Eligibility

Only Southeastern Photographic Society (SPS) members in good standing (with annual dues current) are eligible to compete in SPS competitions.

General Rules

• The initial exposure must have been made within the previous 12 months before the date of the competition unless the competition theme specifically denotes it as "vintage." Prints need not be printed by the member.
• A member may place entries into each category of competition but may not place more than two entries into any one category. (Some competitions may only allow one entry per person into each category.) If a member places two entries in a category, they must label one entry "primary" and the other "secondary" in accordance with the 20-Limit Rule explained below.
• 20-Limit Rule In any competition, when the total number of entries exceed 20 in a particular category, only the primary entries will be judged and critiqued for member who submitted two entries. For members who submitted a single entry, the entry will be considered a primary entry and judged and critiqued. Therefore, in a category with over twenty entries, every member entering a photograph will have at least one image judged and critiqued.
• No entries that have been previously entered in any regular SPS competition will be allowed to be entered a second time - except for those given a special exemption under General Rule #10.
• A competition entry shall comprise a single overall image unless a competition theme specifically allows an exception (e.g. a "series" competition). Multiple images may be combined during the creative process but the entry must be printed and presented as a single image.
• An image derived from a specific slide/ negative/file (or combination of these) may not be entered into more than one competition category. Additionally, an image may not be altered and then reentered in a subsequent competition as a new image. Slides may not be reentered as prints, color prints may not be reentered as black & white prints, and so on for all possible variations via traditional processes, digital processes, alternative processes, etc.
• Members should arrive 30 minutes before the stated starting time of the meeting (usually 7:30 PM) in order to have their entries logged in. Absolutely no entries will be accepted after the stated starting time of the meeting determined by the Competition Committee's timepiece.
• SPS members in good standing do not have to be present to log their entry into competition as long as the member makes her/his own arrangements for someone to deliver, correctly log, and return the entry to the member. The SPS will not be responsible for any works incorrectly logged in or left at the competition site.
• All images and visual components that make up an image must be original images captured by the member (no incorporation of scans, reproductions from stock photography, clip art, etc.)
• At each competition there must be a minimum of three entries in a category before any winners are selected in that category. When the minimum number of entries in a category is not met, the member may opt for a non-competitive critique by the judge. The one (1) "entry point" will still be awarded. An entry given a non-competitive critique under these circumstances is still eligible for entry into a future SPS competition without prejudice.

Competition Types -

1. Open, Non-Vintage Competition - Open to any subject matter. The initial exposure must have been made within the previous 12 months before the date of the competition.
2. Open, Vintage Competition - Open to any subject matter. The initial exposure may have been made at any time.
3. Theme Competitions - All entries must relate and adhere to the spirit of the announced theme (such as nature, abstract, architecture, etc.). The initial exposure must have been made within the previous 12 months before the date of the competition unless the competition theme specifically denotes it as vintage.

Competition Categories

Digital Projection
Color Prints
Black & White Prints
Digital (for specifically announced competitions only)

• Digital Projection entries must be submitted as jpeg files to digital @ spsatlanta.org no later than 9:00pm the Thursday prior to the competition. The club projector has a resolution of 1024x768 pixels. Members are encouraged to resize their images to fit within these dimentions. Excessivly large files or formats other than jpg will be rejected.
• In the email submission, the member must clearly state which image is the primary entry and which is the secondary entry. Titles should be included for all images. Please include your name in the body of the email as this is not always clear from the sender's email address. If titles are omitted or the primary / secondary designation is not indicated, the digital coordinator reserves the right to make it up on the fly.
• Prints shall be placed into either the "color prints" or "black & white prints" category. Prints may be the result of traditional, digital, and/or alternative processing techniques. While it is fairly obvious in which category a traditional print should be entered, use of alternative processes and advancements in digital photography may create situations where it is unclear which category would be the most appropriate. The Competition Committee will try to accommodate the wishes of the member, but reserves the right to reclassify an entry in order to maintain the fairest environment for competition. A process for appeal is discussed below.
• Print Presentation - All prints must be mounted to an appropriate rigid mounting surface; over-matting is optional. Frames, glass, plastic overwraps, etc., are not allowed. If a title or signature is present on the front, it must be completely covered with a neutral covering such as masking or archival tape.
• Labeling of Prints - Each member must clearly label each entry on its back with member's name, print's title, and entry category. Additionally, an arrow designating the "up" position or a label reading "top" must be placed on the back to ensure the print is displayed correctly.

Appeal Process

Each person who judges a SPS competition is solely responsible for choosing the winning entries in each category. Up to four place winners (First, Second, Third, and Fourth) with a maximum of up to two Honorable Mention awards may be given in each category. The judge may choose to not award all the prizes in each category depending on the quantity and quality of the work entered.

Point Awards

After each competition, members with winning entries are given points toward the SPS Annual Awards. Additionally, all participants receive one (1) point for each category they enter (not one point for each individual entry). Points are given as follows:
First Place: 15 points
Second Place: 12 points
Third Place: 9 points
Fourth Place: 6 points
Honorable Mention: 3 points
Entry in a Category: 1 point

At the end of the year, the members with the highest point totals in each category are presented with First Place Winner awards. The members with the cumulative point positions of Second, Third and Fourth Place in each category are awarded Certificates of Recognition. In the event of a tie in any category, other factors, such as total number of place awards received, will be used to break the tie and determine final award winners.

Code of Conduct

Members may not discuss entries with the judges before or during a competition. Please allow the Competition Chairperson to respond to any queries the judges might have about a particular entry. Members are asked to give the judges all courtesy during judging and refrain from making any comments that might affect judging or distract the attention of the judges.

Approved 12/01/00,
rev. 3/8/2008