will need your User ID and your use-once password and will then be asked to change this to a password of your choosing which will become your password from now on.
NOTE: To login you MUST always use your User ID (do NOT use your email address, even though the login form says “either”) and your password.
Select the competition, enter your title (DO NOT INCLUDE YOUR NAME IN THE TITLE) and upload your image. You may view, re-title, replace or delete your images up until the competition closing date (which is in the club’s programme, calendar and shown in the Photo Entry screen.) Repeat for each entry.
If you forget your password use the “Forget Password” link on the login screen and a new password will be emailed to you (allow a few minutes for this to be delivered)
If you change your email address advise the Internal Competition Secretary compsec@bedfordcameraclub.co.uk in good time to amend your account on the Photo Entry service.
Here is a detailed PDF on how to use the Photo Entry. The PDF was written a few years ago. A few things have changed since then but it should be good enough to guide you through the process.
PhotoEntry Login Problem?
Members have found the Photo Entry system very easy to upload images to our competitions and are preferring this method. If you ever have a Log In problem then please contact the competition secretary at compsec@bedfordcameraclub.co.uk