Competition Tips?

[Lance Peters]

Just got a merit in a national competition for one of my images, IMHO - one of the weaker images I entered. The images with a gorgeous clear BG faired poorly, so much so that I was questioned on whether the BG had been digitally manipulated and had to provide the raw file (It wasn't of course) so it seems that inclusion of habitat could be important in this regard.

So wondering if anyone has any tips that they care to pass on ----

What types of images generally do well?

If you get a award - would you then enter the same image in another competition (if the rules allow it)

How well you title the image - have any bearing???? IE: A title that fits with the subject matter rather than just something like - Egret.

I think it may come down to the judges on the day - but there must be some guidelines that will help enhance your chances of getting it there in the first place.

Interested to hear your thoughts!

[Ákos Lumnitzer]

Hey mate, ANZANG? I'll check 'em out. I don't enter comps, but at least title-wise I'd create something catchy! I think it all depends on the judges on that day as you had said.

I am curious to know which comp. I'll check the ANZANG site out shortly. I did want to enter that but it is too expensive.

[Hilary Hann]

Lance, if it was the ANZANG, I thought you had to release your copyright/property rights when entering photos. Friend of mine is a major sponsor and printed and framed all this years images and he has stacks of previous year's entries which never go back to the photographer or see the light of day again. Bit sad really.

Are you a member of the AIPP? … I know that the images in the landscape category appear to require something quite different to succeed and it seems to follow trends. Captions have little impact, it appears. I have received a couple of merit awards there but currently I'm not a member (got a bit jaded). Plan to rejoin and enter next year but need to smarten up the images. Maybe I can use any of the responses you get as a guide also! I don't think the judges at the AIPP are so worried about manipulation as it is all part of the digital darkroom and producing images. But what do I know! :confused:

[Lance Peters]

Australian Photographic Society - APSCON.

Didn't enter ANZANG - little expensive. Not a member of AIPP at the moment.

[LouBuonomo]

Judge of the day and their preference, also what type of publication it is going it etc. For example you hardly ever see our type of clean BGs in NatGeo they prefer environment.. different for things like NaturesBest.

But in the end it comes down who is judging and what baggage they bring with them.

Congrats !!
Lou

[Dave Mills]

Interesting to see this post come up. Two days ago I gave a lecture to a photo club entitled "How to Improve Your Scores in Photo Competitions" I brought examples of my work and noted common points that many judges look for. I showed 3 areas as examples.(birds/wildlife,macro and landscapes) Of course I couldn't cover every nuance but picked out what I felt to be the most critical. I pointed out that if these guidelines were followed it would eliminate many areas they could get hit on.
As Lou stated, it comes down to who is judging and how open or close minded they are and what guidelines to them are most important. I've seen a judge consistantly deduct a point from images if the subject is facing the wrong way no matter what the quality of the image. I've also seen cases where an image does poorly in a club comp and gets an award in a statewide comp using the same image.