Warm up your cameras! 2011 IAP Photo Challenge is underway!

[MesquiteMan]

Get your cameras out! Let's see who takes the best photos on IAP!



2011 IAP Photo Challenge

Whether photography is your passion, your hobby, or just a necessary evil to showcase your pens, we invite you to participate in our 2011 International Association of Penturners Photo Challenge, celebrating the IAP's 7th anniversary!

All IAP members are welcome to participate.

Please read the complete contest rules before entering.

OFFICIAL CONTEST RULES
No donation or payment necessary to enter or win

Photo Eligibility
To enter, you must be a registered member of IAP. Judges and others participating in the administration of the Photo Challenge are not eligible to participate. Photos can be from any date and do not have to be taken specifically for the contest but THEY MAY NOT HAVE BEEN PREVIOUSLY SHOWN ON IAP IN ANY FORM. The photo subject must be relevant to one of the following contest categories:

• Pen Marketing Photos (like you would use on a website to sell your pens)
• Shop and Shop Life Photos (photos of anything related to penturning)
• Creative use of the IAP logo (anything goes!)

Photo Formats
Entries may be color or black & white digital images only.

Submitting Digital Images
Digital images should be submitted using the official entry form. Images should be a minimum of 600 pixels and a maximum of 800 pixels in one direction, depending on the orientation. Images should be submitted in JPG format. File sizes must be less than 150K per image. ALL PICTURES THAT DO NOT MEET THESE REQUIREMENT WILL BE REJECTED WITHOUT NOTICE!

Image Modifications:
Minor digital enhancement is permitted, but images that have been significantly modified or appear unnatural will be disqualified except for the artistic/creative category where anything goes.

Not Permitted:
• Anything goes in the Creative Use of the IAP Logo category but it must contain the IAP logo! Please do not add any personally identifying information, however.
• No borders or frames may be added to images.
• No watermarks, signatures, or copyright notices may be added to images. All winning images will be displayed with the photographer's name.
• Adding or replacing elements in an image is not permitted

Permitted Modifications:
• Anything goes in the Creative Use of the IAP Logo category!
• Images may be cropped and rotated as necessary.
• Red-eye removal and spot editing
• One-step enhancement (such as "AutoFix", "QuickFix", "Auto Levels", etc.)
• Use of filters to sharpen, soften, blur, despeckle, or remove noise.
• Use of corrective functions to improve the natural appearance of the image, such as levels, contrast, brightness, curves, intensity, tone, hue, saturation, lightness, value, color balance, and tint

Photographer/Copyright
Entries must be submitted by the original photographer. Do not submit a photo taken by someone other than you. You must be the sole owner of the copyright of any image submitted. Your submission of the photo is your guarantee that you are the author and copyright holder of the photo.

Ownership/Use Rights
Photographers retain the copyright to their photographs. By entering the contest, photographers agree to have their submitted photograph displayed on the IAP website without any fee or other form of compensation. Photographers agree that IAP may display winning photos in a "past winners" photo gallery and retain copies of the photograph for promotional purposes. Photos will be credited to the photographer.



How to Enter
Photos need to be submitted through the official entry from and ABSOLUTELY NOT POSTED ON THE FORUM. If it has been shown on IAP, it is not qualified. Only your IAP username is required on the entry form but I highly suggest that you include the other fields so that it will make it easier to send you your prizes if you win! All personal information will be kept strictly confidential and will only be accessible to myself, Jeff, and the person shipping your prize.

A photo may only be entered in one category; up to 2 entries per person per category. Entries must be received by February 14, 2011 11:59 PM CST be eligible.

Judging
Entries will be judged using the following criteria: Composition (5 points) Creativity (5 points) Lighting (5 points) Visual Impact (5 points). An anonymous panel consisting of 4 expert IAP Members will judge the entries to narrow the field to the best 6 photos in each category. The finalists will then be posted in a thread for general membership voting. Any ties in the general membership voting will be decided by the judges. All contest decisions are final. Entries that fail to comply with the Official Contest Rules will be disqualified.

Prizes
Prizes will be awarded as follows:

Pen Marketing Photos
1st Place
2nd Place

Shop and Shop Life Photos
1st Place
2nd Place

Creative use of the IAP logo
1st Place
2nd Place

Best Overall Photo
1st Place

 

[Timebandit]

Does the up to 2 entries per person per category mean 2 pics of the same pen per say per category or 1 pic of 2 different pens per say per category?

Thanks

 

[MesquiteMan]

It means you can enter 2 pictures per category. In other words, you can enter up to 6 different photos. If you want them to be of the same pen, that is your choice. We are NOT judging the pen but rather the photo.

 

[Rmartin]

Pen Marketing Photos (like you would use on a website to sell your pens)

I don't understand this category. The rules say I can't add borders or signatures. All of my advertising photos use these elements. I don't understand what kind of photo you're looking for.

Thanks

 

[MesquiteMan]

Pen Marketing Photos (like you would use on a website to sell your pens)

I don't understand this category. The rules say I can't add borders or signatures. All of my advertising photos use these elements. I don't understand what kind of photo you're looking for.

Thanks

If you want to add a border, that is fine with me if that is what you use to market your pens. However, adding a signature would completely negate the anonymity that this contest is designed for. If you add your signature, then the judges will know whose photo it is for sure.

 

[Timebandit]

Thanks Curtis

 

[Rmartin]

Thanks, that makes sense out the anonymity. I hadn't thought about that. I just wasn't sure about how much creative license could be used. For instance, I might photoshop a picture of a cinnamon pen with a cinnamon bun in the background, but I also have an actual pen photo that I use on a white background with a simple border. Does that make sense?

Pen Marketing Photos (like you would use on a website to sell your pens)

I don't understand this category. The rules say I can't add borders or signatures. All of my advertising photos use these elements. I don't understand what kind of photo you're looking for.

Thanks

If you want to add a border, that is fine with me if that is what you use to market your pens. However, adding a signature would completely negate the anonymity that this contest is designed for. If you add your signature, then the judges will know whose photo it is for sure.

 

[studioso]

is there a place where I can see past winners?
or is this the first time you run this contest?

 

[MesquiteMan]

Unfortunately, there is not any place to see the winners of the '09 contest. When I did that contest, I hosted the photos on my own server for simplicity sake and then linked them to the site. Some time after that bash, I changed hosts and completely re-did my website and did not realize the photos were on that server so they got deleted. This year, the entry form submits all photos to the IAP content server where they will reside forever for posterity sake! Sorry!

 

[G1Pens]

Are you holding all the entried until the deadline, and will then post the finalists in a new thread?

 

[MesquiteMan]

Yes. The photos will be judged by an anonymous panel of judges. Once the field has been narrowed down, the top 4 or 5 in each category will be posted as a poll for IAP members to vote on. After the contest is over, all photos will be shown to the public.

 

[MesquiteMan]

Don't forget the photo contest! I have received 15 pictures so far for all 3 categories combined! There is less than a week left to get your pics entered!!

 

[toddlajoie]

Don't forget the photo contest! I have received 15 pictures so far for all 3 categories combined! There is less than a week left to get your pics entered!!

Man, I wish I was not so busy....

 

[DurocShark]

Yeah, that's been my problem too.

 

[MesquiteMan]

Last call for entries in the photo contest! The deadline for sending in your submissions is midnight central time tonight. Don't miss out, not a lot of entries yet, especially in the IAP logo category and the Shop Life category.

 

[DurocShark]

I just haven't had time.

Sucks.

 

[philb]

OK, You twisted my arm

 

[witz1976]

Damn it, was going to enter mine and just noticed I missed the deadline

 

[DurocShark]

Maybe if you ask Curtis nicely...

 

[MartinPens]

Any idea when the finalists will be posted in a thread? Looking forward to seeing all of the entries. Will there be opportunity to see all the entries?

 

[MesquiteMan]

I will be processing the photos (numbering, etc) this evening and possibly tomorrow. Then I will submit the photos to the judges for them to review for the rest of the week. Then, hopefully, I will have the membership voting on the finalists ready by Saturday or Sunday. Member voting will be open for 1 week, then the winners will be announced. If you have photos that intended to submit but missed the deadline, go ahead and submit them. No promises that they will make it into the contest but if you catch me before I submit to the judges, then you will be in.