Image Evaluation

The Club holds a monthly photographic Image Evaluation. Entering any such event provides numerous opportunities for learning. You will experience: a wealth of ideas and inspiration for subjects; encouragement to try new techniques; and acknowledgement for your effort. Not only will you hear comments, both positive and negative (but with constructive advice), about your own images, but also about other members’ work – so at the same time you get to see where your technique needs improvement and what you should be aiming for.

Format of Club Evaluations

• Club Evaluations are held on a monthly basis from February to December.
• There are two different categories – Print and EDI (Electronic Data Image)
• Monthly Evaluation alternates between Set and Open topics.
• At the Club’s annual Break-up, to be held in December, members have the opportunity to enter a portfolio of four images (with an optional title-page), with a common thread that ties them together, in either or both Print or EDI  (to be sent in before November Meeting). Successful winners to be announced at December Meeting.

Rules for Monthly Club Evaluation Submission

1. Members, in total, can enter up to four prints or images per month (or a combination thereof ie one print and three EDIs etc.
2. PRINTS: must be mounted and may be any size, up to a maximum of 40cm x 50cm (16in x 20in) when mounted. Panoramic print formats are acceptable, but must fit on a 40cm x 50cm (16in x 20in) board. Prints mounted to a total thickness greater than 5mm will not be accepted. Each print entry must have a label (we supply blank labels) showing the Club’s name; Title; Membership Number; Competition section -Print); Syllabus topic; Month & Year of submission. An EDI, labelled the same as EDIs but preceded by PRINT must be submitted to the Print Steward prior to the meeting. The print should be brought along and displayed for the Judge’s scrutiny at the meeting when feedback is to be delivered.
3. ELECTRONIC DIGITAL IMAGES: Images may either be created with a digital camera or created with a conventional camera and scanned into electronic format. Images may be enhanced or manipulated using image editing software, but the original image must have been made by the entrant. The maximum horizontal dimension is 1920 pixels and the maximum vertical dimension is 1080 pixels. Each image file must be in sRGB JPEG format and a maximum of 5000 kilobytes (5mb) in size.  Name your data image with Title of photo, your Club Evaluation number, topic and month year separated by a dash eg: Sunset on WoolamaiBeach_12_Trees_Nov2017. These need to be forwarded to the current acting Print Steward prior to the meeting to be sent away for the evaluator’s appraisal.
4. NOVICE CATEGORY REINSTATED: To encourage new members to participate in the monthly evaluation, it has been decided to re-instate a NOVICE section. This will be in the EDI (Electronic Digital Image) format. We would like to emphasise that this is not a competition but a learning opportunity. If you need assistance to get started please speak to one of the Committee Members, who are only too happy to help. Maximum of four entries. Label your entries Novice_(Title)_(PICC Number)_Topic_Month2021 EDIs can be forwarded to the Print Steward.
5. All VAPS Competition details are available at http://www.vaps.org.au/Documents.aspx. By following the state-wide rules, we’ll then be better prepared to participate in competitions outside our club.
6. Entries are submitted before the monthly meetings, with feedback received at the following meeting.
7. Entries which have been assessed as Highly Commended or Commendedmay not be resubmitted in another monthly Evaluation that year. Other entries may be resubmitted for only one further monthly competition that year.
8. Entries which have been assessed as Highly Commended or Commendedmay not be resubmitted in another monthly Evaluation that year. Other entries may be resubmitted for only one further monthly competition that year.

Judging of Club Evaluations
Judges used to assess and critique entries in Club’s Evaluations are drawn from the V.A.P.S. List of judges, experienced photographers and club members. A different judge for each monthly Evaluation is engaged so that a variety of expertise and opinion is brought to the Club. Whilst the comments by judges provide useful advice from which to learn, this doesn’t mean that members always have to agree with them, for in photography, like other art forms, individuals will have different reactions.

Non-Club Competitions
In addition to the Club Evaluations referred to above, a number of independent organisations (eg. local government councils, photographic magazines, Royal Agricultural Society) hold annual photographic competitions and exhibitions, some of which offer prize money, in which members are encouraged to enter their work. Members should familiarise themselves with terms and conditions before entering.

Phillip Island Camera Club has resumed entering V.A.P.S. Interclub Competition.