NCPP Speaker May 2006
“Achieving the 80+ image in Print Competitions”
Speaker: Roger Daines
I don’t think I have an unanswered question about print competition after hearing
Roger Daines speak for us! He spoke about everything from where and how to enter,
to an explanation of the scoring system to the elements that make a great print.
Roger became a wedding and portrait photographer as a second career in the 1980’
s. He went to West Coast School and “saw the light” with a program by Dean Collins.
Roger went into commercial work and enjoyed that as he made use of his
engineering past in photographing angles, patterns and shapes. Currently Roger is
phasing his photography business into retirement. He is taking on an executive
business manager position for Professional Photographers of California.
Roger has a long list of awards and accomplishments that bring credibility to teaching
about print competition. He was an enjoyable speaker and brought humor to his
interactive program.
Print Competition and Achieving the 80+ Image
PPA Judges prints with a point scoring system from 0-100. The judging panel
consists of five jurors and one alternate. Each judge scores from 100 to 0 and then
the scores are averaged. The prints are judged by category then points are chosen
in that category. If a print scores 79.5 – 79.6 it gets bumped up to an 80. If print
averages reach 79.1 – 79.4 the print receives a 79.
The dreaded 79-81 score! Images that receive a 79-81 come back for review with the
judges. A 79 can go to an 80 at that point (and vice versa!). The judging includes the
alternate judge. The review judging is thumbs up or down in order to remove the
chance of a judge swinging the vote with an unusually high or low score.
Judging categories by points:
Challenge:
When a print is challenged there is a protocol of challenge, reply, rebuttal
The challenger speaks for the image and tells the rest of the panel why it should be
given another chance. Each of the judges makes a response, and then the
challenger gives a final rebuttal. Roger recommended saving a special point for the
rebuttal as a point of sway.
Why should we get excited about an 80???
An 80 score achieves a PPA merit, which applies towards a professional masters
degree. At the local level it could become a Best of Show. Local affiliates are the
training ground for State, Regional and International competitions. Affiliates have the
responsibility to judge by giving the maker real feedback which could be useful for
higher competitions. It would be a disservice to the maker to judge “soft.”
Why enter print competition?
Why “not” enter?
What makes an 80+ image?
1) Impact: the WOW factor; does the image stand out? This element is most
important.
2) Creativity: does the image stand out? It’s a different way of “seeing”.
3) Style: it’s what separates one image maker from another
4) Composition: rule of thirds, horizontal or vertical leading lines, rhythm,
symmetry, repetition, dynamic point
5) Presentation: the image stands alone, the mat must complement the image, it
does not need to be centered or cropped to standard ratios, use glossy spray or
paper, metallic paper for print comp tends to wash out
6) Color Harmony: accurate skin tones, color accuracy, accents don’t overpower
main image
7) Center of Interest: not to be confused with placing the image in the center of
the frame, unless it has more impact that way, leading lines, simplify center of interest
8) Lighting: creates a mood, correct lighting direction, gives depth and shape
9) Subject Matter: don’t include conflicting subjects, clean and distinct, title
needs to reflect the subject
10) Print Quality: good density for bright lights, test outdoors in bright sun,
retouching and enhancing should NOT be obvious, correct color balance, B/Ws need
clean blacks and clean whites
11) Technique: the foundation of a good photograph, must adhere to art
principles, good exposure, composition follows the “rules”
12) Story Telling: Image should tell a story, title should reflect the story, a title
could be the difference between a 79-80 print, don’t make the judges think about the
title, don’t use overdone titles
In choosing your images for competition:
Image size requirements for non-masters:
Local Affiliate Print Competition:
State Competition – PPC
Regional – Western States
Combined Competition
When Regional Print Competition is held in California the PPC State competition is
combined with it. When the competition is held out of state you must enter both State
and Regional competitions to earn all possible awards. Only PPC Members can be
awarded any State awards.
Print Competition cases must be made specifically for shipping prints. Cardboard
boxes and such are not acceptable as the print handlers have so many prints to take
care of and boxes are not as sturdy. Print ship cases can be purchased through
Calumet, Light Impressions or Tenba.
In order to achieve your PPA Masters Degree you must achieve 25 PPA merits. 13
from print competition and 12 from education or service. You are allowed to enter
four images per year into competition.
Throughout the program, Roger showed us many examples of his own and others’
images. Roger was gracious enough to illustrate his point with images that didn’t work
as well as award winning images. He made a really good point about taking some
risks in print competition to see what the judges might think. Roger’s biggest advice
to us was “JUST GO FOR IT!” Thank you Roger for setting us straight!
If you are interested in contacting Roger for a video DVD of the program please
email him at the following address: roger@prophotoca.com
“Achieving the 80+ image in Print Competitions”
Speaker: Roger Daines
I don’t think I have an unanswered question about print competition after hearing
Roger Daines speak for us! He spoke about everything from where and how to enter,
to an explanation of the scoring system to the elements that make a great print.
Roger became a wedding and portrait photographer as a second career in the 1980’
s. He went to West Coast School and “saw the light” with a program by Dean Collins.
Roger went into commercial work and enjoyed that as he made use of his
engineering past in photographing angles, patterns and shapes. Currently Roger is
phasing his photography business into retirement. He is taking on an executive
business manager position for Professional Photographers of California.
Roger has a long list of awards and accomplishments that bring credibility to teaching
about print competition. He was an enjoyable speaker and brought humor to his
interactive program.
Print Competition and Achieving the 80+ Image
PPA Judges prints with a point scoring system from 0-100. The judging panel
consists of five jurors and one alternate. Each judge scores from 100 to 0 and then
the scores are averaged. The prints are judged by category then points are chosen
in that category. If a print scores 79.5 – 79.6 it gets bumped up to an 80. If print
averages reach 79.1 – 79.4 the print receives a 79.
The dreaded 79-81 score! Images that receive a 79-81 come back for review with the
judges. A 79 can go to an 80 at that point (and vice versa!). The judging includes the
alternate judge. The review judging is thumbs up or down in order to remove the
chance of a judge swinging the vote with an unusually high or low score.
Judging categories by points:
Challenge:
When a print is challenged there is a protocol of challenge, reply, rebuttal
The challenger speaks for the image and tells the rest of the panel why it should be
given another chance. Each of the judges makes a response, and then the
challenger gives a final rebuttal. Roger recommended saving a special point for the
rebuttal as a point of sway.
Why should we get excited about an 80???
An 80 score achieves a PPA merit, which applies towards a professional masters
degree. At the local level it could become a Best of Show. Local affiliates are the
training ground for State, Regional and International competitions. Affiliates have the
responsibility to judge by giving the maker real feedback which could be useful for
higher competitions. It would be a disservice to the maker to judge “soft.”
Why enter print competition?
- It provides critique and education.
- Constructive critique helps us improve our work. When we improve our work
the client wins too. This enhances our reputation and also gives us grounds to
raise our fees!
Why “not” enter?
- We’re already too good.
- I’ve got nothing to learn.
- We take critique personally.
- Print competition is for beginners.
- It’s an ego thing.
- The images are not up to our standard.
- My clients love my images.
What makes an 80+ image?
1) Impact: the WOW factor; does the image stand out? This element is most
important.
2) Creativity: does the image stand out? It’s a different way of “seeing”.
3) Style: it’s what separates one image maker from another
4) Composition: rule of thirds, horizontal or vertical leading lines, rhythm,
symmetry, repetition, dynamic point
5) Presentation: the image stands alone, the mat must complement the image, it
does not need to be centered or cropped to standard ratios, use glossy spray or
paper, metallic paper for print comp tends to wash out
6) Color Harmony: accurate skin tones, color accuracy, accents don’t overpower
main image
7) Center of Interest: not to be confused with placing the image in the center of
the frame, unless it has more impact that way, leading lines, simplify center of interest
8) Lighting: creates a mood, correct lighting direction, gives depth and shape
9) Subject Matter: don’t include conflicting subjects, clean and distinct, title
needs to reflect the subject
10) Print Quality: good density for bright lights, test outdoors in bright sun,
retouching and enhancing should NOT be obvious, correct color balance, B/Ws need
clean blacks and clean whites
11) Technique: the foundation of a good photograph, must adhere to art
principles, good exposure, composition follows the “rules”
12) Story Telling: Image should tell a story, title should reflect the story, a title
could be the difference between a 79-80 print, don’t make the judges think about the
title, don’t use overdone titles
In choosing your images for competition:
- Review the image for the 12 points.
- Get the image “critiqued” by “experts”.
- Turn the image upside down
- Print on glossy paper
Image size requirements for non-masters:
- 16” x 20” board 3/8” thick, the image can be any size within that board
- The image can be full bleed or matted or bordered
Local Affiliate Print Competition:
- Is an excellent education for image making
- An inexpensive way to get critiques before the image goes to other
competitions - Helps you get your feet wet
- Don’t take comments personally
- No merits
State Competition – PPC
- Great education
- PPC merits awarded
- One merit for 76-79, two merits for 80+
- 20 merits earn a PPC Fellowship medal
- Plaques for best in category, State Fuji Masterpiece award, Kodak Gallery
Award - Top ten photographers’ prestige
- People’s choice award – paper ballot from peers
Regional – Western States
- PPA Seal of Approval awarded to images scoring 80 or above
- Images are scored numerically
- Images achieving a PPA Seal MUST be sent to PPA National Competition in
order to receive a merit - They are NOT re-judged when they receive the Seal.
- The Sealed print is re-judged at National for the Loan Collection
- If it goes Loan you get another merit
Combined Competition
When Regional Print Competition is held in California the PPC State competition is
combined with it. When the competition is held out of state you must enter both State
and Regional competitions to earn all possible awards. Only PPC Members can be
awarded any State awards.
Print Competition cases must be made specifically for shipping prints. Cardboard
boxes and such are not acceptable as the print handlers have so many prints to take
care of and boxes are not as sturdy. Print ship cases can be purchased through
Calumet, Light Impressions or Tenba.
In order to achieve your PPA Masters Degree you must achieve 25 PPA merits. 13
from print competition and 12 from education or service. You are allowed to enter
four images per year into competition.
Throughout the program, Roger showed us many examples of his own and others’
images. Roger was gracious enough to illustrate his point with images that didn’t work
as well as award winning images. He made a really good point about taking some
risks in print competition to see what the judges might think. Roger’s biggest advice
to us was “JUST GO FOR IT!” Thank you Roger for setting us straight!
If you are interested in contacting Roger for a video DVD of the program please
email him at the following address: roger@prophotoca.com
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What makes a merit image?
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