Q: The  photo competition page mentions three skill levels.  What does the A, B and C stand for?

A: C is novice, B intermediate, and A accomplished. When you join the club and enter photos you pick which level you would like to compete in. Most new people pick C. If you have been in another camera club you might pick B. If you are an accomplished photographer, you might pick A. You may change your section each year.

Q: I shoot only digital.  Does that mean that I should be attending only the digital meetings?   Are there two separate competitions at two separate places?   Do you need to be at the meetings to enter the competition?

A: You are welcome to attend both meetings. You may enter up to 4 images per month.. There are two competitions per month, one for digital and one for prints and slides. You do not need to be present to enter competitions, although it is nice to have the photographer present to tell the group a little about the photograph.

We are in the process of updating the rules for competitions. Please check the website for the latest information.

Q:  Why is the club meeting twice per month?  I can’t make both meetings, what will I miss by coming only to one?

A1:  The club wants to include and encourage photographers with interests in any aspect of photography whether it is shooting slides, printing large prints, or digital images.  Having two meetings per month allows more time to have competitions with discussions about technique and equipment, and allows time for expert speakers as well.  We want you at all of our meetings, but if you must choose just one, then pick the one that advertises programs which interest you the most, or pick which competition format suits your interest the best.

A2: The President will make an effort to be present at both meetings and supports and uses both digital and film media himself. Some members will choose to emphasize only digital or only prints. It is up to you. There is not enough time to offer more programming and only have one meeting per month. We will also continue to allow 35mm slides. Due to time constraints the 35mm slides may be judged along with digital slides. You may also enter images for judging at the digital meeting or the regular meeting without being present to win.

Q: Is it ok to modify my photos using image editing software?  

A:  So long as the images you submit are your own, and represent what you wanted to achieve when you took the picture, your photo is welcome.  The club may enact additional rules in the future, but members will be given advance notice so as to avoid confusion and embarrassment.

There is a lot of controversy about digital modification. The issue applies to both print and digital slides, since many prints are now made from digital or scanned images. My view is that it should look like a photograph. A collage of photographs or an image made by stitching photographs together, such as a panoramic image may also be acceptable. If you create an image that looks digitally altered, the judges may not like it; you are taking a risk entering a digitally altered image into competition.

Q:  What criteria will be used to judge my photo entries?

A: The criteria for judging include: technical quality, adherence to theme, and the wow factor. Images are rated on a 10 points scale with 10 being the highest. Images rarely receive ratings higher than 8 or lower than 5. Three judges will judge each image. If a judge has a conflict of interest, the highest rating of the other two is counted twice to obtain the total score for the image. Total score for images typically range from about 15 to 25, with 30 points being possible.

Q:  How should I prepare my photos for a camera club print competition?

A1: I usually print mine out on 11 by 17 (9 by 12 or 12 by 16 print) or 13 by 19 glossy photo paper (brand and type recommended for my printer, I prefer Ilford smooth glossy photo paper, available from www.bhphoto.com) ). If you have a smaller printer, you may enter 8 by 10 printed on 8 1/2 by 11 glossy photo paper (available from Staples). You may also have prints done at Hobby Horse Photo in Easton (ask for Paul Yglesius) or by a service such as Costco. Costco can do up to 12 by 18 at the store from jpeg images on a CD or memory card.

For matting I use Crescent Gallery Mats in Arctic White or Raven Black, available from www.DickBlick.com. I make a window mat by attaching a solid mat board under the mat with the opening using flexible cloth hinge tape. I attach the photo behind the window to the backing board using repositionable artist tape. You may also pay a matting and framing shop such as Franklin in Easton to mat the print using a window mat technique. The mounted print must be able to stand up on the easel without folding over and falling off or falling apart. Do NOT frame the print. Framing will disqualify the entry.

A2: Another method for preparing your prints for competition is to print on the heaviest photo paper you can find. After the print dries, it can be sprayed with an aerosol craft glue (elmers, or dupont 77) and pressed onto foamboard (can be purchased at Wal Mart or Ben Franklin). After the glue dries, a borderless print can be cut with a razorblade. The foamboard will provide stability for the print and will work well with the easels used by the club.

A3: Before the day of competition, you will need to pre-register your entries with the club by emailing your name, skill level, and print titles to printregistration@tidewatercameraclub.com. A convenient link can be found on the photo competition page of this website, which will help you fill in the needed information.

Q:  What do I do with my print at a club meeting competition?

A: Prints prepared for display are to be brought to the meeting. Numbered pins are available at the meeting. A pin should be affixed to each print, and the pin number printed next to the photo name on the judging forms. Note- prints not pre-registered may be rejected for competition by the club. Only paid members may enter prints in a competition.

Q:  How do I change the size of my photos for the digital competition?

A: Assuming that you have some image manipulation software like Photoshop, you need to open your image, adjust the width or length (while maintaining proportions) and save as - giving it a name which includes the image title, your initials, and your section. We have prepared a tutorial which will guide you through the steps. Click here to open the tutorial - you can then read through or print it out.

Q:  How do I email my photos for the digital competition?

A: The simplest method is to go to the Photo competition page on the club website, find the competition you wish to enter, and click on its title. Your email program should open, with the correct address and subject filled in for you. You would then replace the question marks with your name and section. Attach your photo submissions to the email, and click send. The club web server will send you a confirmation email when it receives your email. If you still have questions, the club has produced a "flash movie tutorial" showing the steps which can be accessed from the photo competition page. There is a written tutorial available as well. Click here to open the tutorial - you can then read through or print it out.