20 x 16 Print Competition Terms & Conditions

Intent of the SWPP & BPPA 20x16 Print Awards
The whole focus of the exercise is to reward excellence and innovation in professional photography in 2008. It is about creating benchmarks and standards gleaned from the input and discussion of industry peers. This is not about whether you sold the image to your client or not. The fact that you sell images is expected of you as a conventionally operating professional photographer.

This is about you the entrant aspiring to be, and pushing yourself to be, the best of your ability in the art, craft and discipline of professional photography to the end benefit of your customer, our industry, and your own enrichment as a professional photographer.

Unlike many other organisations, the SWPP & BPPA is committed to providing a medium and a direction for new members of this industry. Even to the most casual observer, watching hundreds of different images, (representing our best efforts), move past one’s eyes whilst being discussed is a fabulously rewarding process – if you allow it to be.

Some people think it’s a waste of time unless they win. It’s a waste if you don’t watch!

Whilst the judges will attempt to discuss the vast majority of images, the SWPP & BPPA 20x16 Print Awards cannot guarantee each print will receive individual critique from the judging panel.

Judges
Judges will be pooled from an international line up, all of whom have judged at International level. It is the intent of SWPP & BPPA 20x16 Print Awards to be informative, helpful and above all, educational in their comments on all images. The panel of five judges and one panel chair works together to bring a diversity of experience and knowledge to the assessment.

Judges are permitted to enter, but are removed from the judging at an appropriate time (often as part of a standard judge’s rotation) before their work comes up. Any indication by any judge that the work is theirs will result in immediate disqualification of the judge and the entry.

Judges are required to undemonstratively step down from any image they feel unable to judge, either because they know the maker, or because they are uncomfortable with the content, or unable to bring suitable useful commenting to the print. ‘Stepping down’ from a judgement for the later reasons is highly commendable as it allows ‘other eyes’ into the judgement.

Judges may appear to have wildly diverse scores for the same image. This is quite normal and reflects the different experience, knowledge, opinion and appreciation that judges as individuals have. Scores are averaged across the five judges. The Panel Chair may be required to vote in certain circumstances.

It is not acceptable for Judges to make decisions based on personal prejudice or alter averages by vast increases or decreases of score. Judges are not permitted argumentative or confronting behaviour to other judges. Any of this will result in the judge being removed.

A judge may feel strongly that an image has not received the appropriate level of score (in either direction) and may request it brought back. The Panel Chair will expect the subsequent request for re-scoring to be well-thought out and concisely presented. This is not a regular occurrence.

Members of the public and entrants are welcomed and encouraged to observe the judging, learn from the process, and congratulate scores. They are not permitted to engage in discussion with any sitting judge, or engage in disruptive behaviour.

Entrants are encouraged to keep small copies of their images with them at all times. This is much better than saying ‘Do you remember that shot of the laughing bride near the church?’…..Some of the most valuable discussion can be had over a pint – post judging.

GENERAL RULES:
1: An entry form must be completed.
This form is available online at: http://www.swpp.co.uk/convention/20x16.htm or by fill in the form on the reverse of the 20 x 16 mail out.

2: An entry form must be completed and be attached to each of images that are entered; a certification of declaration must be completed which MUST be signed to validate your entry. If the certification is proved false, any Awards and titles will be reclaimed and you will be disqualified. Note: No signed certification? – No entries.

3: The image presented must be 100% photographic in origin. All elements in an image must be the work of the photographer. All aspects of the image must have been produced by the entrant or under the entrant’s direct instruction (including all post-production work). In the spirit of the Awards, this means you cannot give an image to a printer or retoucher and say ‘Make me an Awards Print’.

4: Entries may be commissioned or non-commissioned in all categories except wedding where the image must have been made at an actual wedding where the entrant was the hired principle professional photographer.

Any entry in the Wedding category found to be of models, from a seminar, or not a job that the entrant was hired to do, will result in immediate disqualification of that entry, and will require the return of any prizes, titles and gifts given or their monetary equivalent where applicable at the discretion of the SWPP& BPPA.

If several photographic elements are used in the final image, all the elements must have been taken at the same wedding.

5. You may NOT submit any image made at any seminar where any,model/lighting/location and pose, has been provided by the instructor.

6: Images must be from original exposures made within the last 24 months of the closing date.

7: You may enter as may images as you wish or …you may enter just one. Prints received with any studio or photographer identification on the front or as part of the image will be immediately disqualified.

8: The SWPP & BPPA reserves the right to reproduce any image submitted for publicity/education purposes in the UK and overseas. It is the entrants responsibility to obtain any and all permissions including the model release/and or Copyright owner’s permission to have the images judged and possibly displayed and published.

9: If an image wins a merit the SWPP & BPPA have the right to keep that image for display purposes.

Special Rules About What Types of Photographs You Can Enter

SWPP & BPPA 20x16 Print Awards reserves the right to choose not to judge any image regarded as inflammatory or offensive. This is a rare occurrence, and should not be taken as a case of SWPP & BPPA 20x16 Print Awards becoming the ‘morality police’ (it appears that, occasionally, someone feels the need to ‘make a statement’ or ‘have a stir’).

If an image is considered unsuitable for the category as marked, SWPP & BPPA 20x16 Print Awards reserves the right to move it into a category it deems suitable. Judges are requested to ‘Judge the image’ in front of them and NOT to adversely mark it due to perceived unsuitability of category.

Preparing The Entries For Judging
Print identification labels must be completed and adhered to the back of each print in the top left hand corner. These are not self-adhesive labels, so you will have to use sticky tape or glue.

No titles or marks which identify the author are permitted on the front of the entry, however copy/text may be included where it is an integral part of the design.

The size of the photographic image must be no smaller than10 x 8 inches - 20X25cm – or 80 square inches in whatever proportion. Images must be permanently bonded to 20 x 16” (40.6x50.8 cm) mountboard. Window mounts, permanently bonded also, can be used and are recommended, but the total thickness must not exceed 6 mm. Multiple images on one mountboard are acceptable and will be judged as a single entry.

Overseas Entrants’ Instructions:
To ensure your entries are passed through International Customs, without additional fees
and taxes, please mark your Customs Declaration as follows:
Printed Matter Only. No Commercial Value.
The SWPP & BPPA 20x16 Print Awards will not be responsible for paying any import duties or fees and entries requiring such will not be accepted.

The SWPP & BPPA 20x16 Print Awards reserves the right to reproduce any image submitted for publicity/educational purposes in the UK and overseas. It is the entrant’s
responsibility to obtain any and all permissions including the model releases and/or copyright owner’s permission to have the images judged and possibly displayed and published.

If you happen to win an Award, by entering these Awards you agree to be respectful of the SWPP & BPPA and the sponsors of the Awards. Without our sponsors these Awards would not happen, so you are not entitled to use these Awards to make any personal or competitive representations that may be antagonistic to the sponsors.

Print Presentation Requirements - Please Read Carefully

Prints are destined to be critically appraised by judges, extensively displayed and to be retained for archival purposes. They need to be light and compact for ease of
transportation and display; of a standard size and format for ease of handling and judging and be of materials which will not damage other entries. Furthermore, as prints will be viewed by judges, peers and the public, both the content and the presentation must be of a professional standard.

With these requirements in mind, the following notes have been
prepared. Please use these requirements when preparing your entry, or if
you use professional mounting services pass this information on to them.

Entries not complying with these requirements may be disqualified at the discretion of the SWPP & BPPA 20x16 Print Awards.

Print Surface finishes – (An advisory)
For many years, it was felt that gloss surface finishing provided the best result. It does certainly reveal all tones, and enhances blacks and colours. However, we now have many wonderful surfaces to work with in order to enhance the communication of our image.

You may find a matt, textured paper works well with your image for example. Please just remember that under the judging lights, a matt surfaced print will not appear to have as strong blacks as a lustre or gloss finished image. This could enhance your image beautifully, or it might just make it dull.
There are many wonderful laminating products available today, but we would caution you against using strongly textured overlays as these generally dominate the image adversely.

The Print Density
It is important that when you assess the prints you are making for judging, they be viewed under lighting that matches internationally accepted standards for the print judging environment.

Some professional laboratories set-up environments matching the national awards systems to make the best prints possible. You can do the same by following these guidelines.

We must advise you to take the trouble to look at your prints before you finish them to make sure they look good under the strength of light we use in judging. This isn’t hard: a strong tungsten light like a Studio light or even a ‘patio light’ will show you tonality.

You want to look at your print with a light source that’s giving you about 1/60th @f2.8 on 100ISO. Believe us when we tell you that far too many prints each year suffer from not being the right density.

Stick it DOWN properly
All prints and mounts must be stuck together firmly and permanently. Recommended fixatives are dry mount tissue, JAC paper double-sided adhesive and commercial heat/pressure mounting techniques usually available through professional framers and professional laboratories. Hinge mounting is not acceptable in the SWPP & BPPA 20x16 Print Awards. Improperly mounted, or rippled prints will lose marks for quality of professional presentation.

Have your entries been elsewhere before SWPP & BPPA 20x16 Print Awards?
If your photographs have been entered into other award judgings, make sure the surface and edges are all in ‘tip-top’ condition. Do not send us tired, scuffed prints that have ‘done the rounds’. You will be competing against ‘fresh’ pristine entries. EVERYTHING about your entry will contribute to the judges critical first impression.

It is because of this that we recommend using a bevelled-edge window mount over any competition image to protect and enhance the print surface. All glue, velcro, sticky tapes, labels etc must be thoroughly removed before submitting to the SWPP 1620 Print Awards as they may damage other entrant’s work. If we feel any entry supplied will damage another – for whatever reason – we will disqualify it.

The Mount Material
The mount size of all entries must be 40.6 x 50.8cm (16 x 20 inches) and is specific. Even slightly undersized prints will not be securely held in the display mechanism – may drop unexpectedly and be damaged.

The mount must comply with either of the following:
Option 1 (preferred):
Mounted on a backing board and matted behind a window mount.

Option 2:
Flush mounted on single board

These mounting packages must not exceed 6 mm deep (thick).
Recommended and acceptable backing/mount boards:
1. Cardboard
2. High density foam core,
3. self-adhesive mounting board.

Both window mount and backing board must be the same size. Stick them together strongly and securely. Double or multiple matting is permissible (if you really must), however the total thickness of any entry must not be greater than 6 mm.

No mounting on soft Styrofoam, thin chipboard, MDF, aluminum, masonite or acrylic. Taping of mount edges is not acceptable on any entry (it leaves gunk on other entries).

The SWPP 2008 Convention was an outstanding success,
we have 192 days to get ready for the 2009 convention - which starts on January 14, 2009

Photo Quote: There are many teachers who could ruin you. Before you know it you could be a pale copy of this teacher or that teacher. You have to evolve on your own. - Berenice Abbott American Photographer, 1898-1991