The club holds regular competitions and discussion nights. At a competition, judges evaluate images and assign them to one of four categories (Needs Work, Competent, Good, Exceptional).  On discussion night, a facilitator moderates a discussion of each submitted image. There is no judging on discussion night.

The sections below describe how competitions and discussions work, and how you can prepare your images for submission.

Projected Image Competitions and How To Submit

Club members may submit one image in .jpg format for PI competitions. The submitted images are shown in random order. When judges view and each image, the name of the photographer is hidden from the judge.

Judges will assign each image to one of four categories:

• Needs Work  There are significant compositional, technical or processing issues which are holding the image back and require correction.
• Competent  Image is well composed and generally well processed, but would benefit from greater impact, creativity, interest and originality.
• Good  Image has significant interest and impact and is characterized by more sophisticated composition and processing.
• Exceptional  Image stands out with regard to all criteria and is in the top 10% of submitted images.

Competition Deadlines: the deadline for submitting images is midnight on Thursday, 11 days before the competition. The 11-day lead time is needed for the images to be scored by judges and prepared to be shown at the meeting.

Preparing a JPG file for PI Competition

Members may submit one image in a Projected Image Competition.

• Maximum image dimensions are 1920 pixels (width) and 1080 pixels (height). The image's PPI can be set to any value.
• Click here for details about new rules regarding AI-generated content.
• Images may be in color or black and white. Image color space should be sRGB.
• Images with a vertical (portrait) orientation may be entered. A vertical image will have a smaller width (for example, 720 px wide by 1080 px high). The projector will automatically center the image.
• The image may have a single white stroke or no stroke around the image. Digital matting is not allowed.
• Watermarks are not allowed.
• The image must be saved as a JPG file (.jpg or .jpeg).
• Image files must be named in the following format:
  name-title-of-the-image.jpg
   
  For example, a member named Kim Hughes submits an image titled "Portrait of Jamie." Kim names her file:
  Kim-Hughes-Portrait-of-Jamie.jpg
   

When you're ready to submit your image, send your image file by email to pccupload@gmail.com (every entry receives a confirmation within 72 hrs).

Note: There is a handy guide for uploading your images for competitions, slideshows, critiques, and any other projected image event. The guide includes specific instructions for Lightroom Classic, Photoshop, Topaz Studio 2, ON1, PaintShop Pro, and Photos and Preview for macOS. Click here to call up the image uploading guide (a PDF).

Projected Image Discussions and How To Submit

On PI discussion night, submitted images will be shown and discussed. A facilitator/moderator guides the group discussion with the goal of exploring each image in a positive, constructive, respectful manner in a non-competitive environment. Images are not be "judged" or scored. See the club calendar for PI discussion dates.

Entries must be submitted online in advance of the meeting. Please see the Club Calendar for specific due dates.

Members may submit one image on Discussion Night.

The steps for submitting an image for discussion night are the same as for competition night: see Preparing a JPG File for PI Competition above.

Print Competitions and How To Submit

Special Note:  COVID required us to suspend Print Competitions. The Competition Committee is working on resuming Print Competitions.

Print Discussions and How To Submit

On print discussion night, submitted images are displayed in the light box for the audience to see. A facilitator/moderator guides the group in an informal discussion with the goal of exploring each print in a positive, constructive, respectful manner in a non-competitive environment. Prints are not judged or scored. See the club calendar for print discussion dates.

Members may submit one print on discussion night. Bring your print to the meeting.

Prints can be of any size up to a maximum of 18"x24" including the mat. There is no minimum size. Prints can be matted or mounted (but no frames). Prints can also have no mounting (just the print itself); these prints will be displayed by use of magnets in the viewing station. Metal prints are also welcome.

Frames and glass are not permitted.

Your name should not appear on the front of a print.

Light Box