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 you may not always agree!) 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 whether they have entered or not.
Two trophies for success in competitions, the Photographer of the Year Award and the Tony Cutting Trophy, are awarded at the AGM at the end of the season. (See the Competition Rules for how these are awarded.)
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:
Competition Rules
Titles and dates are:
- 16th October 2020 Open, DPI* only (Hand-in 2nd Oct)
- 4th December 2020 Weather, DPI*only, (Hand-in 20th Nov)
- 19th February 2021 Open, DPI* only (Hand-in 5th Feb)
- 9th April 2021 People**, DPI* only (Hand-in 19th March)
- 21st May 2021 Annual Open, DPI* only (Hand-in 7th May)
Please note due to Covid-19 restrictions all competitions will now be DPI only. All entries should be emailed to the competition secretary, Keith Sharples sharplkei@gmail.com
Please use a 'new' email not a reply to an old one. Keith will acknowledge your entry, if you have not heard back from him in two days please check that he has received your entry. For sizing / titling information go to the "Information for Members" page, (drop down 'About Us' menu).
* For information on how to title and size DPI entries go to the drop down 'About Us' menu - information for members page. Note that sizing and titling for these competitions is not the same as for the bimonthly online competitions.
**For the subject of "People" the main subject of your image must be a person or people. This includes formal portraits, candid/ street photography, re-enactments/events etc
If you would like help/advice with mounting prints please see Keith Sharples.
Bi-monthly Website Competition:
The object of this competition is to encourage members to enter a competition on-line, without having to print and mount your work, and to have fun with your photography and be challenged to meet a theme. Images will be viewed and judged on the website.
The website competition is totally separate from club competitions. Images used in website competitions can also be used in club competitions and vice-versa. Placings in the website competition do not count towards the Photographer of the Year Award or the Tony Cutting Trophy.
November 2020
- Autumn
January 2021 - Reasons to be Cheerful
March 2021 - Window(s)
No more than two images per theme/month.
Resize your images so the longest side is 1800 pixels, (portrait or landscape format). Title your images using underscores instead of spaces, e.g. The_Old_Boat. You do not need to include your name or membership number in your title, (I will know who they belong to from your email). Please note this is different sizing / titling to the Programmed Club DPI competitions.
Please e mail your image(s) to
sharplyn2010@gmail.com (Please make sure you size and title your images as above, but if you are really stuck just e mail them anyway and I will resize for you). Closing date is midnight on the last day of the listed month.
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), Pixels (organised by Gwynfa Camera Club), the Stanley Chell Competition (organised by Aberdare Camera Club) and The Memorial Trophies Day (organised by the Welsh Photographic Federation). You may be asked to submit images for selection to represent Monmouth Photographic Club in these events.
We also have an annual "Battle" (photographic competition) with Ross-on-Wye Photographic Society. In 2021 this will be hosted by Ross club and the suggested date is Wed 24th March 2021 - T.B.C.
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. Please let us know if you don't want your images used in this way.