Competitions can be a way of improving your photography by listening to the judge's comments and suggestions about the images. (But remember it is one person's opinion and another judge may think differently.) Competitions are not for everyone and you do not have to enter competitions if you prefer not to, though most members enjoy watching club competition evenings and can learn from them whether they have entered or not.
We have three trophies for success in competitions, the Photographer of the Year Award, The Monochrome Trophy, (awarded at the AGM at the end of the season), and the Tony Cutting Trophy, for the winner of the Five Print Challenge. (See the Competition Rules for how you could win one of these trophies.)
Programmed Club competitions (Usually 5 in total throughout the year)
Members can enter a maximum of 3 images for the club competitions. Please read the competition rules which are downloadable here:
Rules for print and DPI competitions
(Please note in regards to use of AI in photography we have adopted the guidelines issued by the RPS, to view their statement click here:
RPS Statement on use of AI )
Titles and dates for 2024-2025 are:
- 18th October 2024 Open Subject, Print, (Closing Date 4th October), Judge: David Straker
- 6th December 2024 Open Subject, DPI, (Closing Date 15th November), Judge: Trevor James
- 7thFebruary 2025 "Boats", Print, (Closing Date 17th January), Judge: Julie Morgan
- 21st March 2025 "On This Day"*, DPI, (Closing Date 7th March), Judge: Nick jenkins
- 2nd May 2025 Annual Open, Print, (Closing Date 25th April), Judge: Dave Bennett
*
"On This Day" - This competition is open subject but all images must have been taken on Saturday 15th February 2025.
In addition to the above competitions on 7th March 2025, (Closing Date 21st Feb), we will also be running a new and separate competition - The Five Print Challenge.
The competition, as the name implies, is in five sections and the photographer must enter one print into each section.
The Sections are as follows: Open Colour, Open Monochrome, People, Scapes, and Nature.
This competition is print only and this must be all new work, (work not previously entered into any Monmouth PC internal competition). Prints can be used in competitions after the challenge is completed.
This competition is in addition to the mainstream competitions and does not count toward the Photographer of the Year award.
The winner will receive the Tony Cutting award for excellence.
For those of you who are extra organised the provisional competition subjects for the 2025/26 season are ICM (Intentional Camera Movement), and Architecture.
For print sizes and mounting information see the competition rules (above). If you would like help/advice with mounting prints please see Keith Sharples.
For information on how to title and size DPI entries go to the drop down 'About Us' menu - information for members page. If you need help please ask.
Other Competitions:
At various times throughout the year the club is involved in competitions with other local clubs. This includes competitions such as "Only Mono" ( a monochrome competition organised by Cymru Monochrome club), The Barrian Cup (organised by Barry Camera Club), the Stanley Chell Competition (organised by Aberdare Camera Club), The Adrian Webster Trophy (organised by Western Valley Camera Club), The Memorial Trophies Day (organised by the Welsh Photographic Federation), the Ace of Clubs (dpi) and Ace of Prints (print) both organised by the WPF, and The Jubilee Cup (a five-way battle organised by Cwmbran Club). You may be asked to submit images for selection to represent Monmouth Photographic Club in these events.
We also have an annual "Battle" by Zoom with Orkney Camera Club.
Use of images on website:
Please note we may use your competition images, (after the competition has run), elsewhere on the website, e.g. the home page slideshow or the news page, and also on our Facebook page. Please let us know if you don't want your images used in this way.
Image on this page: "All Ears" by Pat Hopkins
