‘Guidance, Education, Enjoyment’
DCC Competition Secretary Rules and guidance
DCC Internal Competition Rules
The Club currently holds a total of fourteen competitions:
The Moller PDI League – Round 1
The Moller PDI League – Round 2
The Moller PDI League – Round 3
The Tate Print League – Round 1
The Tate Print League – Round 2
The Tate Print League – Round 3
Special Print PANEL– Set subject supplied at start of each season.
Special PDI – Set subject supplied at start of each season.
Dorking Vs Reigate Inter-Club PDI BI-ANNUAL
Photo On a Phone
David Multon Trophy – Consists of a PDI and PRINT section.
Match a PDI – Against Reigate Photographic Society BI-ANNUAL
TWO FROM FOUR – NEW PDI COMPETITION
NEW OPEN PRINT COMPETITION ONE COLOUR – ONE MONO
The club also has the following:
Critique Night 1
Critique Night 2
Critique Night 3
Detailed rules for each of the above are given later, but the following rules apply to all competitions:
All images submitted for competition must have been the sole work of the entrant and be their copyright.
With the exception of trade processed film and prints all retouching and digital manipulation of prints and digital projected images (PDI) must be the sole work of the entrant.
Unless the competition specifies a set subject, the subject matter is the entrant’s own choice.
Up to 3 emails per competition will be sent out to all members prior to the competition, this will specify details in respect of the competition with a link to detailed rules for the specific competition. In general, the deadline for submitting / uploading competition images to PhotoEntry, will be by Midnight the Saturday prior to the competition in question. This date will be supplied in the emails sent to all Members.
Judging will be carried out by a judge who is not a member of the Club. He/she will be selected from a list of approved judges and managed by the Programme Secretary.
The Club will take reasonable care handling members’ work but will not be responsible for any damage or loss however caused.
Any issue arising over the conduct of internal Club Competitions, or the appropriateness of an image entered therein should be raised at the time with the Chairman or Competition Secretary. Any objections concerning the appropriateness of an image will be assessed by the Committee. The final decision will be made by the Chairman and the Competition Secretary.
An image may be used only once in any given year In any given competition. Once an image has been entered into a competition, it may NOT be entered into a different format competition. With the exception of the following:
An image that has been used, even in any previous years can be entered into the Match a PDI Competition
An image that has been used, even in any previous years can be entered into the Dorking Vs Reigate Inter-Club PDI competition.
Trophies awarded to members who win a competition will be held for one year. Trophy winners will also receive a certificate and commemorative plaque to keep. Trophies will be returned to the Competition Secretary when requested near the end of the following season. Runner-up and highly commended entries will receive a club certificate
MARKING AND FORMATTING OF ENTRIES
UPLOADING IMAGES TO PHOTOENTRY
Images must be uploaded to PhotoEntry for each of the competitions by the required deadline.
All images uploaded must have a Title included for the entry, any that are missing the Title will not be accepted and maybe removed from the competition.
Please do NOT include your name with the title (PhotoEntry will know it is your entry)
All images MUST be uploaded into PhotoEntry by the given deadline, once the deadline is passed the competition section on PhotoEntry is closed and no more entries will be allowed. Under exceptional circumstances, you may contact the Competition Secretary to request a Late Entry as long as the competition material has NOT been processed already.
IMPORTANT: It is the Member’s responsibility to ensure they upload their entries into the CORRECT competition and Folder, as changes to the entries cannot be changed once this competition deadline has passed.
Please Note: Images will be projected as is on the night. It is the Author’s responsibility to ensure images are sized, labelled and formatted correctly.
Black-and-white work toned entirely in a single colour will be classified as monochrome and will be accepted in the black-and-white category for competition purposes. A fundamentally black-and-white work modified by partial toning or by the addition of one or more colours becomes colour work.
PDI Specifications: Save your finished image as sRGB profile and resize to width 1600px or height 1200px. Include a 1px or 2px keyline using one of the colours in the image to compliment it, otherwise use white. Tuition on adding a keyline can be found under RESOURCES on the website. Upload your image in PhotoEntry one at the time under the appropriate competition folder.
PRINT Specifications: Prints must be mounted to a maximum mount size of 50cmx40cm and must include a firm backing board. (Square mount s are also allowed) The image can be any size, but we suggest no smaller than A4, or 30cmx30cm if square. Tuition and guidance on self-printing and mounting or using 3rd party printers can be found under RESOURCES on the website. Bring your prints to the hall on the evening of the competition by 7.45pm. A copy of each print MUST be saved as a PDI and uploaded to the specifications, as above, three days before the competition.
PHOTOENTRY – You MUST NOT include your name in the image title, PhotoEntry will know whose image it is as you will have uploaded it under your own login.
If any member experiences any technical issues or has any queries, they are to contact the competition secretary on dcccomps@yahoo.com
RULES AND GUIDANCE PER INDIVIDUAL COMPETITION
Some background on the Tate and Moller League:
These are the Club’s two League competitions, and their purpose is to allow members, especially new ones, to develop their techniques. There are three rounds to each competition held at approximately two-monthly intervals in order to provide ample opportunity for new work to be seen and evaluated. The Club wishes to encourage as many new images to be shown as possible and to this end it does not support the re-cycling of previously shown images. Accordingly, no image may be used in any round which has previously been shown in either of these two competitions but note that images already shown in other Club or non-Club competitions may be used if desired. Images which have only been cosmetically altered from the original are considered the same image for this purpose. They may be of any age as long as they meet these requirements.
MOLLER PDI LEAGUE
This competition consists of three rounds.
This competition will be by class.
Members may enter a maximum of two images per round.
This competition is an OPEN competition, meaning you can enter any subject.
It is usual, but not compulsory, to have a 1px or 2px Keyline around the image to allow the image to be viewed sympathetically on the screen.
All images MUST be in sRGB profile.
Further information on how to achieve these setting can be found under ‘Resources’ on the Club’s website.
For scoring purposes each PDI in each of the three rounds will be marked out of 10. Half marks may be used as appropriate.
At the end of the three rounds, all scores will be totalled to determine the 1st, 2nd and 3rd place winners in each class.
What will you win:
CLUB CLASS
Winner: THE MEURISSE TROPHY, A Plaque and a Certificate
2nd Place: Certificate
3rd Place: Certificate
ADVANCED CLASS
Winner: MOLLER TROPHY, A Plaque, and a Certificate
2nd Place: Certificate
3rd Place: Certificate
NOTE: You cannot use any images from previous Competitions and that includes from any previous years.
TATE PRINT LEAGUE
This competition consists of three rounds.
This competition will be by class.
Members may enter a maximum of two prints per round.
You must upload a PDI version of your printed image into PhotoEntry.
Further information on how to achieve these setting can be found under ‘Resources’ on the Club’s website.
Prints must be mounted on card, minimum size 25x20cm, maximum 50x40cm (standard), but not otherwise framed. The print itself may be any size. Standard mount boards are available from the club. A Club label giving full details (Title, Entrants Name and Competition as a Minimum) must be attached to the back of the mount, together with an arrow pointing to the top edge.
For scoring purposes each PDI in each of the three rounds will be marked out of 10. Half marks may be used as appropriate.
At the end of the three rounds, all scores will be totalled to determine the 1st, 2nd and 3rd place winners in each class.
What will you win:
CLUB CLASS
Winner: MARGARET DANE TROPHY, A Plaque and a Certificate
2nd Place: Certificate
3rd Place: Certificate
ADVANCED CLASS
Winner: TATE TROPHY, A Plaque, and a Certificate
2nd Place: Certificate
3rd Place: Certificate
NOTE: You cannot use any images from previous Competitions and that includes from any previous years.
A Judges plaque will be awarded in each round of the Moller and Tate for each Season.
SPECIAL PRINT PANEL COMPETITION
This will have a Set Subject given, which will be supplied at start of each season.
This competition will be by class.
In this competition there is only one section, no distinction being made between colour and monochrome.
This competition provides an opportunity for members to display a panel of images. Any images are eligible provided they meet the standard for images stated below.
Further information on how to achieve these setting can be found under ‘Resources’ on the Club’s website.
One set of three images, each mounted on a mount board up to 40cm by 50cm in size. It may be a diagonal, or interlocking images, in a triangle, or as your imagination inspires.
The Panel which meets the overall set subject of "AS PER WHAT IS SUPPLIED AT THE START OF THE SEASON” should have ONE title. Each of the three boards should be labelled on the back with the panel title, an arrow indicating the top, the image position (e.g., Left, Centre, Right or Top, Middle, Bottom etc.), and your name. As this is a print panel competition comprising several boards.
The subject matter can be interpreted any way by the photographer (use the title to help the judge understand your intent), literally or metaphorically. Note The judge will look for originality, technically good images, and composition. Remember that the judge will be looking for a panel that represents the set subject well and may disqualify or penalise panels they feel do not. Note in a good panel the composition both within each image AND especially across the set of three is important. Remember that the judge will care about the way the three images look together as a set – flow lines, diagonals, symmetry, or other compositional devices should be intentional across the set.
The Judge will decide on a Winner, a Runner Up and a number of Highly Commended to award for this competition.
What will you win:
CLUB CLASS
Winner: TANQUERAY CUP, A Plaque and a Certificate
Runner Up: Certificate
All Highly Commended: Certificate
ADVANCED CLASS
Winner: BUTLER CUP, A Plaque, and a Certificate
Runner Up: Certificate
All Highly Commended: Certificate
NOTE: You cannot use any images from previous Competitions and that includes from any previous years.
SPECIAL PDI
This will have a Set Subject given, which will be supplied at start of each season.
This competition will be by class.
In this competition there is only one section, no distinction being made between colour and monochrome.
Up to two PDI images, colour or monochrome depicting the subject: "AS PER WHAT IS SUPPLIED AT THE START OF THE SEASON”
Further information on how to achieve these setting can be found under ‘Resources’ on the Club’s website.
The Judge will decide on a Winner, a Runner Up and a number of Highly Commended to award for this competition.
What will you win:
CLUB CLASS
Winner: CHAIRMAN'S CUP, A Plaque and a Certificate
Runner Up: Certificate
All Highly Commended: Certificate
ADVANCED CLASS
Winner: LOMAS TROPHY, A Plaque, and a Certificate
Runner Up: Certificate
All Highly Commended: Certificate
NOTE: You cannot use any images from previous Competitions and that includes from any previous years.
DORKING Vs REIGATE INTER-CLUB PDI BI-ANNUAL (2024/25)
RULES TBA
PHOTO ON A PHONE
Introduced in 2019 by Margaret Dane, this is a light-hearted competition using only mobile phones.
Only images taken on a Phone, Tablet or iPad can be entered.
Members can enter up to Two images
The ONLY processing allowed for these images are:
Adding of a Keyline
Straightening of the image
Cropping of the image
Absolutely no other processing or enhancements are allowed either on the phone or post-processing on a PC.
Resizing of the image to the required size for PhotoEntry must be done.
The image must not have been used in any DCC competition before to include any previous years.
Judging of the images:
The images will be reviewed by two members of the club, and comments made.
It will then be up to all members attending to decide if the image is to be held back, this will be done by raising your hand. We will record this.
Those images that are held back will be voted on and the one receiving the most votes will win. Members may vote multiple times. 2nd and 3rd will be via the same count.
What will you win:
Winner: THE SOLITAIRE CUP, A Plaque and a Certificate
Runner Up: Certificate
All Highly Commended: Certificate
DAVID MULTON TROPHY
The David Multon Trophy competition commemorates David Multon’s membership of DCC. David was a long serving and highly respected member of the club, he served as programme secretary, Chairman, and President and was a fine photographer. He sadly passed away in January 2020 and is missed by all who knew him and enjoyed his company.
We would like this competition to represent the things that David stood for and appreciated in life and that he enjoyed photographing. He loved his garden at home and gardening and some of his latest Exhibition images were close ups of flowers. David and Jane spent as much time as possible at their harbour side home in Salcombe, South Devon, often joined by other members of the family. They enjoyed sailing, pottering, visiting local coves and beaches, eating out, socialising with local people in the pubs. Landscape photography was a passion, as was travel both in the UK and abroad. David had great enthusiasm for life and DCC was especially important to him.
The David Multon Trophy competition is targeted to be an original proposition so that it is different and stands out from other events, with both prints and PDI’s entered to the same competition and with no restriction on the size or format of the print – although this may give judges a headache, they should be able to get their head around the idea!
Submissions of images may be made in print or PDI format. 2 entries per member are allowed, for example 1 print and 1 PDI, or 2 PDI’s or 2 Prints. Prints can be submitted as large, and in any medium, as you want. NOTE: There will be 2 separate sections for this competition in PhotoEntry, 1 for PDI and another for PRINT, you must ensure you enter yours in the correct section.
Because of the resolution of the projector PDI images will have to be in their standard format: maximum 1600px wide or 1200px high, in sRGB colour space
Rolling subjects every five years: (1) “Open” (as in Moller and Tate), (2) “Gardens”, (3) “Garden flowers”, (4) “Landscapes”, and (5) “The sea and seaside”, (6) "Open".
The photos submitted cannot have been used in any other DCC competition either internal or external or from any previous year.
The Judge will award a Winner, Runner Up and three highly commended photos. They may hold back as many images as they want.
What will you win:
Winner: DAVID MULTON TROPHY, A Plaque and a Certificate
Runner Up: Certificate
All Highly Commended: Certificate
MATCH A PDI (Dorking Vs Reigate) BI-ANNUAL (2025/26)
This ‘fun’ competition is a ‘friendly’ match between DCC and Reigate where a series of pre-selected images are matched as close as possible for a judge to decide on whether they DO MATCH and then will also decide on the winning image – audience partition is essential.
PhotoEntry will be opened at the beginning of the season.
All members can upload as many photos as they wish, we ask for the quirkier and mor “Fun” the photo the better!
The selection committee will then select 30 Images from Club and 30 Images from Advanced making a total of 60 Images for the club.
There will be 2 Member upload sections as follows:
Match a PDI – PART 1
This will be opened at the start of the season.
This will then be closed approx. 1 month prior to the competition
Match a PDI – PART 2
Once PART 1 is closed this one will be OPENED
This will then remain open for 2 weeks
After the 2 weeks this will then be closed
Points are awarded:
Initial Club photo, does the opposing club photo Match: Yes, Opposing club = 1 point / No Initial club = 1 point
Winning Image = 1 Point to the respective club.
At the end of the session the club with the most points will be awarded the winner
There is no Trophy or Certificate for this competition.
TWO FROM FOUR – PDI
This NEW annual competition is designed to stimulate and focus our members talent and broaden horizons.
The judge for this competition will select four ‘set-subjects’, of which TWO can be entered – one of each.
The advantage of asking the judge to choose these topics is that they will be wholly familiar with them and therefore the judging will be balanced and focused.
The four subjects will be announced at the first club meeting of the season.
Usual PDI format is required and uploaded to the appropriate folder in PhotoEntry.
ADVANCED GROUP – SIR GEORGE POLLOCK CUP
CLUB GROUP – NATASHA CLARIDGE CUP
OPEN PRINT – ONE COLOUR/ONE MONO
The annual print competition has been replaced by a NEW print competition designed to encourage new work. Entries are an OPEN category, and will be for one colour and one mono print, NOT two of each.
Mounted to usual sizes 40x50cm maximum, but smaller mounts can be entered.
ADVANCED GROUP – THE PRINT SHIELD
CLUB GROUP – DEREK GARDNER CUP
CRITIQUE NIGHTS (1, 2 and 3)
These are not competitions, but a guest judge will talk about your submission and offer positive feedback. These critiques are essential whether or not you want to enter competitions, as it will help develop your skill as a photographer and is an important step in the learning process.
You may enter 2 Images into the section on PhotoEntry.
You can enter either a PDI or a Print or one of each.
So, for example, you could enter any of the following
1 x PDI and 1 x Print
2 x PDIs
2 x Prints
Even for Prints, you will need to upload into PhotoEntry and with Priority numbering.
You MUST include a priority number in front of the title.
For example:
Mirrored Tree
Light Minimalist
This is so when we project these for the Judge to critique and give advice on, we work with all the priority 1 images first and then go onto the Priority 2 if we have time in the evening to do so.
Due to the time constraints, and the fact that we want the judge to give a decent amount of advice on each image, we may not have the time to complete 2 images per member.
If you fail to include the Priority number in your title, the competition Secretary will auto-allocate the priority themselves.
Updated August 2024