Brazos County Photography Contest Rules and Guidelines

Transcription

1 Brazos County Photography Contest Rules and Guidelines CONTEST OBJECTIVES: To develop life skills in composition, light, story line, posing, and awareness. To encourage 4-H members to use photography as a meaningful communication tool in their lives. To provide photography project showcase opportunity for senior 4-H members. To continue to share the message of 4-H. To utilize photographs which can promote and strengthen the 4-H program. CONTEST CATEGORIES: People Animals Wildlife Animals Domestic Marine/Aquatic Elements of Design Natural Landscape Plant/Flora Details & Macro Digital Darkroom Theme - Trains Night Photography Food Dominant Color Catch-All Storyboard RESOURCES: 4-H photo curriculum books- available from National 4-H Council Supply Adventures with Your Camera B, Focus on Photography, Controlling the Image and Mastering Photography Texas 4-H and Youth Development State Photography Contest and Resource Page Any reference to a product or company is not to endorse or support them and their causes. Links to companies are provided for their educational resources only. RULES AND GUIDELINES: 1. Participation Age: The Brazos County Photography contest is open to all enrolled 4-H members age 8 and in the 3 rd grade through 18 years as of August 31, Exhibitors will be divided into age categories of Junior, Intermediate, and Senior levels. rd Junior 8 in the 3 grade through 10 years of age as of August 31, 2011 Intermediates 11 through 13 years of age as of August 31, 2011 Seniors 14 through 18 years of age as of August 31, Eligibility of Photos: All photographs must have been taken by 4-H members between the dates of January 1, 2011 and the time of entry. Photos may be submitted only one time and in only one category to the Brazos County photography contest. 3. Number of Entries: An exhibitor may have only one entry per division/class for a total of 6 entries per exhibitor. A single photo can not be entered in multiple divisions. 4. Entry Fee: A fee of $1.00 per picture must accompany the Photo Submission Form. Please make check or money order payable to Brazos Adult Leaders Association. Educational programs of the Texas AgriLife Extension Service are open to all people without regard to race, color, sex, disability, religion, age, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating. 1

2 5. Entry Deadline: Entries must be online and Photo Submission Form with payment must arrive in the Brazos County Extension Office no later than February 3, Late Entries will be accepted until February 6, 2012 at 10 times the entry fee, or $10 per photograph. 6. Size/Formatting of Photographs: The longest side of any submission must not exceed 850 pixels in size. All files must be saved in RGB mode with a srgb embedded color profile. Images must be JPEG/jpg format and must not exceed 1 MB. Full resolution or original camera files will be requested from select entrants. 7. Negatives: Entrants must be able to provide original photo file, transparencies, negative, disk or print if requested. 8. Refusal Rights: The Brazos County Photography Committee reserves the right to refuse inappropriate or unsuitable entries. Photographs must not be offensive, degrading, racist, or contain pornography of any form. 9. Judges: Judges will determine the placing. Their decision on all entries is final. 10. Judging Criteria: Photographers aiming for the Brazos County Photography contest should be mindful of the criteria used in judging entries. Participants should use the following criteria as guidelines: Focus Exposure Lighting Adjustment of the distance setting on a lens to appropriately define the subject. The focus is appropriate to the theme/mood and/or photographic class. The quantity of light allowed to act on a photographic material; a product of the intensity and the duration of light striking the film or paper. The exposure compliments the composition and gives the picture a smooth feeling or a particular effect. The illumination of a subject. Use of light to produce the desired mood or effect. Print Quality The photo exhibits quality consistent with display. The absence of blemishes, scratches, overly enlarged (graininess), and pixilation. This also includes the quality of mounting. Subject The photo uses the subject to deliver a message in a creative way. The photo clearly communicates the subject and fits the chosen category. Composition Placement of the subject in the photo demonstrating artistic ability. A pleasing balance exists among all components of the composition. Impact The photo clearly captures the attention of the viewer. The composition conveys a strong message. Uniqueness Use of originality, camera angle, lighting, character studies, and/or creativity. The photographer exhibits creativity through the photo. 2

3 DESCRIPTIONS OF DIVISIONS AND CLASSES: PEOPLE Photos focus from all walks of life, parenting and family, children, babies, models/fashion, sports, and couples. See Rule #8. Examples include: Kids & Family, Models/Fashion, Sports ANIMALS - WILDLIFE ANIMALS - DOMESTIC MARINE/AQUATIC ELEMENTS OF DESIGN NATURE & LANDSCAPE PLANT/FLORA DETAILS & MACRO DIGITAL DARKROOM Category focuses on animals not tamed or domesticated and commonly found in the wild throughout the country and world. Photos can be of wildlife in nature, zoos, and/or petting zoos. Examples include: Deer, snakes, insects, rodents, elephants, etc. Photos focusing on the various animals that have been tamed and made fit for a human environment. To be considered domesticated, the animal must have their behavior, life cycle, or physiology systemically altered as a result of being under human control for many generations. Examples include: Dog, Sheep, Pig, Goat, Cow, Cat, Chicken, Horse, Camel, Goose, Duck, Hamsters. Photos of any living organism in bodies of either fresh or ocean (salt) water. Examples include: Fish, stingrays, shipwrecks, whales, starfish, etc. Images use of graphic elements of design. Photos that showcase line, shape, pattern, form, texture, perspective, etc. Photo can consist of any subject matter. Category is not for graphic illustrations made in commercial programs (i.e. Adobe Illustrator ) nor for extreme digital creations. Examples include: Perspective, Line, Pattern. The focus of this category includes landscapes, outdoor scenics, nature images, sunsets, urban landscapes, seascapes, cityscapes, and farms. Images focus on the beauty of the outdoors. Examples include: Landscapes, Scenics, Outdoors. Photos of interesting, unique, and beautiful flowers and flora. Photography can occur outdoors or indoors. Photo subject should be that of a single flower, plant, bush, tree, etc. Large collections of plant/flora should be considered for entry into the Nature & Landscape category. Examples include: a rose, an upward shot of a tree, a flower bouquet, etc. Getting in close is the name of the game for this category. We welcome pictures of small details that suggest a larger story. This is also the place for macro photographs (although a macro image of a flower might equally go into the Flowers category). Examples include: detail of a knot, a lock, or an abstract close-up - anything as long as it is a tight composition of a detail. Macro examples include flowers, insects, stamps, ice crystals, etc. Photos are for digital art - images created or drastically altered in software like Adobe Photoshop. Although digitally manipulated images are also allowed in the other categories, this is a category exclusively showcasing such art. If the digital darkroom work is the main attraction of the photo, or plays a big part, enter it here. Examples include: Photoshop composites and creations, images greatly manipulated with a variety of filters, photos with artistic borders, photos stitched into a panoramic. 3

4 THEME NIGHT PHOTOGRAPHY FOOD DOMINANT COLOR CATCH-ALL STORYBOARD Theme photos focus on a subject as announced and outlined in the contest rules. For the theme is Trains. This theme allows 4-H members to take photos of all types of trains. The train theme includes both real and model trains. Photo subject must be either the engine or a train car. Photos of train accessories such as stations/depots, signs, tracks, etc are not allowed. All necessary safety precautions and laws must be adhered to during photo capturing. Examples include: front of an antique train engine, old caboose, etc. Photos taken outdoors between dusk and dawn. Generally these photos are achieved by using artificial light or using a long exposure. This category can include any subject as the focus should be on the skill and technique used to acquire the photograph Examples include: buildings/structures, animals, plant/flora, people, etc. Category is a still life specialization of photography, aimed at producing attractive photographs of food for use in such items of advertisements, packaging, menus and/or cookbooks. NO PHOTOS OF ALCOHOL BEVERAGES ARE ALLOWED Examples: Thanksgiving dinner, cakes/pies, fruits and place settings, Easter eggs, sandwiches, ingredients, etc. Photos with a dominant color. The dominant element in the image must be a specific color, such as red, yellow, blue, white, black, white, green, etc. Black & White photos, duotones, are excluded from this category Category for photos that do not fit into one of the other categories. This includes such photos as still-life, motion-blur, Polaroid transfers, SX-70 images, hand colored photos. Examples include: Polaroid image & emulsion transfers, still-life, long exposure zoomed images, and painting with light. A storyboard is one digital entry that contains three photos and minimal text that tells a story. The story should be easily understood by the viewer. Examples include: Three images depicting the blooming of a rose bud at different stages, with the title of Beginning of Beauty. Examples include: Polaroid image & emulsion transfers, still-life, long exposure zoomed images, and painting with light. Certain description terminology used from betterphoto.com photo contest category page. AWARDS: A Grand Champion and Reserve Champion will be awarded for each age division. Blue, Red, and White quality awards will be given to entries. Participants photographs will be awarded during County Round Up. Quality ribbons and score sheets may be mailed after the event. 4

5 PROPER ENTRY OF PHOTOS: Each entry must be submitted online and using the Photo Submission Form. Include the following information to ensure proper entry. Some information will be based on the division and class entered. Steps for submitting your digital photos online: 1. Set up a Shutterfly account if you don t already have one. It s simple & FREE! a. Go to b. Click on sign up & follow the steps. 2. Once your account is set up, begin uploading your photos to an album. a. Title the album with your name. b. Upload all photos to one album. i. Once your pictures are in one album 1. Click on your first picture; on the toolbar above the picture click Edit, then Edit picture caption. ii. In the description box of each photo, include: 1. 4-Her s name 2. Age division 3. Title of photo 4. Division 5. Class *Repeat steps i and ii for each photo. 3. Once your photos are uploaded to one album, you are ready to share your photos. a. Be sure all photos in the album are selected (click select all on right of screen). b. Click share at the top, right of your screen. i. Select selected pictures, and then click next. ii. In the To box, enter brazoscounty4h@gmail.com and click send. DISQUALIFICATIONS OF ENTRIES: Entries that do not follow the rules, division and class guidelines or any general guidelines will automatically be disqualified. Disqualifications forfeit all entry fees. A general form letter specifying reason(s) for disqualification will be returned together with photo. Reasons for disqualification: Information incomplete. Entered into incorrect division and/or class. Same photo entered into multiple divisions and/or classes. No signature(s). Entry fee not paid or only partial fee paid. Inappropriate or unsuitable photograph. More than one entry in a division and class from a member. For black and white photos not a true black and white photo. 5

6 Photo Submission Form (to be used as a worksheet only) 4-Her s Name: Age Division (check): Junior Intermediate Senior Birthday: Club: Parent/Guardian s Name: Parent/Guardian s Contact Parent/Guardian s Contact Phone: Make & Model of Camera Used: Film Speed Used (if applicable): Software Used (digital photos): Total number of photos entered: Division Class Title of Photo Check all that apply People Color Animals - Wildlife Color Animals - Domestic Color Marine/Aquatic Color Elements of Design Color Nature & Landscape Color Plant/Flora Color Details & Macro Color Digital Darkroom Color Theme Color Night Photography Color Food Color Dominant Color Color Catch-All Color Storyboard Color People Black & White Animals - Wildlife Black & White Animals - Domestic Black & White Marine/Aquatic Black & White Elements of Design Black & White Nature & Landscape Black & White 6

7 Division Class Title of Photo Check all that apply Plant/Flora Black & White Details & Macro Black & White Digital Darkroom Black & White Theme Black & White Night Photography Black & White Food Black & White Catch-All Black & White Storyboard Black & White Educational programs of the Texas AgriLife Extension Service are open to all people without regard to race, color, sex, disability, religion, age, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating. 7

8 For Reference Only Please do not include with your entry. Brazos County 4-H Photography Contest Judging Form Name: Division: Class: Your entry is judged according to the standards of excellence established for this project contest. You are competing against previously determined standards of excellence, not against your peers. Before preparing your entry for submission please carefully review the judging definitions and standards of excellence sheet. TECHNICAL Excellent Good Fair Needs Improvement Unsatisfactory Focus Exposure Lighting Print Quality Constructive Feedback SUBJECT Excellent Good Fair Needs Improvement Unsatisfactory Creative Use of Subject Composition Impact Uniqueness Constructive Feedback Total Points Educational programs of the Texas AgriLife Extension Service are open to all people without regard to race, color, sex, disability, religion, age, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating. 8