‘Guidance, Education, Enjoyment’
This annual competition is designed to stimulate interesting new work and will be judged by class.
The judge has selected four set subjects from a list of 48 we provide to them, according to their expertise and interest. Members can choose TWO subjects of the four, entering one photograph for each.
AWARDS
ADVANCED GROUP – SIR GEORGE POLLOCK CUP
Winner, runner up, and up to four highly commended. In addition, the winners of each of the four set subjects will be announced.
CLUB GROUP – LADY GEORGE POLLOCK CUP
Winner, runner up, and up to four highly commended. In addition, the winners of each of the four set subjects will be announced.
Guidance
The images must not have been entered in any previous competition at Dorking Camera Club.
(Images seen in a critique evening are acceptable).
JUDGE:
Roger Reynolds HonFRPS, APAGB, FBPPA, FBPE. Richmond & Twickenham Photographic Society.
Retired head of the RPS distinctions panel.
Do look at his website https://rogerreynolds.co.uk/
To Enter
Choose two of the four set subjects listed below and enter one image depicting each of your chosen set subjects. You must enter two images. Note As this competition is for two images, entries of only one image will be rejected.
Roger has selected four ‘set-subjects’ from a list of 48 subjects. He has kindly reviewed the competition rules and definitions below and will judge against them.
Landscape Simplicity Use a Tripod Wildlife
The scope of this Dorking Camera Club competition is limited to the following DCC definitions.
Landscape
Landscape is the photographic portrayal of all elements of the land, sea and sky, whether natural or built, or influenced by human endeavour, with an emphasis on vistas rather than fine detail. Examples include mountains, hills, farmland, coasts, bodies of water, forests, and populated and industrial areas, as well as human effect on landscape subjects, taken at any hour of the day or night. Images may be created using traditional or any other photographic and /or post-processing techniques. For this DCC Landscape competition, multiple exposures, intentional camera movement, abstraction, minimalism, post-processing, and so on must not so dominate as to obscure the landscape being depicted.
It encompasses but is not limited by terms you may have come across before such as Rural Landscape, Seascape, Cityscape, and Gardenscape.
Use A Tripod
"Use a Tripod" challenges you to create an image that clearly couldn’t have been captured without one. Think long exposures that blur motion, macro photography, ultra-sharp details in low light, focus-stacking, and other types of images where the tripod is essential. Beyond the technique, the final image must also hold artistic merit. Composition, mood, and intention should come together to create an image that is not only technically reliant on a tripod, but visually compelling.
Simplicity
Simplicity concentrates on minimalism and clarity, focusing on the core subject, minimizing distracting elements, and emphasizing visual harmony (tone, colour, or graphic design) rather than overly complex techniques.
By eliminating distractions, photographers create images that feel clean, balanced, and impactful. Negative space, simple lines and shapes, and a limited colour palette often enhance the sense of simplicity.
Wildlife
Wildlife photography is restricted to the use of the photographic process to depict all aspects and branches of natural history, except anthropology and archaeology, in such a fashion that a well-informed person will be able to identify the subject material and certify its honest presentation. The depiction must be of one or more zoological or botanical organisms free and unrestrained in a natural or adopted habitat.
NOTE "Wildlife" is stricter than the definition of "Nature".
NOTE ON WILDLIFETITLES “Twee, jokey, informal, or sentimental titles should be avoided, with a preference for informative titles that provide details on the subject or location” see example below.
Wild and Free: Subjects must be of one or more extant (not extinct) zoological or botanical organism living free and unrestrained in a natural or adopted habitat.
Acceptable controlled environments for flying animals: gardens, parks, botanical gardens, Red Kite feeding stations etc. Anywhere the flying animal subjects are “Wild and Free” and not caged. NOTE - Feeders must are not evident in the photos.
Specific Subject Matter: Wildlife is not limited to animals, birds and insects. Marine subjects and botanical subjects including fungi and algae taken in the wild are suitable wildlife subjects, as are carcasses of extant species.
Identification: The subject must be identifiable, and the image must show an honest representation of what the photographer saw.
The story telling will be weighed more than the pictorial quality while maintaining high technical quality.
· Processing of the captured image, by cropping, exposure adjustment, colour correction, noise minimisation, dodging/burning, HDR, focus stacking and sharpening, is allowed. Minor Cloning of image defects and minor distractions, including overlapping elements, are permitted when these do not distort the truth of the photographic statement.
Images taken where animals are free to roam and are not in captivity, like at Warnham Nature Reserve, RSPB reserves, wetland centres and similar are eligible to be entered.
To make this category more accessible to DCC members. Images taken in, Zoos, the Knepp Rewilding Project, Red Kite feeding stations, Wildlife parks, the Big Cat Park, and safari type of shots in wildlife parks as wildlife subjects can be found in these “open” spaces.
NOTE Images that indicate obvious signs of captivity including but not limited to: - keepers or rangers, motor vehicles, feeding stations, cages, fencing, aquariums or swimming pools, etc. are not permitted. So, if it looks like the subject as in captivity do not enter it. Appears to be Wild & Free is the criterion that will be used.
Please note this list excludes subjects usually allowed in Nature competitions, but which are NOT allowed in this DCC Wildlife competition:
No captivity: Images must not indicate captivity or controlled conditions. Be aware if the image was taken in of zoo , game farm, of animals in captivity, or those photographed under controlled conditions. These are prohibited.
No manipulation: Images cannot have major elements added or removed.
No staging: by luring or feeding tin order to change behaviour.
No domestic: pets, domesticated animals, working and farm animals.
No controlled environments for all plants and all animals with the exceptions of those noted for flying animals above: in gardens, parks, botanical gardens, stables, zoos, wildlife parks, or the like. Anywhere the subjects are not “Wild and Free”.
No landscapes, and no geologic formations.
No cultivated plants.
No dead or cut flowers and plants.
No fossils.
Pay & Display wildlife Photos taken at hides or similar locations where ponds and branches have been baited to attract birds and other animals (such as at Millers Wood and the like), are excluded.
PhotoEntry
Images must be uploaded to two different set subject folders.
You must enter two images. Our usual PDI format is required. Images to be uploaded to the appropriate folder in PhotoEntry.
Landscape
PhotoEntry title: L - Image name (eg L - Box Hill )
Simplicity
PhotoEntry title : S - Image name (eg S - Roofs)
Use a Tripod
PhotoEntry title : T - Image name (eg T - Waterfall)
Wildlife
PhotoEntry title: W - Image name (eg W - Common Hawker (Aeshna juncea))