These are the rules for all the regular competitions within the Society season. If you have any queries please refer them to the appropriate Competition Secretary.
CONTENTS
General Rules Prints and Digital
Digital Set Subject Competitions
GENERAL RULES
Only current members of the Society may enter the competitions, (not Social members[BE1] ). All photographs entered, or elements within a composite image, must have been taken by the entrant. All manipulation must be the work of the author. All entries must be titled, and show the entrants name and class, where appropriate.
A certificated image is one which has been placed 1st, 2nd, 3rd or Highly Commended in any competition.
An image that has been certificated in a FEPS competition is not eligible for entry to subsequent competitions apart from:
- Print of the Year
- Projected Digital of the Year
- As part of a Print Panel.
If an image has not been placed/certificated in a competition then it can be used in any other competition.
Only new images – not previously entered for any competitions can be entered into Set Subjects – (Including the Norma Bateman Rosebowl).
Titles will be read out or displayed on Competition evenings.
There is no age limit for Class Open Competitions.
The age of an image is calculated from the date that an image is first used in competition, irrespective of the format, whether print or digital. (This is relevant to external competitions).
If you are a member of more than one club, in different Federations, you may support only one nominated Federation of your own choice in all PAGB competitions in any one calendar year, and you are required to inform the PAGB of your choice. If you belong to more than one club, please ensure you speak to the External Competition Secretary to clarify the action you need to take before entering PAGB competitions.
PRINTS
There is no minimum size for prints, but prints must be mounted. The maximum mount size is 50cm by 40 cm.
The entrant’s name, title, and the competition entered should be shown on the back of the entry. Labels are provided.
Entry titles for Open competitions must be submitted one week before the competition, or as indicated in the programme. The prints must be submitted, by 7.45 p.m. on the competition evening.
No entries will be accepted on the night.
In class 1 a maximum of TWO print entries are permitted for each open competition.
In class 2 a maximum of THREE print entries are permitted for each open competition.
If there are a large number of entries, the number of prints to enter may be reduced from three to two. If this is the case, the first two images as shown by 01, 02 only will be shown. This is at the discretion of the Print Secretary.
PROJECTED DIGITAL IMAGES COMPETITION (PDI)
PDI competitions have Open and Set Subject categories. Entries must be submitted to the Competition Secretary at least 1 week prior to the competition evening, on memory card or by e-mail. No entries can be accepted on the night.
Entries must be in sRGB colour space and saved in jpg format. Images must be no more than 1600 pixels wide by 1200 pixels tall (note: portrait format still limited to 1200 tall; and square format is limited to 1200 x 1200 pixels). The file name must have the following parts, with a space between each:
- NUMBER of the entry in order of preference
- TITLE (in CAPITALS – spaces, numbers and hyphens permitted)
- The word “by” (must be in lower case letters)
- The author’s name (in lower case letters, although initial capitals are permitted)
- Either “class1” or “class2” (no space before the number)
For example 01 MY FIRST PICTURE by John Smith class2.jpg
The file extension .jpg is normally automatically assigned by your computer. There is a separate leaflet giving guidance on how to prepare your digital images. Information is also available on the website.
A maximum of three entries are permitted for open PDI competitions. If there are a large number of entries, the number of entries may be reduced from three to two. If this is the case, the first two images as shown by 01, 02 only will be shown. This is at the discretion of the Digital Secretary.
OPEN COMPETITIONS
There are five Open Print Competitions and four Open PDI Competitions in each season, held on separate evenings.
Members compete in two classes – Class 2 and Class 1.
Classification – Class 1 & Class 2
Members are classified according to their photographic experience and standard. The classification for a member is not necessarily the same for prints and digital. A new member may be placed in Class 1 by submitting a portfolio of current prints and/or digital images to the Selection Committee for assessment.
Member classification is only applicable in the Class Open Competitions.
Class 2
- Members who do not qualify for Class 1;
- Members who have not previously entered competitions, subject to the discretion of the Selection Committee.
Class 1
- Members who have previously been in Class 1
- Members whose current work is, in the opinion of the Selection Committee, of Class 1 standard.
- Winners of class 2.
At the end of each season the winners of Class 2 (Print and PDI) will automatically be promoted. The Selection Committee will also review classifications, and make recommendations to the Society’s Committee regarding any additional promotions.
PDI SET SUBJECT COMPETITIONS
Entry Criteria
There are three Set Subject PDI Competitions during the season. Set Subjects are chosen by the Committee and printed in the programme in advance. For the Set Subject Competitions and the Norma Bateman Rosebowl, images must not have been entered in ANY previous FEPS competition, although they may be entered subsequently in other Society competitions (provided they were not certificated).
Set Subject
Entrants may enter up to THREE images. The marking system and ALL other criteria for date of entry, size, colour space and marking are exactly the same as for Open competitions. Certificates will be awarded to those members placed First, Second, Third, and Highly Commended.
Each member’s marks are recorded throughout the season. His/her best mark in each of the Set Subject Competitions is totalled. The member with the highest total shall receive:
The Wright Trophy
Scoring
For PDI Competitions, in the event of a large number of entries, the judge may only give a detailed critique of image number 1. The second and third images will be marked but may not be discussed if there is insufficient time.
The competition will be scored out of 20, at least one image will receive a score of 20 in all scored competitions.
The judge will be instructed to give three highly commended certificates however, this is at the discretion of the judge.
Certificates will be awarded to those members placed First, Second, Third, and Highly Commended.
New Member Rule (for print and PDI competitions)
A new member who joins the Society, and misses the first Open Competition of the season and enters all other open competitions, can have their results averaged. The average is then added to the points accrued from the other competitions; the result is then listed with all the final results.
Trophies
Annual awards may be given jointly. Trophies are held by the recipients after presentation, but must be returned the following season for presentation at the appropriate competition, or a fortnight prior to the Awards evening in June.
Each member’s marks are recorded throughout the season. His/her best mark in each of the Class Open Competitions is totalled. The highest totals decide the winners of the following trophies:-
Prints: The McLellan Trophy (Class1) Overall print winner
The Martin Trophy (Class 2) Overall print winner
Digital: The Jefferson Trophy (Class 1) Overall PDI winner
The Ann Temple Cup (Class 2) Overall PDI winner
Aggregate Trophies
Regardless of classification, the highest TWO marks for each member in each of the Class Open Competitions are totalled. The highest totals decide the winners of the following trophies:-
Prints: The Friendship Cup
PDI: The Field End Digital Aggregate Trophy.
The Wright Trophy
Awarded to the highest total score of the Set Subject (1, 2 & 3) competitions.
THE NORMA BATEMAN ROSEBOWL
This is a separate annual competition held each season.
This Set Subject PDI competition is held in November. The theme for the Competition is announced at the previous season’s Annual General Meeting.
Each member may enter up to FOUR images, which must be numbered in order of preference. If the total entry is considered too large it may be reduced at the discretion of the Competition Secretary, removing entries in reverse order i.e. number 4 first.
Entries must be submitted at least a week before the competition. The judge will not mark the entries, but select a First, Second and Third place, and up to three Highly Commended entries. The winner will receive:
The Norma Bateman Rosebowl
PRINT PANEL COMPETITION
This is a separate annual competition held each season. There is no automatic promotion to class 1.
No set categories are specified, thereby allowing the widest possible choice of subjects and techniques. Each member can enter THREE panels of prints. The entry must consist of three prints, on separate mounts, which are linked by a common theme or consistency of style. Prints should be numbered in the order in which they are to be presented.
There is no minimum size for prints but they must be mounted. The maximum mount size is 50cm x 40cm.
Entries, including the appropriate entry form, must be submitted in advance in accordance with the programme.
Assessment
The judge will receive the entries prior to the competition evening for assessment and allocate marks as follows:
- Each picture out of 10 with consideration given to composition, appropriateness of lighting, appropriateness of techniques used as well as the quality of the print.
- A further mark out of 10 for the cohesiveness, presentation and layout of the panel.
- A further mark out of 10 for the breadth of techniques used.
The entrant with the highest total for their panel will receive:
The Edith King Memorial Trophy
There will be Certificates for 2nd and 3rd places
PRINT AND PDI IMAGE OF THE YEAR
There are separate competitions held to determine the Monochrome Print of the Year, the Colour Print of the Year, and the PDI Image of the Year.
Monochrome prints are defined as using black and white with any shades of grey in between or an image toned entirely in a single colour.
Monochrome work modified by a partial toning or by the addition of one colour(e.g. colour popping) becomes colour work (polychrome) and cannot be entered.
Entries
The same image cannot be entered into more than one of the Annual Competitions in the same year. It must not have been certificated in any previous print or PDI Image of the Year.
Each member may submit up to TWO entries in the Colour, and TWO in the Monochrome Print of the Year competitions.
A maximum of THREE PDI entries are allowed for the PDI of the Year and numbered in order of preference. In the event of a large entry the Competition Secretary may reduce the number of entries per person. The winning image will be printed on the FEPS programme for the following season.
The judge will not be required to mark the entries, but to select a First, Second and Third place, and is requested to award up to three Highly Commended Certificates in each competition. Trophies awarded are:-
PDI of the Year: The Povey Trophy
Monochrome Print of the Year: The Jewell Cup
Colour Print of the Year: The Bison Shield
ANNUAL EXHIBITION TROPHY
A trophy is awarded to the public vote winner of the Annual FEPS Exhibition. The visiting public is invited to vote for up to two prints of their choice. The member who exhibits the print receiving the most votes receives:
The BPD Photech Trophy
The Katharine Herring Trophy
This trophy is awarded as a cross-format trophy, and is only open to members who are in class 2 for at least one category (print, PDI or both).
The scores will be calculated by taking the top 2 results from each of the two categories. (open print, open PDI and themed competitions (excluding Norma Bateman Rosebowl). The person with the highest score is the winner.
The Katharine Herring Trophy (previously known as the Ladies competition trophy, changed in 2017/18 season.)
PROGRESS AWARDS
At the end of each competition season the Selection Committee will look at the progress of members in class 2. The Selection committee will recommend a member from each of the class 2 PDI and Print categories who they deem to have made good progress over the season. The recommendations will be shared with the full committee who will discuss and ratify this recommendation.
The recipients then receive:
Prints: The Shepherd Tankard
Digital: FEPS Progress in Digital Trophy