N4C COMPETITION DIVISION DEFINITIONS

Revisions approved by N4C Board on March 8, 2010

Download a copy here

Updated May 3, 2010

Preamble

The Northern California Council of Camera Clubs subscribes to the Ethics Statement of the Photographic Society of America.  Consistent with that Ethics Statement, all images submitted for competition in both print and projected image format and in all competition divisions shall originate as photographs by the entrant on photographic emulsion or acquired digitally.

 By virtue of submitting an entry, the photographer certifies the work as his/her own.  No clip art, digital art or photographs other than those made by the entrant may be used in whole or in part in any portion of the image. Images may only be manipulated as noted in individual Division definitions.  When graphic elements other than photographs created by the entrant are used in an image, photographic content must still predominate.

Now that N4C is judging on a monitor rather than a projector, it is more imperative that members use the N4C standard resolution, a maximum of 1280 in width and 1024 in height so that the judges can better determine whether the focus is sharp. Probably most of the clubs' competitions are set for this as a maximum (since that is Larry's default), but you should encourage your members to use this as the standard, even though when the clubs project the images they will be projected at 1024x768 at (as far as I know) all N4C clubs.

 

 

N4C HAS ADOPTED THE FOLLOWING DEFINITION FOR PICTORIAL:

 Pictorial (P):  Pictorial photography is the use of the photographic medium as an art form.  The emphasis is on interest, visual impact, composition, and technical excellence.  Images in the Pictorial Division are not confined to any particular subject, type, or style of photography.  Pictorial images may be manipulated in the darkroom, on the computer or in the camera in a manner consistent with the standards stated in the preamble to these definitions.

There are FOUR Print classes B=Basic, I=Intermediate A=Advanced M= Masters

Labeling your Print entry:     COLOR = CO/B, CO/I, CO/A, CO/M

  (upper LEFT corner)           MONOCHROME = MO/B, MO/I, MO/A, MO/M

Projected Images Pictorial:  B=Basic, I=Intermediate A=Advanced M= Masters

N4C HAS ADOPTED THE FOLLOWING DEFINITION FOR CREATIVE (C):  

  Creative (C):  Creative photography is producing an image through the use of imaginative skill or originality of thought including the altering of reality.  No image should be eliminated from competition simply because it looks realistic, provided it shows originality of concept.   Creative images may include modifications in the darkroom, on the computer, or in the camera, as well as unusual points of view, imaginative use of subject matter or lighting, or any other presentation that begins with the maker’s photograph or a collection of photographs.  Creative images must be consistent with the standards stated in the preamble to these definitions.  In Creative image competition the title is read when showing the image.

There are two Print class for Creative B=Basic,  A=Advanced

Labeling your Print entry:    (upper  LEFT  corner)  C/B or C/A

Projected Images: Have four classes for Creative B=Basic, I=Intermediate A=Advanced M= Masters

 

N4C HAS ADOPTED THE FOLLOWING DEFINITION FOR TRAVEL (T): 

Travel (T):  A Travel picture must express the feeling of a time and place, portray a land, its people or a culture in its natural state, and has no geographic limitations.  Ultra close-ups which lose their identity, studio-type model shots, or photographic manipulations which misrepresent the true situation or alter the content of the image are unacceptable in Travel competition  No manipulation or modification is permitted except resizing, cropping, selective lightening or darkening, and restoration of original color of the scene.  No special effect filters can be applied.  Any sharpening must appear natural.  No elements may be moved, cloned, added, deleted, rearranged or combined. .  In Travel competition the title is read when showing the image.  The title should give the location and complement the travel story.  All Travel images must be consistent with the standards stated in the preamble to these definitions.

There are two Print class for Travel B=Basic,  A=Advanced

Labeling your Print entry:    (upper  LEFT corner)  T/B or T/A

Projected Images: Have four classes for Travel B=Basic, I=Intermediate A=Advanced M= Masters

 

N4C HAS ADOPTED THE FOLLOWING DEFINITION FOR JOURNALISM (J):

Journalism (J):  Journalism entries shall consist of pictures with informative content and emotional impact, including human interest, documentary and spot news.  Sequences of not more than four (4) images are permitted in the Journalism category in projected image competition only.  The journalistic value of the photograph shall be considered over pictorial quality.  In the interest of credibility, photographs which misrepresent the truth, such as manipulation of the image, or situations which are set up for the purpose of photography, are unacceptable in Journalism competition.  The primary concern is to make story-telling and/or newsworthy photographs.  In competition the title is read when showing the image.  Good titles are important and should add to the photo-story.  No manipulation or modification of Journalism images is permitted except resizing, cropping, selective lightening or darkening, and restoration of original color of the scene.  No special effect filters can be applied.  Any sharpening must appear natural.  No elements may be moved, cloned, added, deleted, rearranged or combined.  All Journalism images must be consistent with the standards stated in the preamble to these definitions.

There are two Print class for Journalism B=Basic,  A=Advanced

Labeling your Print entry:    (upper  LEFT  corner)  J/B or J/A

Projected Images: Have four classes for Journalism B=Basic, I=Intermediate A=Advanced M= Masters

N4C HAS ADOPTED THE FOLLOWING DEFINITION FOR NATURE (N):

Nature (N): The Nature Division is restricted to the use of the photographic process to depict observations from all branches of natural history except anthropology and archeology in such a fashion that a well-informed person will be able to identify the subject matter and certify as to its honest presentation.  The informative or nature value of the photograph must be weighed more than the pictorial quality.  Sequences of not more than four (4) images are permitted in the Nature category in the electronic images competition only.

Human elements may be present only where those human elements add to the viewers understanding of the nature subject’s behavior and/or habitat.  This habitat may be natural or adopted.  The presence of scientific bands on wild animals is acceptable.

Photographs of artificially produced hybrid plants or animals (any plant or animal that has its appearance changed by breeding and selection by man (domesticated)), mounted specimens, or obviously set arrangements, are ineligible, as is any form of manipulation that alters the truth of the photographic statement.

In Nature competition the title should be factual and descriptive and should be read when showing the image.  Scientific names are encouraged but are not required.

No manipulation or modification of Nature images is permitted except resizing, cropping, selective lightening or darkening, and restoration of original color of the scene.  Combining multiple images to achieve High Dynamic Range (HDR) is acceptable but no special effect filters can be applied.  Any sharpening must appear natural.  No elements may be moved, cloned, added, deleted, rearranged or combined.  Horizontal flipping (equivalent to reversing the image) is an acceptable modification. Nature images must be consistent with the standards stated in the preamble to these definitions.

There are two Print class for Nature B=Basic,  A=Advanced

Labeling your Print entry:    (upper  LEFT  corner)  N/B or N/A

Projected Images: Have four classes for Nature B=Basic, I=Intermediate A=Advanced M= Masters

 Depending on club policy some have (Zoological or Other category).

  

N4C HAS ADOPTED THE FOLLOWING DEFINITION FOR NATURE (W):

Authentic Wildlife (W):  Authentic Wildlife is defined as one or more organisms in the animal kingdom living free and unrestrained in a natural or adopted habitat.  Therefore, photographs of zoo or game farm animals are not eligible.  Authentic Wildlife applies to electronic images ONLY.

Labeling your Projected Images:      W

 

N4C HAS ADOPTED THE FOLLOWING DEFINITION FOR SEQUENCE:

 Sequence (S):  A sequence consists of two or more related images on one mount, printed separately on the same sheet of paper or overlapping as in a multiple exposure or panorama.  Sequences will be judged in prints only.  All Sequence prints must be consistent with the standards stated in the preamble to these definitions.

There is still only one Print class for Sequence

Labeling your Print entry:     S     (upper LEFT corner)