Boston Camera Club Competition Rules

(Last Updated September 2023)

1. GENERAL

The Boston Camera Club (BCC) holds regular intraclub print and electronic photograph competitions. Each year the names of the Chair of each Group hosting Competitions (Latimer Print and Projected Image) shall be published in the first REFLECTOR issue of the new club year (June-May) and publicly posted at the BCC Website. “Group Chair(s)” in these Rules shall be interpreted as “Group Chair(s) or the designate(s) of the Group Chair(s).”

The schedule of all of the year’s competition dates shall be determined prior to the beginning of the club’s first competition. This schedule shall appear in an annual BCC calendar of events that will be included in the REFLECTOR, posted on the website and publicly announced at each club meeting. In some cases e-mail reminders will also be sent.

In general, the BCC intends to operate its competitions under rules that comply with the current version of the Photographic Society of America’s (PSA’s) “Consolidated Exhibition Standards” and the rules for NECCC Inter-Club competitions. At the discretion of the Executive Committee of the Boston Camera Club, exceptions to these Standards may be allowed due to site or other resource limitations, or when the scope of a BCC competition has been designed to significantly differ from a PSA sanctioned competition. This provision is intended to maximize the BCC’s options to enter selected works from BCC competitions in PSA sanctioned National and International Exhibits.

These Rules take effect with the 2023-2024 Competition Year and shall remain in effect until revised with approval of the Executive Committee of the Boston Camera Club (see Section 7).

2. COMPETITION CLASSES

The “Open” and “Special” Latimer Print and Projected Image competition categories shall be divided into Class A and Class B. Classes are subject to review and revision by Club Officers.

The Classes are distinguished as follows.
2.1. Class A
This Class shall comprise advanced competitors. Anyone who comes in first or second place in the annual Photographer of the Year in Class B must compete in Class A, beginning in the competition year following the year in which the award was won.

2.2. Class B
This Class shall comprise beginning and intermediate competitors, all new members who do not request placement in Class A, and anyone who does not qualify for Class A.

2.3. Voluntary Class Change
Any Class B member may elect to move to Class A at the beginning or in the middle of the competition year.

If a Class B member elects to move to Class A in mid-year, then all points previously accumulated by that member shall be forfeited.

Members may not move from Class A to Class B with the following exception:  A new member who requests placement in Class A will have a one-year grace period during which they can move from Class A to Class B upon request, as appropriate.

 

3. ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

Unless otherwise specified, BCC competition participants must be BCC members in good standing. Determination of good standing, including dues payment or renewal, and other factors, shall be established by the Group Chair of each competition. Any member may enter any or all of the competitions, subject to provisions specified later in these Rules.

An entry may be rejected when the Group Chair(s), in his or her reasonable discretion, believes the entry does not conform to competition rules and conditions. Although an entrant may discuss the basis for rejection with the Group Chair(s), the final determination is the sole responsibility of the Group Chair(s); the final decision is not subject to appeal.

3.1. Responsibility for Entries
The Group Chairs shall see that all possible and reasonable care is given to entries in all competitions. However, the club assumes no responsibility for loss or damage of any entry in any club competition. It shall furthermore be the responsibility of each member to pick up his or her entries after each competition. After competitions, the Interclub Competition Chair may request to hold some entries for consideration as club entries in interclub competitions.

3.2. Selection of Categories for Entries
Entries in a particular category must meet all standards in these Rules for that category. When an entry fulfills all requirements for more than one category, it is solely up to the entrant’s judgment to decide the entry category.

In the event of disagreement regarding the qualification of an entry for a particular Category, the Group Chair’s decision shall be final. If an entry is disqualified from one category, it may be entered in a different category for which it qualifies with the approval of the Group Chair. If the Group Chair determines there is a significant risk of “no competition” (see Section 5.) in a Category, the Group Chair may request entrants to switch their entries to the deficient category, if they have entries that qualify for the deficient category as well as another Category. In this instance, the Group Chair can waive limitations on total entries by an individual if that individual can contribute an additional entry that will create competition in the deficient category. Entrants are not obligated to make a switch requested by the Group Chair, however.

For the purposes of InterClub Competition, entrants may also designate entries as “Nature” if the Nature category is not being contested and if the entries meet the requirements for the Nature Category as specified by current PSA and NECCC rules. For the purposes of BCC competition, a Nature entry may be entered in the Pictorial or Special Category, if it meets the requirements for either category.

3.3. Number of Entries
In order to hold a competition in any Category and Class, at least three members must compete. Entries so excluded may be submitted for comment only.

For both Projected Image and Latimer Print competitions, each member may enter a maximum of three images total, with no more than two in any one category. Each member may enter either Open A or Open B, but not both, and those members who have entered images in Open A may henceforth no longer enter images in Open B.

If a member is found to have entered more than the allowed number of images after the competition has been completed, the chair will randomly choose the minimum number of images to bring the member into compliance, in order to disqualify those images. Any awards that may have been given out will not be retracted, but any points that would ordinarily go toward the year-end scoring will be forfeited.

3.4. Timing: Delivery of Entries and Voting

3.4.1. Latimer Print Group: Delivery of Entries and Voting
Each member is required to submit entries via the club's online entry system by 11:30 pm on the Saturday that is three (3) days before the respective competition night. The submitted .jpg image must be an electronic version of the physical print to be exhibited at the respective competition. 

Major modifications to the photograph are NOT permitted between the .jpg submission deadline and the competition event. Major modifications include manipulations such as compositing, recoloring from/to color/monochrome, cropping, or other such modifications to render the photograph to look like an entirely different photograph from the submitted .jpg. The Print Chair has the final discretion on whether the physical print differs from the submitted .jpg to warrant its disqualification from the competition. The judge’s critique of submitted images is based on the physical print displayed on the competition night. Judges do not get access to the .jpg images prior to the competition.

Any photograph not entered into the competition via the web site by the designated date and time will not be eligible for voting or judging on the competition night. Any entry submitted via the web site that is not physically displayed on the competition night is not eligible for voting or judging and will be marked as disqualified.

On the competition night, the Group Chair will use the Table in Attachment 1 to determine the number of entries that will receive votes for each Category and will post these numbers above the entries for each Category. Voting starts when all the number of entries to be voted for each category have been posted. After this posting, no change in the numbers shall be allowed unless an error is discovered. At least 5 min will be allowed to vote.

Each member is responsible for making prior arrangements to ensure his or her entries submitted via the web site are displayed on the competition night from which the member will be absent. 

3.4.2. Projected Image Photographs: Delivery of Entries and Voting
Each member must submit entries via the Club’s online entry system by 11:30 pm on the Saturday that is ten (10) days before the respective competition night. Entries are scored by the judge(s) prior to the competition. Entries are scored by 1-3 judges. Members may also vote in electronic image competitions; the results will be announced the evening of the competition, but they will not count towards any year-end annual awards.

3.4.3. Ad Hoc Competitions: Delivery of Entries and Voting
Separate entry rules may apply to club ad hoc competitions.

3.5. Resubmission of Entries

3.5.1. Non-Winning Entries
An image may be entered in a competition no more than two times, be it Latimer or Projected Image. If re-entered, an image must be submitted in a different category than the first time. 

3.5.2. Winning Entries
Any entry winning any award (1st-3rd and HM) in any club regular competition Category may henceforth never be reentered in another competition, be it Latimer or Projected Image. For purposes of clarification, a file that produced a winning image may not be entered again as a differently altered image (for example, a winning color image may not be entered again as a monochrome image and vice versa). Any entry bearing marked similarity to a previous award winner by the same member may be considered identical to it for the purposes of these rules, with the final judgment of similarity being reserved for the Group Chair.

3.5.3 Ad Hoc Competitions
An entry (winning or non-winning) any award in a regular (Print and Projected Image) competition may be entered in any club ad hoc competition and any image entered into an ad-hoc competition (winning or not winning) may be entered into a regular competition.

3.6. Authorship and Rights
By entering BCC competitions, entrants give BCC (and by extension, NECCC when BCC is referenced in this Section 3.6) permission to reproduce entries in connection with the activities and publicity of the BCC including display on the BCC Internet site. The entrant also gives BCC permission to use entries in inter-club competitions. The copyright, however, remains with the photographer and the photographer will receive credit when their photograph is used. The entered image must have been conceived and exposed by the member, regardless of the capture medium. Image output and presentation may be performed by the member or someone else.

3.7. Image Source
Entries must originate as photographs (image-captures of objects via light sensitivity) made by the entrant on photographic emulsion, acquired electronically such as on a digital sensor, or scanned.

3.7.1. Artificial Intelligence Images
Images fully generated by Artificial Intelligence (AI) or that contain a significant portion generated by AI (as determined by the competition chair(s) or judge(s)) are not allowed unless submitted into categories that explicitly allow AI.

3.8. Image Output
Prints may include images made on any photographic paper, photographic film, or other essentially two-dimensional media, if the presented image is composed of, or printed on, one sheet of this media. Collages of multiple sheets of paper, film, or other media are prohibited. Electronic projected images will be submitted as digital files as specified by the Competition Chair.

3.9. Manipulation
Modification to images as allowed in section 3.7, if any, are specified for each competition Category. Subject to category restrictions, artwork or computer graphics created by the entrant, or AI content may be incorporated if the photographic content predominates.

Content added to the original picture, whether of photographic or electronic origin, must be created entirely by the member. If there is an Open, Pictorial or General category, there are no limitations for subject matter or method of producing the image except general requirements that images are photographically produced, and all elements of the image are the work of the maker. The judges will be asked to judge the photographs for overall photographic quality and interest, not the amount of manipulation required to achieve the effect.

Unless a Category specifies accurate documentation as a goal of the images in that category, any computer- or darkroom-based image manipulation is acceptable. Specific categories add further limitations regarding subject matter and permissible manipulation (electronic or otherwise).

3.10. Competition Types (Categories) 
The only restrictions on the subject matter or photographic technique used for competition entries are specified in individual Category descriptions. However, the Competition Chair shall make the final decision whether an image print qualifies for a particular Category. Each Category, and/or Class must be judged and shown individually. 

3.11. Latimer Print Requirements
Any member who participates in the Latimer Print competition, must meet the online submission requirements as noted above (See 3.4.1) to display prints at the competition. Prints are entered at the entrant’s risk, and damage to prints will not be the responsibility of the BCC. 

Photographic prints may not exceed 16 inches x 20 inches. Additionally, overall size, including mount, may not exceed 16 inches x 20 inches. Prints must be mounted and preferably matted. Mounting and matting a print provides protection in addition to enhancing the print presentation, reducing the risk of damage to unmounted prints. 

Photographs printed on media other than paper are allowed as long as they can be displayed on the night of the competition using a maximum of four (4) thumbtacks (the same as allowed for paper prints). The Competition Chair has the final determination on whether a photograph printed on other media is eligible for competition. Framed pictures are not allowed due to practical limits for hanging entries. 

There shall be no writing of any kind on the front of the mount except for a possible caption in the Photojournalism category. The back must carry the title of the print, the category in which the print is entered, and the print maker’s full name. Any photographic print displaying a watermark and/or the member's name will be automatically disqualified from the competition.

3.12. Projected Image Requirements
Each member submits entries via the BCC’s online submission form, with the same delineation of members into Open A and Open B as with Latimer. It is strongly suggested that all photographs be converted to the sRGB color space. That color space most closely approximates the capability of monitors and projectors to display color and usually results in the best presentation of an image. 

Photographs will be projected using a projector having 1400 pixels in the horizontal direction and 1050 pixels in the vertical direction. Photographs must fit within those dimensions. Unless a photograph’s proportions are in the exact ratio of 4 to 3, one of these dimensions will be less than the maximum. For example, a vertical photograph may have the maximum height of 1050 pixels, but the width will be significantly less than 1400 pixels. A square photograph will be 1050 pixels by 1050 pixels under these rules. Smaller photographs are acceptable. Any photograph displaying a watermark and/or the member's name will be automatically disqualified from the competition.

To submit your images:

1) Click on Competitions>Submit Images to a Competition

Note that the website will allow you to submit images according to the club rules of size and maximum number of images allowed.

4. COMPETITION TYPES (CATEGORIES)

Competition Categories (on the web site are referred to as Competition Types) are subject to review and revision.

Latimer Print Group competition categories include six types:  Open A, Open B, two Special categories for both Class A and Class B. Any of these categories may be repeated without limit during one competition season, although major types (Monochrome, Portrait) may be offered several times per season and minor categories may be offered only once.

Projected Image competitions categories include six types: Open A, Open B, and two rotating Special categories for both Class A and Class B as outlined above. The selection of Special categories is the same as for the Print schedule. Award winning works in BCC competition in all types (categories) and classes may be temporarily retained for BCC representation in Inter-Club competition (PSA- and NECCC-recognized events).

Special Topic competitions may be scheduled by Club Officers. See Section 4.8. “Special Competitions”, for further specification.

4.1. Open
The Open type is open. That means that all subject types as well as a variety of different techniques (both in camera and computer manipulation) may be entered. In addition, color and monochrome works are eligible. The judge(s) will be asked to judge the photographs for overall photographic quality and interest, not the amount of manipulation required to achieve the effect. The major part of each image must have been captured by light sensitivity, either digitally or on film. Slides or negatives may be scanned (by the photographer or commercially) for entry into the competition.

Once captured or scanned, photographs may be modified using digital image editing programs. A scanner may also be used as a camera to capture photographs of objects placed on the scanner glass.

Entries may display a realistic rendition of the subject(s) or be creative, having been manipulated using film techniques before scanning or using a digital image editing program. Composite photographs are acceptable in the pictorial category as long as all elements included are the entering photographer’s own work. Commercial clip art, parts of commercial photographic collections, or the work of another photographer may not be included. Artwork or computer graphics created by the photographer may be incorporated as long as the photographic content predominates. Keep in mind that adding elements such as clouds, moons, frames, or fractals generated by image editing programs, plug-ins, or other software is considered the same as using commercial clip art and, thus, is not allowed. However clouds, frames, or moons photographed or drawn by the photographer may be combined with other photographs.

The line between the entrant’s digital art and clip art is a gray one in many cases. A good rule to follow is that anything that changes an element you drew or photographed is allowed, but any action that adds an element other than from of one of your own photographs, drawings, or digital art probably is not. Note that adding a mat or frame using the image editor drawing capabilities will normally be considered digital art by the maker and, thus, is allowed.

Examples of “Special” categories are listed in 4.2-4.8 below:

4.2. Monochrome
A monochrome image is defined as containing only shades of grey from black to white, or appears to be a grayscale image that has been toned in one color across the entire image (for example, sepia, red, gold. etc.). There are no limitations on image manipulation techniques. Any image that appears to have been multi-toned or has a spot of color shall be classified as a color image.


4.3. Photojournalism
"A storytelling picture, of human interest, documentary or news value, such as is seen in the news media." These are pictures that would be at home in a newspaper or magazine, maybe accompanying a story of an event of topical interest. Photojournalism images shall consist of images with informative content and emotional impact of human interest, documentary and spot news. PJ images typically tell a compelling story and the storytelling value of the image shall receive priority over pictorial quality. In the interest of credibility, PJ images must not misrepresent the truth. No situations shall be set up (posed) for the purpose of photography.

Entries will be restricted to Human Interest subjects. Human Interest images depict a person or persons in an interactive, emotional, or unusual situation, excluding sports action. Image manipulation beyond basic adjustments is not allowed (no cloning etc) Although the storytelling value of a PJ image must predominate and be present for the image to receive a high score, a PJ image must still be technically correct and well-composed. Note that posed images will be disqualified or receive a low score. To ensure a judge does not erroneously assume an image is posed, just don't submit posed setups. Although sports action images are not permitted into PJ Human Interest, not all images of sports participants are considered sports action - thus, for example, a photo of a boy in baseball uniform crying off the field would qualify. Here's a good link: http://edkashi.com/blog/what-is-photojournalism/

It is strongly suggested that Photojournalism entries in the Latimer Print Competitions be submitted with a caption on the front which helps describe the image, as would a photo in a publication.

4.4. Portrait
Portrait photography produces pictures that capture the personality of a subject by using effective lighting, backdrops, and poses. A portrait captures the personality or essence of a subject. Not just a picture with a person in it. Portraits are staged. While they can be candid, even those tend to have some intentionality. The lighting, backdrops, and poses are important, even if they are ad hoc. (Or maybe especially when they are). However, snapshots of family members or persons encountered during travel are rarely considered good portraits. There are no limitations on image manipulation techniques, although manipulation to the point of depicting “altered reality” falls outside the scope of the Portrait category.

4.5. Nature
The Nature Category requirements match those specified by the PSA. Click HERE for PSA Nature Definition. Nature (psa-photo.org) 

4.6. Photo Travel
The Photo Travel Category requirements match those specified by the PSA: “A Photo Travel slide, print or digital image must express the feeling of a time and place, portray a land, its people, or a culture in its natural state, and have no geographical limitations. Ultra close-ups which lose their identity, studio-type model shots, or photographic manipulations that misrepresent the true situation or alter the content of the image are unacceptable in Photo Travel competition." No elements may be moved, cloned, added, deleted, rearranged or combined. No manipulation or modification is permitted except resizing, sharpening, cropping, selective lightening or darkening, and restoration of original color of the scene. No special effect filters can be applied. Any adjustments must appear natural. Photo travel images should be more than mere holiday snapshots. They should present the experience of travel in a positive light, concentrating on the most picturesque aspects of travel destinations. The best travel pictures show not only the environment but also people, travelers enjoying saunas, swimming pools, beaches, sunshine, boating, water sport, mountaineering, skiing, hunting, on safari – in fact anything that would be appropriate for a travel pamphlet or advertisement for a particular destination. Of particular interest are images that depict local and cultural specifics, people, environments, anything that makes that travel location special or different from "home".

4.7. Creative
The subject nature of this Category is ”altered reality”, and entries must display unusual characteristics suggested by, but not limited to: abstraction, alternative media and techniques, camera movement, chemical or physical manipulation, digital manipulation and creation, experimental techniques, impressionism, multiple exposure, collages, etc. Simply using unusual angles, extreme close-ups, direct capture of abstract subjects, or depicting unusual situations as the basis for the creative element does not qualify an image for this category. All images and image components must have been taken or created, by the entrant Inclusion of images from outside sources or created by other parties is prohibited. The intent of a creative image is to transform an original subject for artistic effect, where the effect dominates the image to the extent a viewer will easily recognize the image does not attempt to depict reality. A copy of the original image for comparison may be useful to document the artistic significance of the transformation.

4.8. AI Generated Images

The competition chair(s) may from time to time create a special categories for fully or partially AI generated images defined by the chair(s).

4.9. Special Competitions
Any Group Chair may require that one or more categories (“parent categories”) at one regular competition be of a further restricted subject matter or theme. These Special Competitions replace the parent category for that single competition. Such assigned subjects shall be announced and defined no later than the first issue of the REFLECTOR for that Club year. Entries submitted for Special Competition Categories shall be judged according to pre-announced criteria with regard to subject and technique, in addition to general consideration of judging criteria for the parent category. Awards shall be the same as for the parent category, and any points earned shall count toward the Annual Awards for the All-Around Print category.

 

5. JUDGING, SCORING, AND AWARDS

Judges for each competition shall be selected in advance by the Group Chair. Each Category and Class shall be judged separately. The judges must be given instructions just prior to the commencement of judging regarding any pertinent restriction or requirement, including information on ribbons and other awards. Instruction shall include a reading of the definition for Categories and Classes being judged and an explanation of the method of judging to be used. 

NO COMPETITION: A minimum of three members must compete in any Category and Class of any competition. In addition, in any print competition, a minimum of three entries must be submitted. Entries so excluded may still be submitted for comment only, and are furthermore exempt from the rules that would otherwise apply to resubmitting entries when a competition is actually held (see Section 3.5). If the Group Chair has imposed any subject or other restrictions on the competition other than BCC COMPETITION RULES 2013-2014 those that normally apply, the Chair shall so inform the judges of those restrictions.

5.1. Latimer Print Group
Judging shall be made by a combination of 1) the popular vote of the club members present, and 2) one judge. The Group Chair shall insure that all prints are sufficiently identified with a number to enable voting members and the judge to easily cast a vote by number for any print in the competition.

5.1.1. Popular Vote
The Competition Director determines the number of votes for each Category and Class according to the Table in Attachment 1 and announces the number of votes per category. Each member in good standing may cast the specified number of votes for entries (one vote per selected entry) in each Category and Class. Members may vote for as many images in any one category as s/he chooses up to the limit ascribed for that category in that competition. Members are not allowed to vote for their own image(s).

Ballots may be invalidated in one or all categories for the following reasons: illegibility, votes in incorrect category, or any characteristic that makes the ballot difficult to interpret. All votes within a category must be interpretable and correct, or all the votes for that category on the ballot in question will be excluded. If a ballot is called into question, the Group Chair makes the final decision to accept or exclude the votes. For scoring purposes, each member’s vote has the same weight (= “1”); members do not vote on the placing within a category.

5.1.2. Judge's Vote and Tally
The judge’s ballot shall be marked and counted separately. In each Category and Class, the judge shall vote for the same numbers of prints as the members, but each of the judge’s votes will count as three points instead of one (example: if four votes are to be cast, each of the 4 will receive 3 points from the judge’s ballot when the voting is tallied). The judge's votes shall be added to the total popular scores in each Category and Class, and the sums shall determine the award winners. 

5.2. Projected Image Competition
Judging shall be performed by 1-3 judges. The Competition Chair(s) shall collect all entries and make them available to the judge(s) prior to the night of competition. The judge(s) will review and score the entries prior to the competition. In each Category and Class, the judge(s) shall assign points to the entry and the entries will be ranked by the sum of the point totals for all judge(s). During the competition, the images are individually critiqued and scores are announced by the judge(s). The titles of the images shall be called out during the review, but the maker will not be identified.

5.3. Two or More Judges
If judging for any club regular or ad hoc competition is by a panel of two or more judges, and if the competition has commentary, then one judge shall be designated the commentator. The judges’ ballots will be counted in the same fashion as detailed in Section 5.1.2 for Print. The scores from all judges are added to produce a total score. For Prints, this total is added to the members’ total; for electronic photographs, the total of the judges’ scores for each image will be used to assign awards.

5.4. Members Serving as Judges
Where these rules so permit, any club member who serves as a judge for any competition Category and Class may not compete in that Category and Class.

5.5. Awards

5.5.1. Regular Competition Awards

5.5.1.1. Levels
In all regular club competitions, a maximum of four levels of awards shall be presented in each Class and Category of each competition: First Place, Second Place, Third Place, and Honorable Mention (HM). First Place shall be awarded to the member or members receiving the highest score, Second Place to the second highest score (if it exists), Third Place to the third-highest (if it exists), and Honorable Mention(s) to fourth-highest (if it exists.)

5.5.1.2. Number of Awards
The following limits shall apply to the number of awards in each category. Use the Table in Attachment 1 to determine the number of Awards.

In the event of ties, the following procedures apply: 

• If there is a tie for First Place, there are two First Place awards (blue ribbons), with an indication of a tie, and there is no Second Place award. 

• If there is a tie for Second Place, two Second Place red ribbons are awarded, with an indication that there was a tie, but if only four awards are allowed because of the number of entries, there will be no HM. 

• If there is a tie for Third Place, no HM is awarded, if only four awards had been allowed as calculated from the number of entries. 

• If there is a tie for the last permissible 1st, 2nd, or 3rd Place or HM award, multiple awards are given to the tied entrants.

• For multiple HM awards, only the highest scoring HM will receive an award. HM ties will not increase the overall number of awards, even if the result is no HMs are awarded.

To facilitate the process of awarding of ribbons, ribbons should be made out ahead of time, with the exception of the winner’s name and the title of the photograph.

5.5.2. Annual Awards

The nature of the Annual Awards shall be determined by the club's Executive Committee. 

There are three sets of Annual Awards

5.5.2.1. Photographer of the Year Awards
Awarded to members in the following classes and categories: 
Latimer Print: Class A Photographer of the Year (combining scores from all Open A and Special A categories throughout the season), and Class B Photographer of the Year (combining scores from all Open and Special categories throughout the season).
Projected Image: Class A Photographer of the Year (combining scores from all of the Open and Special categories throughout the season), and Class B Photographer of the Year (combining scores from all of the Open and Special categories throughout the year).

The cumulative standings of every member in every regular club competition Category and Class shall be recorded by the respective Group Chair(s). Points are accumulated by each member in every Category and Class, as follows: Total number of points awarded in a competition — see the Table in Attachment 1 for total Awards. As an example, if there are four awards allowed, 1st place is awarded 4 points; 2nd – 3 points, 3rd – 2 points, and the one HM – 1 points. If there are ties, each award winner is given the full point score of that award. For example, if there are two first place winners, each person gets 4 points. 

Members are urged to keep their own record of their winning entries during the competition year. Each year at the club’s Annual Meeting, three Annual Awards shall be given in each competition Category and Class to those members placing in the top three positions: The member having the highest cumulative score in each Class and Category at the end of the competition year shall receive the Annual First Place Award for that Class and Category; the member having the second-highest score shall receive Second Place; and third-highest Third Place. Duplicate awards shall be given in the case of ties. 

The scores for all Photographer of the Year awards (for each Latimer Print and Projected Image) sum all competition scores across both the Open and Special Categories in each Class.   

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5.5.2.2. Category Awards for Image of the Year
Awarded to photographs in the following classes and categories:
Latimer Print: Class A (combining all Open and Special categories throughout the season), and Class B (combining all Open and Special categories throughout the season).

Projected Image: Class A (combining all Open and Special categories throughout the season), and Class B (combining all Open and Special categories throughout the season).  

All photographs awarded first and second place during the year are automatically entered into their respective Class.

For the Projected Image Annual Awards, only first and second place images awarded by the judge are eligible for the year-end competition — (i.e., no Popular Vote awarded images are eligible). The Annual Category Awards for Images are determined by the members’ popular vote.

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5.5.2.3  Projected Image of the Year & Latimer Print of the Year

The resulting first, second, and third place images from the Class A and Class B Annual Category Awards for Image of the Year are automatically entered into the selection for the Image of the Year awards. Separate awards are given for Latimer Print and Projected Image. The Projected Image of the Year and Latimer Print of the Year awards are determined by the Latimer Print and Projected Image Chairs, or by an appointed person.

 

6. OTHER COMPETITIONS

6.1. Additional BCC Competitions
The club may, on a regular or ad hoc basis, hold additional print and/or projection competitions. If a competition is held on a regular basis, decision to hold the competition must be made, and the competition dates announced, prior to the start of the club year, in accordance with Part 1 of these Rules.

6.2. Interclub Competitions
Inter-Club Competitions currently entered by the BCC include all New England Camera Club Council InterClub Print, Electronic Photographs and Slide Competitions and the Carlson Memorial B&W Competition hosted by the Merrimack Camera Club. Additional competitions may be added at any time by the Executive Committee.

Entries that have received BCC awards automatically receive priority for inter-club submission, in order of level of award. Entries that have not won awards may be selected, if necessary to have enough entries to make up a full Club entry. In the event insufficient entries are available to provide the allowed number of Club entries, there will be a general solicitation for entries from the BCC membership. Entries receiving the highest level BCC awards are automatically entered. If solicited entries that have not received awards exceed the number of remaining openings for competition, one to three judges will rank these entries according to a manner agreed upon by the judge(s), and the highest ranked images will complete the Club entry. Judging, if necessary, shall be performed by 1-3 judges at a regular BCC competition. The judges may be BCC EC members, and may include any judges who are present to evaluate the BCC competition at that meeting. Judges cannot have entries of their own under consideration (however, if a judge has an entry that will be automatically entered because it received a BCC award, the judge may evaluate potential entries that did not receive awards if the judge has no additional works for consideration).

 

7. AMENDMENT OF THE RULES

These rules may be amended at any time by the Executive Committee of the Boston Camera Club. However, all amendments shall take effect prior to the start of the next upcoming club competition year, shall last for at least one full competition year, and shall be properly announced to the club prior to the first competition. 

 

ATTACHMENT 1
Table for Determining Number of Votes and Awards in BCC Competitions
(Latimer Print and Projected Image)

Note: Need at least 3 entrants/category to hold competition


Number of Votes Allowed Per Catetory
NUMBER OF ENTRIES SUBMITTED IN CATEGORY NUMBER OF VOTES
ALLOWED IN CATEGORY
0-2 No competition
3-8 2
9-14 3
15-23 4
24 or more 5

 

Number of Awards Presented Per Category
NUMBER
OF ENTRIES
AWARDS TOTAL NUMBER
OF AWARDS
0-2 None 0
3-5 1st only 1
6-8 1st and 2nd 2
9-11 1st, 2nd, 3rd 3
12-14 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 1 HM 4
15-18 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 2 HM 5
19 -22 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 3 HM 6
23-27 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4 HM 7
28-31 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 5 HM 8
32-35  1st, 2nd, 3rd, 6 HM 9
36-39 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 7 HM 10
40-43  1st, 2nd, 3rd, 8 HM  11
44-47 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 9 HM 12
48-51 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 10 HM 13
52-55 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 11 HM 14

 

How Awards are Allocated if there are Ties in Votes Per Category*

TIE
FIRST PLACE AWARD SECOND PLACE AWARD THIRD PLACE AWARD HM AWARD
(See Table for Number of Awards
Presented Per Category)
1st Place Tie 2 Awards No Award 1 Award If number of entires allows HMs
2nd Place Tie 1 Award 2 Awards No Award If number of entries allows HMS
3rd Place Tie 1 Award 1 Award 2 Awards If number of entries allows HMs
HM Tie 1 Award 1 Award 1 Award Based on total number of HM awards allowed
* Dependent on Total Number of Awards Allowed Per Category

 

 

 



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