Competitions
Club competitions are held throughout the season and are usually judged by external judges approved by the Western Counties Photographic Federation (WCPF). Dates of the competitions are contained in the Club's annual programme of events.
All members are encouraged to enter the competitions, which are held in a friendly but competitive spirit. Trophies are usually awarded and are held by the winners for one year.
Bradford Abbas Shield
Five Clubs Competition
This is an inter-club competition which we host between ourselves and four neighbouring clubs,(SBACC, Yeovil, Wincanton, Shaftesbury and South Petherton). Entries can be colour or mono.
Each club submits five prints and five digital images on which the judge awards points. The club with the most points wins the competition. The winning club chooses the theme for the following year.
In advance of the competition, all the members of SBACC are invited to submit prints and images to an internal selection panel made up of the committee members. They will choose which 10 photos will represent our Club's entry to the competition. Each member can submit up to three images for consideration.
Iris Overton Cup
(Print – Black and White)
DPI Trophy (Monochrome)
Members can submit up to three images in total, either DPI, or print or combination on any subject. The member with the best print receives the Iris Overton Cup, which was donated in memory of a former member of our Club who was known for her expertise in black and white photography. The member with the best digital image will receive a separate DPI trophy.
The competitions will be judged by an external WCPF judge.
For the print category the photograph must be black and white.
That is an Image in tones of neutral grey ranging from transparent/white to opaque/black.
For the digital category the photograph can be pure black and white as above or it may be an image that has been colorized with a single hue to simulate a chemical process such as sepia or cyanotype etc.
Shoot a Theme competition
Each member can submit up to three entries, mono or colour, on the subject of a theme which will be chosen by the previous year's winner. Digital Entries Only.
The competition will be internally judged by the members.
The winner receives the Shoot A Theme crystal trophy, and will choose the theme of next years competition.
Open / Best of Year competition
Members can enter up to three images in total, either prints or digital, colour or black and white which must have been taken within the past twelve months.
There are two trophies awarded to the winner in each class. It makes no difference whether or not the Club has seen these photos before (so long as they have not won a previous Club competition).
The competition will be judged by an external WCPF judge.
• Best Print (Mono and Colour Combined)
• Best Digital Projected Image (DPI)
Smartphone Challenge
This is a digital only challenge and is not a formal competition.
All members will be allowed to enter 3 images taken over the previous 12 months, using their smartphones.
The winning image will be decided through a voting process amongst all attending members.
The theme of the next years competition will be chosen by the winning photographer.
Digital enhancement is permitted using all usual post processing techniques.
SBACC Challenge
This challenge is set by the Committee on an annual basis.
With there being numerous photographic techniques and specialisms practiced amongst SBACC members, the committee will annually chose a category to be competed within. Some examples are Architecture, Still Life, Portraiture, Nature, Landscape, Travel........
The categories to be competed for will include
- Best DPI
- Best Print
Each member will be allowed to enter 3 images into this competition, and judging will be undertaken by an external judge.
Definitions and Clarifications
Nature Competition Rules
Sherborne Bradford Abbas Camera Club have the following definition to be used in nature competitions.
To maintain the integrity of the Nature Competition, participants must ensure their photographs honestly and authentically depict the natural world, (excluding Astrophotography}
Images should reflect wild specimens in their natural habitat<avoiding harm to animals or their environment.
Images of pets, captive animals and cultivated plants are not permitted. Large grazers and wild animals within extensive grazing or safety fences are considered wild and free.
Basic processing of images is allowed, but any additions or removals are strictly not permitted under the rules of the competition.
November 2024
Entry Conditions
Prints must be at least A4 size and should be mounted in the standard RPS size mounts (40 x 50 cms) unless the subject of the photograph clearly dictates otherwise (eg panoramic).
Digital images should be resized to fit within the aspect ratio of our digital projector (1920 x 1200 pixels). Digital images should be saved with an sRGB colour profile. All digital images should be submitted in advance so that all entries can be assembled into a slide show. Deadlines for image submission will be announced prior to the competition.
All submissions to be named and numbered 1, 2, or 3 (in order of preference). In the event that a competition is oversubscribed the committee will reduce entries to the first 2 submissions from each entrant.
Images may be subject to software manipulation but must essentially consist of the photographer's own work. The subtle blending of an image with a texture is permitted. Imported clip-art should not be used unless specifically permitted in the competition rules.
Photographs that have already won a Club competition are not eligible to be entered into subsequent Club competitions, other than the Bradford Abbas Shield. Entry conditions to each competition may vary at the discretion of the committee.
Feb 2024
Judging, Awards and Placings of Entries to Competitions.
It is important before judging of any competition takes place that the judge is aware of the number of placings that are appropriate to the number of entries.
When any competition is held and the number of entries are limited the following will apply.
- Where there are 1 to 5 entries, placings will be restricted to 1st, 2nd and 3rd only.
- Where there are between 5 and 10 entries placing will be extended to include 2 Highly Commended placings.
- Where there are in excess of 10 print entries a further Highly Commended placing will be added, bring it to 3.
Jan 2025