from Christine’s Print Competition Workshop | Print Competition 101 teaching materials & adapted for the interwebs:
The question that just about everyone asks first is how to get involved in print competitions. There’s a variety of ways of explaining it, but until you know all of the terms, it’s all a bit daunting, so for the beginners, I’m going to keep the “lingo” to a minimum.
The first thing to make note of is that when I speak of print competition (or image competition), I am speaking solely of the competitions that exist within the PPA and it’s affiliates on state and local levels. That’s it. I’ve got no experience with any other system.
Now, perhaps you just got to that “affiliates on blah blah blah” part back there and got a little bit lost. That’s ok. That’s part of figuring out where you can enter print competition. “Where?”is very good place to start, and in future segments we will further explore this question as well as the “What?” “Who?” “When” “How?” and “Why?”
To keep things on the simple side, I like to think of competition in four levels:
1. Local Affiliate
2. State Affiliate
3. PPA District
4. PPA International
Are you a member of a State or Local Organization? These are what we call affiliates, if they’re officially aligned with the PPA. Generally, they’d be called something like “Professional Photographers of Your State or Town.” If you’re not sure if you belong to one, or you want to know which one you would contact to join, the PPA has compiled a handy dandy downloadable PDF right HERE, so check your state and see what it says. Yes, you have to do a little bit of work here, download the PDF and check. I’ll wait. Make note of both state and local groups that are nearest you.
Alrighty, now I can betcha there’s someone from Alaska or Nevada has a bone to pick with me. Currently there are no state affiliates for you on this list. You may try to join another state’s affiliate and compete under their membership rules for state and local events, but your district is still defined by your state of residence.
I can hear you now, “just get to answering my question, already”, right?
You may enter print competition in any organization that you are a member of. Yes, there are exceptions. Let’s not complicate things, yet. Let’s just stick with the groups we belong to, or intend in belonging to. Soon.
Local Affiliate:
Most local affiliates are tied to a metro area and meet on a monthly basis. Most have a formal image competition worked into their schedule. Sometimes they are more informal than others and judges can have a variety of credentials from a Certified Professional Photographer or a Master Photographer to a Juror in Training or even a PPA Affiliated Juror.
State Affiliate:
State Organizations generally have an annual convention and an associated image competition where the results determine formal Photographer of the Year and other rankings of importance. States generally conduct these in a formal manner and judges of varying degrees of credentials are utilized, but none are specifically required unless the organization itself has set that requirement. Some states also have other image competition opportunities throughout the year, so don’t make the mistake of thinking there’s only one.
PPA District:
District Competitions are held once per year per district. Judges must be PPA Affiliated Jurors. Results from this competition have serious bearing upon IPC results *IF* you are a PPA Member. Yes, you may enter if you are not a member, but, why?
STEP 1: check this PEC District Map and note your district: {click to enlarge} Also available at this LINK.
STEP 2: Check this link to see when the deadlines are for your district, or just read below 😉 :
Northcentral District Photographic Competition
2015 Judging Dates: March 20-21, 2015
Des Moines, Iowa
Entries open: February 9, 2015
Entries close: March 11, 2015
Western District Photographic Competition
2015 Judging Dates: March 26-28, 2015
Vancouver, Washington
Entries open: February 16, 2015
Entries close: March 18, 2015
Northeast District Photographic Competition
2015 Judging Dates: March 13-14, 2015
Columbus, OH
Entries open: January 26, 2015
Entries close: March 6, 2015
Southeast District Photographic Competition
2015 Judging Dates: April 30-May 2, 2015
Charlotte, NC
Entries open: March 23, 2015
Entries close: April 24, 2015
Southwest District Photographic Competition
2015 Judging Dates: January 8-9, 2015
San Marcos, TX
Entries open: December 1, 2014
Entries close: January 2, 2015
PPA International:
I’m sure you’ve heard the term “IPC.” If not, it’s stands for International Print Competition and it’s what I consider to be the “Big Daddy” of image competitions. It’s held every August-ish in the Atlanta, Georgia area and the results of this competition are of the utmost importance. You may enter up to 4 pieces of your best work, either digitally, or physically, or a combination of both. Most competitors work all year long vetting down their finest work to these four final pieces. This is pretty much ends what I call the “competition season” and for those of you working towards a Master of Photography Degree, or wishing to earn exhibition merits, this is the competition that you have to enter for sure. For reals. Seriously.
The results of this competition are celebrated at the PPA’s annual convention, Imaging USA (IUSA) and is held in the Jan/Feb zone at a different location each year. 2015 will be Feb 1-3 in Nashville. For more information see: http://imagingusa.org/
In Conclusion:
If you checked the links and made note of your local, state and district competitions, you have taken the first step towards being an image competition participant, you have determined the “Where.”
Stay tuned for more installments of Print Competition 101.