Club Internal Competitions

All members of the club are encouraged to enter their work into our internal competitions, which are spread throughout the season.

We host nine internal Photography competitions each season, as well as participating in several external competitions. It can be a daunting prospect to put your images forward for open critique and judging. However, this is an excellent way to learn how to improve your photography.

If you are new to Club Competitions take a look at our Get Involved page if your interest is in Projected Digital Images (PDI). If Printing piques your interest, see our guide to Club Competition Printing page.

All of our competitions are judged by judges affiliated with the PAGB and come from outside our club. We have a set of rules that govern our competitions. SEE HERE

Eight Club Trophies are presented to the competition winners at the end of the Season:

  • Print Lague Championship
  • Projected Digital Image (PDI) League Championship
  • Image of the Year
    • Projected Digital Image (PDI) of the Year
    • Print Image of the Year
  • Print Panel Competition
  • Projected Digital Image (PDI) Panel Competition
  • Landscape Cup*
  • Howard Morris Memorial Trophy*

*presented alternate years

(please be aware that images in the competition pages may contain nudity)

For information on our current and past season results, see the Competition Results pages.

Competition Summaries

The Internal League Competition is a photography contest open to all paid members.  Each round includes the categories Print and PDI (Projected Digital Image). The PDI competitions are further divided into two classes of entry: Section One for Advanced Photographers; and Section Two for Beginners and Improvers.

Each season, entrants choose which section to be in when they make their first competition entry for the current season. They then remain in that section for the whole season. Successful entrants in Section 2, such as the trophy winner, the runner-up, and anyone else consistently achieving high marks for individual images, are encouraged to consider moving to Section 1 for the following season to develop their photography further.

Members can submit up to 2 entries per round, either Print or PDI. Each image is scored out of 20, and the best score for each member in each round is totalled. The member with the highest score for prints and digital images is awarded the respective club trophy.

Competitions are held throughout the season, with three of them featuring predetermined topics. These subjects are announced in the program and at the Annual General Meeting of the previous season. The other three competitions are open, meaning that participants can submit entries on any subject. At the end of the season, each member’s best scores achieved in five of the six competitions in each category will be accumulated, determining their overall performance.

“Set Subjects” for 2023-2024 are:

  • Peace – For this competition, we are looking for images that depict ‘Peace’. Examples could include symbols of peace, a sense of being at peace, a peaceful or tranquil scene or a march for peace.
  • Square Format -It is important to think about the aspect ratio when taking photos as the ratio has compositional implications. While your camera’s aspect ratio is technically fixed, many digital cameras allow you to change the aspect ratio in the camera’s menu. Plus, you have the option of adjusting an image’s aspect ratio in post-processing. For this competition, we are looking for images where the composition has been enhanced by the use of a Square 1:1 format.
  • Transport – For this competition, we are looking for images where the main subject of the image is a form of transport and not the items, person or persons being transported.

Additional references

“Set Subjects” for 2024-2025 are:

  • Windows & Doors
  • Parallel Lines
  • Tools of the Trade

The ‘Image Of The Year’ competition is held at the end of the season, following the completion of the Clubs League Competitions and is decided between the winner of the ‘Print of the Year’ and the ‘PDI of the Year’

Members may submit up to two images in total, print or digital image. In accordance with the Club’s General Competition Rules, Rules For Print and Rules For PDI. Each image MUST have previously been entered into its respective format category (Print or PDI) and in one of that season’s six club league competitions (These are the three “Open” and three “Set Subject” competitions only). Images may be amended to take account of the judge’s comments (inc. image title) at the original competition. There are no sections (S1 or S2); members of both sections are invited to select their best work from that season where all members compete equally against each other.

This annual competition is for portfolios of 3-6 Prints or Digital Images, to be judged as a panel. There are NO Section 1 or Section 2 categories in this competition. All members compete equally against each other. Titles are required and the images must show some link, identifiable by the judge. For example, a common colour, subject or shape.

Each member may enter up to two portfolios as either prints or digital images, or one of each.

For examples of previous competitions SEE HERE

This annual competition is for portfolios of 3-5 Prints or Digital Images, to be judged as a panel.

There are NO Section 1 or Section 2 categories in this competition. All members compete equally against each other.

Titles are required and the images must show some link, identifiable by the judge. For example, a common colour,
subject or shape.

Members may enter both the print and digital portfolio competitions.

Each member may enter up to two portfolios as either prints or digital Images, or one of each.

The committee will appoint an external judge who will select the first, second and third place portfolios for both prints and digital Images.

The committee reserves the right to withdraw portfolio submissions if the overall entry is larger than can be dealt with
by the judge in the time available. Members will be consulted.

How to enter the Portfolio competition

Please also refer to the General Requirements for details of how to prepare images for entry.

Prints: A print entry consists of 3, 4 or 5 mounted prints (monochrome, colour or a mixture) to be viewed
simultaneously.

Each print’s position must be marked on the back, either by numbering from left to right (when
viewed), or labelled ‘Left’, ‘Inner Left’, ‘Centre’, ‘Inner Right’ and ‘Right’. The back must also be marked with the
Member’s name.

When deciding the size for Prints, it may help to remember that the Club’s print stand is 6 feet (180cm) wide and the
prints will be displayed side by side.

Digital Images: A PDI entry consists of 3, 4 or 5 images combined into one projectable 1600 x1200 pixel image. In addition, you are also required to submit a version at 1400 x 1050. See Club Competition PDI Rules for details.

Pictures may be sized and positioned as required within the frame. A plain monochrome background must be used –
the background must NOT be one of the images. The file must be named as described in the General Requirements.

Please Note: Each image MUST have previously been entered and shown in its respective format category in one of that seasons six individual club league competitions. These are the three “Open” and three “Set Subject” competitions only.

This annual competition is for portfolios of 3-6 Prints or Digital Images, to be judged as a panel. There are NO Section 1 or Section 2 categories in this competition. All members compete equally against each other. Titles are required and the images must show some link, identifiable by the judge. For example, a common colour, subject or shape.

Each member may enter up to two portfolios as either prints or digital images, or one of each.

For examples of previous competitions SEE HERE

To encourage more landscape work, Barbara Fleming ARPS DPAGB has sponsored this biennial competition. It is open to all members with no sections. The subject matter is “Landscape”.

LBPC Landscape Cup Competition Definition – Landscape photographs typically capture the presence of the natural world, traditionally showing little or no human activity, featuring subjects such as strongly defined landforms, weather, and ambient light. However, Landscape can also focus on man-made features or disturbances of landscapes, including rural or urban settings or industrial areas. Within the scope of the LBPC Landscape Cup competition, ‘Seascapes’ are permitted. However, they MUST include a significant proportion of land or coastline as the main subject. Note: the genre ‘Intimate Landscape‘ IS NOT included within the scope of the Biennial Landscape Cup.

Entries must not have been, entered into any previous club competition.

This is a normally a black & white print only contest with up to two prints that must NOT have been entered into any previous league competition.
It was instigated and sponsored by Howard Morris, one of our veteran members whose great love was B/W prints and who also donated the trophy. The submissions must be Black/White without any toning, colour-popping etc. This is a biannual contest alternating with the ‘Landscape Cup’.

This biennial print competition was established in memory of former club member Howard Morris. Traditionally, this is a print-only competition, open to all members.

  1. Members may submit up to two images in total, in accordance with the Clubs Competition general rules.
  2. All images must conform to the rules as set out in General Competition Rules.
  3. Each image MUST NOT have previously been entered into the MHMT, or any club league competition.
  4. There are no sections (S1 or S2); members of both sections are invited to select their best work from that season. All members compete equally against each other.
  5. The subject matter is open.
  6. Black & White only.
  7. Each member may submit up to two entries, that have NOT been, entered into any other club competition.

The Committee will appoint an external judge who will select the first, second and third place entries.

This is a sophisticated, utterly unfair and usually pretty chaotic competition. Contestants submit up to 6 images each, which are anonymously and randomly selected for projection in pairs. One of each pair is chosen by the assembled club members, via a show of hands, to go through to the next round. Last image standing is the winner.

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