Competitions, Guidelines and Challenges

2022-2023 Schedule of Competitions  (due dates shown)

Leader: Sharon Bradshaw and Ed Kunzelman

  • Nov. 1, 2022 – PSA round #1 competition – Projected image division (PID) open theme (color and monochrome) and nature/wildlife
  • Feb. 1, 2023 – PSA round #2 competition – PID open theme (color and monochrome) and nature/wildlife
  • April 1, 2023 – PSA round #3 competition – PID open theme (color and monochrome) and nature/wildlife
  • TBD – member requests or volunteers for other competitions ??

Submit images to:  TMCCcontests@gmail.com and to aussiehike@aol.com

Compeitition Categories:

  1. Projected Images (Color, Black / White, Combined)
  2. Prints (Color, B/W, Combined)
  3. PSA (Photographic Society of America)

Digital Projected Images:

TMCC will have several projected image competitions each calendar year.  The competition comittee will decide categories which will be announced at club meetings. Club meetings are the 4th Tuesday of each month (except December).  All photo entries for digital competitions are due no later than the first day of the month for that competition… except as specially stated by competition chairperson.  Occasionally more or less time is needed for the judges.  One purpose of the competitions is to entice members to take more photos and stretch their abilities and experiences.

Entries are typically scored by judges external to the Club but members may be involved as well.  The first 4 places receive some points which go towards year end awards.  Entries that have placed for points in a previous club competition are not eligible and cannot be entered in another club competition.  Photos that have not been awarded points in a previous club competition may be entered again.  Any photos entered into club competition can also be entered into the PSA competitions (see below).

            How to Submit Your Projected Image:

  • Maximum resolution: 1400w x 1050h.
  • Vertical pictures should have a maximum resolution of 1050 pixels on the long (vertical) side.   
  • File format: jpeg.   
  • Please include your image title and your name in the file name of your image.  example: Title_Joe Smith.jpeg.
  • Email digital images to: TMCCcontests@gmail.com

Print Competitions

Usually there is at least one Print competition each year where members provide a print to the competition lead person to be distributed to judges for review.  Judges are determined by the lead person for each competition.  Using 2017 as an example, see rules under the “2017 Print Competition” tab on the home page.  The Print competition in 2018 TBA.

Photographic Society of America (PSA):

TMCC participates in PSA inter-club competitions. PSA competitions are separate events from the TMCC club competitions and occur 3 times each year.  Check out their website psa-photo.org.  For years we have been  in the Projected Image Division OPEN category so any subject may be entered.  We are currently in Group C.  In 2022 TMCC will also enter the Wildlife/Nature Division in both the color and monochrome.  Please see the Statement on Subject Matter August 2022 for the rules and guidelines on these new divisions.

PSA Statement Aug 2022

Submit one (1) digital image per division according to the schedule above.  Please include your name and image title in the file name of your image, in JPG format.  Digital images only.   Maximum image resolution for PSA competition is 1400w x 1050h pixels.  Vertically oriented photo must be no larger than 1050 pixels high.

Submit images to:   tmcccontests@gmail.com   or   aussiehike@aol.com

You  must fill out PSA permission form every 3 years.  http://thundermountaincameraclub.org/wp-admin/post.php?post=7605&action=edit

The leader for the PSA competitions will decide how judging and selections is completed.  This may include Independent judging (non-TMCC members) or TMCC members.  Minimum of 3 judges will provide critique on each entry and will select six photos to be submitted to PSA for the inter-club Competition.  Submit any photo not previously selected by the club for submittal to a previous PSA competition.  Presentation and discussion of all PSA entries will be made at the club meeting.

Competition Review at Club Meeting:  A presentation of judging critiques on all entries will be held at club meetings, with scoring and placement of the top images.  Time will be allocated for discussion in response to judge’s comments and critique.  Top 4 places will earn points towards year end awards.  Images that are not chosen top 4 may be re-entered again in a subsequent competition. 

“People’s Choice” competition – TBD

Challenges: Club member chooses a topic and challenges members to share photographs via the website.  Login to the TMCC website, use the “member announcement” tab to explain the challenge.  To post pics, Participating members would login to the website, use the “join the discussion” tab, find the “+new” tab at the top and then the “post” link; title the post with your name and the challenge, upload photos with “add media” and write explanation in the box.