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2012 DISTRICT PHOTOGRAPHIC COMPETITION RULES

This District competition is a precursor to PPA’s International Photographic Competition, a world-renowned photographic competition where entries are evaluated against a standard of excellence using the 12 Elements of a Merit Image.

For more information including video tutorials and reference materials go to www.ppa.com/competitions/international.php

PPA members are eligible to earn PPA’s Seal of Approval. When an image bearing a Seal of Approval is submitted to the PPA International Photographic Competition, an exhibition merit is earned, which can place the entrant closer to an award or a degree like the Master of Photography degree. These rules pertain to images created by traditional photographic processes as well as those captured and/or manipulated electronically with a digita1 camera or scanner.

ELIGIBILITY

  1. Entrant must have captured and created the original exposure.
  2. Any entry that has been reproduced from an existing photograph, portrait, graphic or any other artwork produced by another person is a violation of the competition rules and will not be judged, accepted or displayed. If an entry, in the good faith opinion of the Photographic Exhibition Committee, violates copyright, trademark or any other applicable law, that entry shall be disqualified.
  3. The entrant’s name must not be visible on the entry.
  4. A maximum of four entries may be submitted per entrant.
  5. Competition entry must be completed using the PPA/District online entry system prior to the online entry deadline. On-site entry is not possible, but print cases may be hand delivered (subject to District Rules) if the online entry was completed.
  6. No entry will be eligible if it has been made under the supervision of an instructor or as a class assignment.
  7. No two entries may be of the same subject.
  8. Entries previously merited at any PPA International Competition are not eligible, including any image from a merited album.
  9. Entries bearing the PPA Affiliated Exhibition Seal of Approval and submitted according to the rules of entry by makers from within their assigned District will be automatically accepted for exhibition only when submitted to the next PPA International Photographic Competition immediately following the District competition where awarded. (Out of District entries are not eligible for the Seal of Approval.)
  10. Entry media includes prints, digital submissions, physical albums and digital albums.
  11. If an image is awarded an exhibition merit in any category of PPA competition, it may not be entered again in any other category at any time by any entrant. No image that receives a merit may be entered more than once under any condition.

PHOTOGRAPHIC OPEN COMPETITION CATEGORIES

You must designate one of the below categories for each entry:

  1. Portrait: Consists of Portrait, Wedding and Album entries.
  2. Illustrative: Consists of commercial/industrial images, scenics, pictorials, digital paintings and similar subject matter. Portraits and weddings are not appropriate for this category.

PPA District Electronic Imaging Competition (Master Artist Degree) is held at the Southeast District. Note that Commercial entries are now a part of each District’s Photographic Open/Illustrative competition. Download rules when available at www.ppa.com/competitions/districts.php

SUBMISSION OPTIONS

Entrants may submit either prints (photographic or press printed images presented for judging under lights) or digital submissions (digital files presented for judging on a monitor), or a combination of either entry type.

Print Submission

  1. Entrants may submit printed images of any shape and size on a mount board a minimum of 80 square inches to a maximum of 480 square inches, with the largest dimension no longer than 24 inches. (Recommended mounting thickness is 1/8” to 3/8”.)
  2. Print entries must be mounted on standard mount material (double weight mat board, gator board, ¼” foam, or Sintra). “Float” mounting is accepted at the entrant’s risk for damage. Images on metal and mounted to another standard material must have rounded corners and smooth edges. No mount that could potentially damage other entries or pose a danger to print handlers will be accepted. Masonite, glass, stretcher frames or conventional frames will not be accepted.
  3. A digital reference file must be submitted with each print entry. This file must exactly match the submitted print entry (image and presentation)
  4. File specifications are the same as under the Digital Submission categories.

Digital Submission  

See digital entry tutorial at www.ppa.com/competitions/international.php

  1. Files must be sized so the longest dimension is 4,000 pixels (20 inches at 200 ppi). Each file must contain an embedded color profile of either sRGB or Adobe RGB1998 and be saved at a JPEG quality setting of 10. Total file size should not exceed 3.5 MB.
  2. Files are to be named: ImageTitle.jpg (no spaces, capitalize each new word – example: SeeSpotRun.jpg).

ALBUM ENTRIES

Album entries may be submitted in the form of a Physical Album (an album printed and bound as a book for judging under lights) or a Digital Album (a set of digital files to be judged as sequential layouts on monitors). You must designate one of the below categories for each entry:

  1. Events: Use this category for time-sensitive social events, such as weddings, bar mitzvahs, etc.
  2. Non-Events: Use this category for portrait and storytelling albums. Note: Multi-maker and single-maker albums will be judged as one category.

Physical Album Entry

  1. Album covers must be between 63 - 400 square inches.
  2. No multiple volume albums are allowed.
  3. Any studio identification or entrant’s name in the traditional album must be covered.

Digital Album Entry

See digital entry tutorial at www.ppa.com/competitions/international.php

  1. All page/spread files must have the longest file dimension at 4,000 pixels (20 inches at 200 ppi), have an embedded color profile of either sRGB or Adobe RGB1998 and be saved at a JPEG quality setting of 10.
  2. Each page/spread file may contain as many images as you desire.
  3. An entry shall contain a minimum 5 page/spread files up to 36 page/spread files.
  4. Files are to be numbered in viewing order using two digits (i.e., 01.jpg, 02.jpg, 03.jpg, etc.).
  5. All individual files must be compressed into a single ZIP file. ZIP file must be named: AlbumTitle.zip (no spaces, capitalize each new word – example):SummerWedding.zip).
  6. Studio identification or entrant’s name cannot appear on any file within the album entry.

Multi-Maker Album Entry

  1. The makers of a multi-maker album MUST belong to the same District to be eligible for the Seal of Approval. If they do not, the album may be entered at the International Competition to be eligible for merit.
  2. Each entrant must pay the appropriate entry fee.
  3. ZIP file must be named: AlbumTitle.zip (no spaces, capitalize each new word – example): SummerWedding.zip). Each makers entry form must use the same title.
  4. Images in the album must be the work of the entrants, with a minimum of 20 images per entrant.
  5. Multi-maker albums will be judged as one entry.

DEADLINES & FEES

  1. Entry fee is $95 per member and MUST be prepaid before the competition. Go to www.ppa.com/northeast and open the “Print Competition” link to submit your entry. You MUST upload your image files, pay the entry fee. For print entries, forms and labels must be printed and attached/enclosed with the case from the online registration system.
  2. Competition registration opens on February 16, 2012, and all entries must be uploaded by 5:00pm (Eastern Time) on March 8, 2012. ALL ENTRIES MUST BE UPLOADED ONLINE BY MARCH 8, EVEN IF YOU ARE HAND DELIVERING THE CASE!

SHIPPING & DELIVERY INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Shipping entry deadline is March 14, 2012.
  2. Ship to
    Professional Photographers of Ohio
    Print Competition
    7000 Kalahari Dr.
    Sandusky, OH, 44890.
    Cases must not arrive before March 9, 2012 and must arrive by March 14, 2012.
    Questions, please contact Ken Holida at 419-933-4375 or 567-224-0894 or holidayphoto@frontier.com
  3. Entries must be shipped in an approved, secure, reusable shipping container commonly known as a “Print Case.”
  4. The hand delivery deadline is Wednesday, March 14, 2012 between 9am and 6pm at 7000 Kalahari Dr., Sandusky, OH, 44890.
  5. Print case return shipping fee is $25 per case. You may also enclose a fully prepaid FedEx or UPS shipping document or label. Non-prepaid entries that are not picked up on-site shall be returned, shipped via UPS at a $40 COD fee.

Note: Failure to comply with these rules may result in disqualification of entry. The decision of the Overall Jury Chairman is final. Print Competition information here.

REV 2011/08/12 rn