Guide to ‘2021’ Photographic Set Subjects

Please note that all projected entries need to be in the inbox of the Competitions Secretary by midnight of the dates noted.  Email entries to    competition@waikatophotosoc.org.nz

1. Your email should display with your name (If you wish to include the month or the Set Subject this should follow your name, not precede it). 
2. The entry form should be saved (Save As) only as your name.
3. Image titles and Print slip information must be exactly the same as it appears on the entry form
4. Digital image titles should not include extra information such as copy, file numbers, or your name.

Printed Entries need to be bought to the meeting on the date noted or an alternative arrangement should be made beforehand with the Competitions Secretary

Architecture February – Entries Due by 19th January (Prints due by 23rd January)

Of course this can entail standing back and taking a whole building, or group of buildings. But the really fascinating part of architecture is looking for the details. Maybe a repeated pattern, or
geometric shape within a building. Or just a part of the building – an ornate carving, or detail of windows or doors.

Let your seeing eye loose on the subject and amaze us all.

Upside Down –  Entries Due by 9th February

Let your creativity and fantasy free with your upside-down images.

Flip your world and explore your perspective!

Your images for this challenge need to incorporate an upside down element. Whether it be obvious that the photographer was upside down, or that the subject itself is upside down.
Perhaps a dog that likes to laze on it’s back, or a bat hanging from the tree. Someone on a trampoline, upside down in the air, or simply a child hanging from a jungle gym. Also look at
reflections. Good reflections can produce great upside down images.

This is also a great topic to experiment with illusion, and make it look like something is upside down when in fact it isn’t….all down to the creativity of the photographer.
This was a topic in guru shots at one stage, so check out the entries there on this link for more inspiration: https://gurushots.com/challenge/upside-down10/rank/top-photographer

Street Photography –  Entries Due by 9th March

Street photography is about candidly capturing life in public areas. And contrary to its name, street photography does not have to be done on the streets. 

You can do street photography anywhere. A good street photo needs a clearly defined subject and good composition, such as using the rule of thirds, leading lines, use of negative space, symmetry, frames, etc. still hold. Try and tell a story with your images.

Create photographs where the viewer pauses and asks questions. Street photography does not necessarily need people but should have some suggestion that people are there. For example, shadows can be used to capture thought-provoking shots, even if you can’t see the humans casting them. 

Also try to photograph things left behind by people. These images leave the viewer wondering what the story is behind the discarded objects.

Try a street portrait if you can summon the courage to talk to people on the street and take an interesting portrait that tells their story. If you are photographing people from a distance it can make a more interesting photo if you can include their face and even make eye contact. 

Geometry – Entries Due by 13th April

Think of photographing shapes; triangles, squares, rectangles, parallelograms, circles, rhombus’ etc. There should be at least one in your photograph, and it / they should be the focus of your
picture.

A clearly defined geometrical shape, like a building is considered hard geometry. These sorts of geometrical shapes will mostly be manmade, because of the hard edges. They’re also easy to spot
once you start looking for geometrical shapes.

Soft geometry is a roughly defined geometrical shape, like a trimmed hedge. The edges aren’t as stark as hard geometrical shapes. So, of course, you’ll find more soft geometry for photography in
nature. Because the shapes aren’t as obvious, you have to look more carefully, until you get used to thinking in shapes rather than objects.

For example, start seeing

• mountain peaks and the converging edges of roads as triangles
• or doorways, arches and an alley between buildings as a rectangle to frame a subject

A positive shape is what we think of first when we think of a shape. A positive shape is the shape made by an object. A negative space is the space leftover — or where the objects in the photo
aren’t. A negative space is the crack in a canyon wall, for example, or a shape created from the outline of two positive spaces.

Drewery Cup Photojournalism Award – Entries Due by 13th April 

1. The award will be known as the DREWERY CUP and will be competed for annually, to encourage members to develop an interest in photojournalism and to increase their skill in this aspect.
2. The cup will be awarded for the best image, or for a set of not less than THREE (3) or more than SIX (6) images in the same media. Sets must illustrate a specific theme.
3. Prints may be of any size, and may be attached collectively to a single mount of any shape, but not exceeding 40cm x 50cm. The mount may be arranged so as to fold.  Projected images must conform to the WPS specifications (see 6 (b))
4. Each set must be clearly captioned, indicating its theme. In print entries this should be on the face of the mount.  For projected image entries, two copies of the captions must be provided, preferably typed and double-spaced.
5. Entries will be judged by a person experienced in photojournalism. Such person need not be a PSNZ Panel Judge.
6. Entries will be judged to a high standard and no award will be made in any year if, in the opinion of the judge, a sufficient standard has not been reached.
7. If two images in a set are so similar as to be considered by the judge as repetition inconsistent with the theme, the second image shall be disregarded when assessing the set.
8. Not more than TWO (2) sets or TWO (2) individual images in one media, a total of FOUR (4) entries may be submitted by any one member.

Images entered in this competition are also eligible for entry in the monthly competitions.

Colour on Colour – Entries Due by 11th May

‘Black on black’ or ’white on white’ are common types of photography but this set subject allows ‘red on red’, ‘blue on blue’, etc. For example ‘green on green’ if you have photographed fern fronds in grass or a large leaf. So it is the lighting and shading rather than different colours which make the photograph.

The single colouration should be in camera but manipulation is allowed. Although you cannot convert a multicolour photo to black and white and then tint it.

Nature – Entries Due by 8th June

This is a wide open subject. (Please note; it does not carry the restrictions that Natural History does)

It includes; any plant, flower, tree, grass, shrub etc. water, sea, sky, snow, ice, animals including fish, insects and domestic animals (does not include people)
Any part of the above will be acceptable. (eg. part of a plant, a horse’s eye etc )

Photo Manipulation – Entries Due by 13th July

IMAGE EDITING involves simple tasks like cropping, resizing, and adjusting the level, colours and contrast.

RETOUCHING is a higher level of editing that requires subtlety e.g removing or softening blemishes in portraits, or removing simple elements that you don’t want.

PHOTO MANIPULATION is the art of transforming or altering an image to convey what you want, rather than what the original image may have shown.

Suggestions:

• Create a Photomontage ~ a composite photograph achieved by pasting, rearranging and overlapping two or more photographs into a new image.
• Create a double exposure (“in camera” picture effects or programme such as Photoshop)
• Add or take out complex elements.
• Change the image to replicate a famous painter or art style
• Change the background completely.
• Use “in camera” picture effects such as water colour, pop art, partial colour, posterization
• Add overall texture/s
• Use software such as Nik, Pixel Bender, Flaming pear, Photoshop Filters

Skyscapes – Entries Due by 10th August

From the soft layers of colour of a clear early dawn to the drama of a vibrant sunset. Summer clouds to a threatening approaching storm.

Any photo in which the sky is the dominant feature. May contain landscape or buildings but these must be subordinate to the sky

H.S. James & Margaret Macdiarmid Memorial Landscape Competition – Entries due by 10th August 

H Stanley James ARPS  joined the Society shortly after its inception in 1937.  His service to the Society and to photography in New Zealand, as exhibitor, lecturer, judge, and on committee were outstanding. He was president of the Society, an international exhibitor and had a great liking for and expertise in landscape photography.

Margaret Macdiarmid, who became a member in 1959, also contributed generously to the success and friendliness of the Society through exhibiting, lecturing, judging and on committee. She, too, served as president, exhibited internationally and had a great liking for and expertise in landscape photography.

1. The names of the competition, which shall be open to all members of the Society regardless of their grading, shall be the HS JAMES MEMORIAL LANDSCAPE COMPETITION and the MARGARET MACDIARMID MEMORIAL LANDSCAPE COMPETITION.
2. As the object of these competitions is to stimulate diversity of photographic interests and to foster landscape photography in particular, an entry shall comprise THREE (3) colour or monochrome projected images (Margaret Macdiarmid Memorial Landscape Competition) or THREE (3) colour or monochrome prints (HS James Memorial Landscape Competition), portraying three diverse subjects, one, and only one of which must be a landscape. No more than TWO (2) sets in each competition may be submitted by any one member.
3. Images entered into Waikato Photographic Society monthly competitions prior to the previous year’s Memorial competitions, or entered into the previous year’s memorial competitions, shall not be eligible for current entry. They need not have been entered in the current year’s monthly competitions, but they may be entered subsequently.
4. All images must have been exposed by the entrant. Prints may be commercially processed and may be of any dimensions but mounts must be no larger than exceed 40cm x 50cm.  Projected images must conform to the WPS specifications (see 6 (b)).
5. Judges shall be selected from the PSNZ Panel of Judges.
6. If, in the opinion of the judge/s, any image of any set is not of sufficient merit, then that set shall be ruled out, as it is desired that a high standard be obtained throughout. Should the judge/s consider in either competition that no set qualifies for an award, then in the competition concerned no award shall be made in that year.
7. The committee shall have the power to alter these rules as and when necessary.

Self Portrait – Entries Due by 14th September

The self portrait is at its essence a picture that represents you. Often photographers and artists will create a self portrait to try to examine, extract and depict who they are and perhaps express
that to others.

One could complete this in several ways; Take a photo of yourself, maybe surrounded by an environment, objects, animals or people that have meaning to you, this may or may not include the camera that the photo is taken with.

Hide or reveal a body part that has positive or negative feelings for you. Often photographers may photograph their eyes or mouth as these are parts of our body used for communication.
Photograph a place or objects that capture something important about the your feelings,
ideas, interests or memories

When you looking for ideas about creating a self portrait, ask yourself about:

• my past, present, or future self
• my emotions, strengths or weaknesses
• the me as seen by others
• the memories and experiences that make me who I am
• myself as I wish others would see me
• my beliefs
• my relationships, interests and lifestyle

When creating your self portrait use your creative style to create a photo that really represents you. Try using props, role play, dressing up, or creating silhouettes or shadows. In camera you can use the built in effects, different apertures and playing with double exposures. In post production you can do whatever you want and create something that is truly you using, black and white, abstract colour, single colour, textures, posterisation or any other techniques.

The camera and photo must be set up; including the composition, focus, any settings and lighting by you the photographer. You can use a timer, remote control or hold the camera yourself to take the photo.

Juxtaposition – Entries Due by 12th October

The definition of juxtaposition is placing two things together to show contrast with each other or similarities. 

In photography, we use composition, forced perspectives or props to convey the contrasts in the picture. Photographs can also rely on cultural ideas and identities of the viewers.

Juxtaposition occurs when two things are placed side by side for comparison, often to highlight the contrast between the elements. To create a point of juxtaposition, the picture must contain at least two elements with strong visual weight. The viewer looks at both of these at the same time, coming to a conclusion about the purpose of each element.

Have a look at this link by Expert Photography to see 27 examples  https://expertphotography.com/27-juxtaposition-examples/

End of year Awards – Entries Due by 9th November

Up to four entries (from each medium) i.e. a maximum of 8 images (4 projected + 4 print), may be entered from entries submitted during the current competition year (February to November) 

You may use any images, including ones from Landscape Memorials or Photojournalism competitions. (Waikato Photographic Society images only). 

The following awards will be selected from images entered: 

1. In EACH GRADE: Champion colour projected image, Champion monochrome projected image, Champion colour print, Champion monochrome print.
2. OPEN competitions …. Champion Nature Print and Champion Nature Projected Image
3. ALL MEDIA ALL GRADES competitions: Champion Portrait, Champion Landscape, Most Creative Image.

The judge decides which images will be considered for each “award”.

Competition Rules state: “Entries in the annual competition will be judged to a high standard and no award will be made in any year if, in the opinion of the judge, a sufficient standard has not been reached”.