The Relationship between Clubs and Judges

​

The role of judges in camera clubs

​

When people join camera clubs they often do so with the aim of improving their technical understanding of how best to use their camera.  They quickly realise that clubs are not just about camera craft, but offer a pathway to mastering a form of visual communication that exemplifies the art of photography. 

​

It is by entering images in club competitions and exhibitions for critique by experienced judges that club members get the feedback necessary to hone their photographic and post-production skills, and learn to see the world in a completely different way.

​

Judges play a critical role in this development pathway, because it is their comments that educate and assist photographers in their journey to master the art of photography.

​

General principles of photographic judging

​

• What is being judged in an image?

While each competition has its own set of rules and guidelines, judging is basically an assessment of the quality of the image based on a set of criteria, usually derived from accepted standards of good visual communication in art and design. 

​

• What does a judge do?

1. Evaluate - images are assessed against defined (subject/category) criteria and then against quality criteria, and given some form of score or ranking.

2. Educate – explain (justify) the reasons for the rank or score in such a way that the audience/photographer understands what they can do or avoid doing next time in order to improve the image.  It typically involves the application of specialist language and knowledge.

3. Encourage – reward creativity, originality, imagination and skill

4. Entertain – club competitions and exhibitions are meant to be fun, not boring events that last forever.  A good judge manages time effectively, while keeping the audience entertained.

​

​

The following is a sample of the brief forwarded by the club to the judge of the forthcoming

Appraisal Night

​

JUDGES BRIEF

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Thank you for agreeing to attend our image Assessment Night on Wednesday 9th April  2025.

​

  Our Assessments Nights are run purely for educational value. We need you to evaluate our images and share some useful suggestions for improvement to help our photographers to learn. You will find our grading scale below.

​

The venue is the Lions Club Den 95 Park Road, Mandurah – Map at bottom.

​

DIGITAL PROCEDURE  

 

Approximately 8 days prior to the meeting our Competitions Director will forward our images to you, to enable you to appraise the images prior to the club night.

 

On the night they will be projected whilst you speak on them. We do need you to use amplifying equipment to aid our members that are hard of hearing. Please note that our images are created to be evaluated at a sRGB colour space on computer monitor, and NOT on the projector as they may not appear as intended. Please ignore any differences you may see in the projections.

​

PROCEDURE ON THE NIGHT

​

The printed images will be ready for your appraisal by 6:55, so if you could arrive by 6:45 we can sort out anything you need before you start. You will have more time later in the evening to spend on prints if you need. No need to rush.

​

After the President gives our Club catch up talk, you may want to give us a 10-minute intro on yourself. If you do, please let me know so I can assure timing is provided. 

​

Following that, we like to do our digital images first. For each image, please give us your assessment and advice for improvement, and then advise of the grade given before moving onto the next.

 

When the digitals are finished, we take a break during which you can continue assessing prints if needed before speaking on them once the ‘break’ is over.

​

Meetings generally go to 9:30, and no later than 10:00.
 

GRADING CRITERIA 

​

Our images are compared to the set standard below. Our Club nights focus on learning, not competition. Images are not to be compared to each other. The Grading’s are designed to give our members feedback on their progress and achievements, as well as motivate them to keep trying.

 

The mean of this skewed distribution is normally at B. B representing those that are developing basic photographic skills. E represents mostly newer members that have made at least some small effort to control some elements of the image, successful or not.

 

NOTE: we have approved all images in Topic category as being fit for the brief.

 

GRADE & DESCRIPTION

 

Gold

An Outstanding Photo – Has superb appeal, an excellent composition. Sharp where required, well defined, and technically correct. The Assessor considers this image may be worthy of entering into a competition. 

 

Silver

A High-Quality Photo – Good visual appeal. Changes needing to be made require some small effort(s), to make a competition image.

 

Bronze

A Developing Photo – Developing skills are evident yet needs work to grade higher.  Centre of interest may not be clear, conspicuous flaws and/or distractions may still be evident.

 

Encouragement

The image shows evidence that the photographer has made an effort to control either Message & Meaning, or Content, or Medium. There may be assorted aspects that need improving, but it is on the right track.

​

Ungraded – To grade higher the image needs more effort to convey message and meaning. 

 

GENERAL REGULATIONS and CATEGORIES 

 

All entries shall be the author’s original work, and photographic in origin. Use of stock photographs, or copies of other original works of art are not permitted.

​

A colour image must contain two or more colours.

​

A monochrome image must be an image toned in a SINGLE hue, or Black and White.

​

The photograph may have been modified during exposure in the camera, or modified after exposure with experimental, digital, or darkroom techniques. 

​

The image must have photographic origin with the original image/work having been made by the entrant.

 

PRINTS: Images may be printed by the author or by a commercial or other printer under the direction of the author. Print mounting and matting may be undertaken by the author or by a commercial or other organization under the direction of the author. The choice of printing paper, and matt board is the responsibility of the author. 

​

There are 3 digital and 3 print categories. The categories are the same for both print & digital.

​

Open Digital/Print- Any subject/genre, Colour or Monochrome

​

Topic Digital/Print– Colour or Monochrome

​

Phone Digital/Print - Any subject/genre, Colour or Monochrome taken with a mobile phone camera.

We hope this answers any questions for you. If not, please feel free to contact myself or any other of the members below for any reason.

​

Thank you so much again. Without people like you, Clubs like ours would cease to improve.

 

Competition Director 

XXXXXXXXXXX

digital@mandurahphotography.club 

0429 XXX XXX