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Rules and Regulations

Note: A Competition Committee was formed to review and update the Competition Rules and Regulations. The committee was asked to determine what improvements should be made to keep the FCCC competitions rules as current with technological knowledge as possible.

Print Division Rules & Regulations
Approved and Ratified: December 21, 2014 (click to expand and collapse)

The primary objective of these instructions is to provide uniform procedures for conducting FCCC competitions. It is the sole guide for entrants to our competitions, to FCCC host clubs conducting competitions, and to all FCCC officers.

The principal purposes of FCCC competitions are:

  1. To provide a vehicle for sharing work among our membership.
  2. To encourage friendly comparison of the current photographic efforts of the members.
  3. To serve as a proving ground for new techniques and current work.
The wording of these rules can only be modified or changed by a vote of the FCCC Board of Directors.
Number of Competitions
There shall be three (3) triannual competitions per FCCC Year, as well as a year-end judging.
Entry Categories

There shall be four (4) categories of entries:

  • Color
  • Monochrome
  • Creative
  • Documentary
Competition Classes

There shall be two (2) Competition Classes in the Color category only. There shall be one (1) competition class in all other categories. For the Color category only, the two classes are as follows:

  • Class "A" Advanced, includes all competitors who voluntarily rate themselves as A and enter this class, as well as those assigned this class by the Awards Director.
  • Class "B" Beginners, includes all competitors who voluntarily rate themselves as B and enter this class.
Reclassification of Class
The primary purpose of competing in a class is to have your work compared to those with similar skill levels. As a first time competitor you may rate yourself as an A (Advanced photographer) or B (Beginner photographer). You may voluntarily move upward from Class B to Class A at any time, simply by entering that class. You must move yourself to class A after meeting the criteria. No one may move downward from class A to B.
Criteria for Moving from Class B to A
The criteria for moving from class B to class A is winning any award ribbon in the Year-End Judging and/or accumulating a total of 3 or more blue and red award ribbons in the 3 triannual competitions.
Eligible Entries
  1. Monochrome and color prints shall originate from a negative, slide or digital image taken by the maker.
  2. The prints may be made commercially, or by the entrant.
Categories

There are four categories, each judged separately. In all categories, only images that are totally the work of the individual photographer may be submitted. Work that is not completely your own is not allowed.

  • Color - This category includes color images, (except those defined as "Creative" below) whether or not they have undergone digital enhancement, but the image must maintain a realistic or natural look. Multi-colored infrared images are allowed.

  • Mono - This category includes monochromatic images (except those defined as "Creative" below) which are either completely desaturated into black, white and gray or contain only one single color tone (e.g. sepia, blue, etc.). Digital enhancement is allowed but the image must maintain a realistic or natural look. Infrared images in one color tone are allowed.

  • Creative - This category includes color or monochromatic images that are recognizably altered. Creative images must not be constructed entirely in the computer, but must originate from the maker's photograph or photographs.

  • Documentary - This category includes images that portray "a moment in time." Images must represent real life as it actually happened with its flaws and peculiarities. The art is in the story or the message using the existing lighting and surroundings. Some global correction on the entire image is allowed for exposure, contrast, clarity or sharpening, de-noising, and color balance. Corrections are to be kept to a minimum. The image can be straightened and cropped. Correcting only parts of the image is NOT allowed. Judges will use existing judging criteria to score images but will give the story the most weight. Subjects may include people, animals, sports, music events, night scenes, rural or urban environments, etc. NOT ALLOWED: Corrections in selected areas; Monochrome; filters on camera or in post-processing; Infrared; set-up situations or studio captures; HDR processing or blending images; vignettes, frames or borders.
Presentation of Entries
  1. Prints may vary in size and shape but must be mounted on 16" x 20" foam core or mat board, no thicker than 3/16".
  2. Mattes, framed prints, prints wrapped in cellophane, prints taped to the back of an open window, prints with projections or hangers on the back, and prints with tape or other foreign material that may damage prints laid beneath them are not acceptable and shall be disqualified.
Marking and Identifying Entries
  1. After paying the competition fee and uploading your images with titles, you will be asked to print out a set of labels and entry forms. No forms can be printed out until the maker has paid the entry fee.
  2. The labels are to be attached to the back of each print in the upper right-hand corner. If the print wins a ribbon in any of the 3 triannual competitions, it can be re-entered into the end of year judging. Keep the print and label intact for this judging. Information shall not be placed in any manner on the front surface of the print.
  3. The Competition Entry Form shall accompany each entry.
  4. All entries should be received by the Host Club no later than the published due date.
Submission of Entries
  1. Digital versions of the entries must be submitted via the FCCC website.
  2. Image files must be in JPG or PNG format, and can be no larger than 8mb each.
  3. When you upload your images, they must be no larger than 4500 pixels tall or wide. Anything under that will automatically be adjusted by the website to fit within 1024 pixels on the longest side.
  4. Make sure the title reflects your image, and does not contain your name, your club's name, or anything else that identifies you as the maker. Choose a title carefully. A good title will complement the image. Avoid using your name, numbers or the manner in which it was processed. Please try to keep the title to four words or less; less is usually better. Examples: "Swallowing it Whole", "Buddies Forever", "A Gift for You", "Smooth Landing", "Veronica", "Blue", "Beach Ruins", "Abandoned", "Beyond the Pale", "Bigger Than Life", etc.
  5. Entries must be received by the cut-off date and time indicated on the website.
  6. The actual entry prints must be collected by the member's club and submitted as a single package of all entries from that club.
  7. Entry prints must be received by the host club by the published due date for the competition.
  8. Ideally, submissions would be packaged in a professional fiberboard print case. In any event, they must be packaged in a manner that prevents damage in shipping, and in a container that is reusable for returning the entries.
Number of Entries Per Competition
  1. Each qualified entrant will be limited to a total of four (4) images per contest.
Eligibility
  1. Any member in good standing of any member club of the FCCC, or has paid for an individual FCCC membership shall be eligible to enter any FCCC Competition.
  2. No print that has previously received an award or honor in any FCCC competition shall be acceptable for any future triannual competition. Prints that have not received an award can be re-entered.
  3. Entries into the annual Year-End Judging shall be limited to only prints that have received an award during the season.
  4. Eligibility will be confirmed by the Awards Director or the Competition Director. Only entries conforming to the above rules will be judged.
  5. Only prints that are totally the work of the individual photographer may be submitted. Work that is not completely your own is not allowed.
Entry Fees and Limits
There is an entry fee for each of the three triannual competitions. This fee allows the uploading of up to four (4) images for the competition. Fee and submission information are available on the submission page. There is no fee for prints re-submitted for year-end judging.
Approval Process
When a maker enters an image into a category in which it does not fit according to the category description, the maker will be notified during the online approval process with a computer-generated form. The Directors of Competition, Digital or Print, will make the decision to send the form and will complete the section of the form which suggests another category where the image might be more appropriately judged. The final decision will be left up to the maker. However, judges may take points off a score for an image that is obviously misplaced.
Blank Form

You have entered your image entitled, ________________ into the ________________ category. The competition committee believes that this image belongs in the _________________________ category. Please review the category descriptions in Rules and Regulations under the Competition menu.

If you disagree, please state your reason in a response to this message. Otherwise, return to the Submit Images page and change the category under this image prior to approval.

Thank you.

Example of a Completed Form

You have entered your image entitled, "Freak-out" into the Color category. The competition committee believes that this image belongs in the Creative category. Please review the category descriptions in Rules and Regulations under the Competition menu.

If you disagree, please state your reason in a response to this message. Otherwise, return to the Submit Images page and change the category under this image prior to approval.

Thank you.


Digital Division Rules & Regulations
Approved and Ratified: December 21, 2014 (click to expand and collapse)

The primary objective of these instructions is to provide uniform procedures for conducting FCCC competitions. It is the sole guide for entrants to our competitions, to FCCC host clubs conducting competitions, and to all FCCC officers.

The principal purposes of FCCC competitions are:

  1. To provide a vehicle for sharing work among our membership.
  2. To encourage friendly comparison of the current photographic efforts of the members.
  3. To serve as a proving ground for new techniques and current work.
The wording of these rules can only be modified or changed by a vote of the FCCC Board of Directors.
Number of Competitions
There shall be three (3) triannual competitions per FCCC Year, as well as a year-end judging.
Entry Categories

There shall be four (4) categories of entries:

  • Color
  • Monochrome
  • Creative
  • Documentary
Competition Classes

There shall be two (2) Competition Classes in the Color category only. There shall be one (1) competition class in all other categories. For the Color category only, the two classes are as follows:

  • Class "A" Advanced, includes all competitors who voluntarily rate themselves as A and enter this class, as well as those assigned this class by the Awards Director.
  • Class "B" Beginners, includes all competitors who voluntarily rate themselves as B and enter this class.
Reclassification of Class
The primary purpose of competing in a class is to have your work compared to those with similar skill levels. As a first time competitor you may rate yourself as an A (Advanced photographer) or B (Beginner photographer). You may voluntarily move upward from Class B to Class A at any time, simply by entering that class. You must move yourself to class A after meeting the criteria. No one may move downward from class A to B.
Criteria for Moving from Class B to A
The criteria for moving from class B to class A is winning any award ribbon in the Year-End Judging and/or accumulating a total of 3 or more blue and red award ribbons in the 3 triannual competitions.
Eligible Entries
  1. Monochrome and color images shall originate from a negative, slide or digital image taken by the maker.
  2. Image title and/or maker’s name shall NOT appear on the face of the image.
Categories

There are four categories, each judged separately. In all categories, only images that are totally the work of the individual photographer may be submitted. Work that is not completely your own is not allowed.

  • Color - This category includes color images, (except those defined as "Creative" below) whether or not they have undergone digital enhancement, but the image must maintain a realistic or natural look. Multi-colored infrared images are allowed.

  • Mono - This category includes monochromatic images (except those defined as "Creative" below) which are either completely desaturated into black, white and gray or contain only one single color tone (e.g. sepia, blue, etc.). Digital enhancement is allowed but the image must maintain a realistic or natural look. Infrared images in one color tone are allowed.

  • Creative - This category includes color or monochromatic images that are recognizably altered. Creative images must not be constructed entirely in the computer, but must originate from the maker's photograph or photographs.

  • Documentary - This category includes images that portray "a moment in time." Images must represent real life as it actually happened with its flaws and peculiarities. The art is in the story or the message using the existing lighting and surroundings. Some global correction on the entire image is allowed for exposure, contrast, clarity or sharpening, de-noising, and color balance. Corrections are to be kept to a minimum. The image can be straightened and cropped. Correcting only parts of the image is NOT allowed. Judges will use existing judging criteria to score images but will give the story the most weight. Subjects may include people, animals, sports, music events, night scenes, rural or urban environments, etc. NOT ALLOWED: Corrections in selected areas; Monochrome; filters on camera or in post-processing; Infrared; set-up situations or studio captures; HDR processing or blending images; vignettes, frames or borders.
Submission of Entries
  1. Entries must be submitted via the FCCC website.
  2. Image files must be in JPG or PNG format, and can be no larger than 8mb each.
  3. When you upload your images, they must be no larger than 4500 pixels tall or wide. Anything under that will automatically be adjusted by the website to fit within 1024 pixels on the longest side.
  4. It is recommended for display consistency (but not required) that you use the sRGB color space when saving your images.
  5. Make sure the title reflects your image, and does not contain your name, your club's name, or anything else that identifies you as the maker. Choose a title carefully. A good title will complement the image. Avoid using your name, numbers or the manner in which it was processed. Please try to keep the title to four words or less; less is usually better. Examples: "Swallowing it Whole", "Buddies Forever", "A Gift for You", "Smooth Landing", "Veronica", "Blue", "Beach Ruins", "Abandoned", "Beyond the Pale", "Bigger Than Life", etc.
  6. Entries must be received by the cut-off date and time indicated on the website.
Number of Entries Per Competition
  1. Each qualified entrant will be limited to a total of four (4) images per contest.
Eligibility
  1. Any member in good standing of any member club of the FCCC, or has paid for an individual FCCC membership shall be eligible to enter any FCCC Competition.
  2. No image that has previously received an award or honor in any FCCC competition shall be acceptable for any future triannual competition. Images that have not received an award can be re-entered.
  3. Entries into the annual Year-End Judging shall be limited to only images that have received an award during the season.
  4. Eligibility will be confirmed by the Awards Director or the Competition Director. Only entries conforming to the above rules will be judged.
  5. Only images that are totally the work of the individual photographer may be submitted. Work that is not completely your own is not allowed.
Entry Fees and Limits
There is an entry fee for each of the three triannual competitions. This fee allows the uploading of up to four (4) images for the competition. Fee and submission information are available on the submission page. There is no fee for year-end judging. Winning images from the three triannual competitions are automatically entered into this judging.
Approval Process
When a maker enters an image into a category in which it does not fit according to the category description, the maker will be notified during the online approval process with a computer-generated form. The Directors of Competition, Digital or Print, will make the decision to send the form and will complete the section of the form which suggests another category where the image might be more appropriately judged. The final decision will be left up to the maker. However, judges may take points off a score for an image that is obviously misplaced.
Blank Form

You have entered your image entitled, ________________ into the ________________ category. The competition committee believes that this image belongs in the _________________________ category. Please review the category descriptions in Rules and Regulations under the Competition menu.

If you disagree, please state your reason in a response to this message. Otherwise, return to the Submit Images page and change the category under this image prior to approval.

Thank you.

Example of a Completed Form

You have entered your image entitled, "Freak-out" into the Color category. The competition committee believes that this image belongs in the Creative category. Please review the category descriptions in Rules and Regulations under the Competition menu.

If you disagree, please state your reason in a response to this message. Otherwise, return to the Submit Images page and change the category under this image prior to approval.

Thank you.
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