For the past 10-15 years I’ve been fascinated by many of the images submitted for the various print competitions.   I’ve judged 8×10 print competition and viewed literally thousands of prints each year, including portfolio reviews.   It’s that time of year when many of you are scurrying around at the last minute trying to get your entries together and it seems appropriate to put out a list of tips.

1)      Less is more!  We have too many “filter junkies” in this industry.  You know who you are!  If it wasn’t a great image to begin with, most people can’t clean it up unless their name is Eddie, John Paul or Julieanne, just to name a few of the geniuses out there.  And, if they were to clean up a “bad image” then the end product would have no resemblance to the original image and in its own right would be a work of art.   Back off the filters and don’t over do it!

2)      What’s in a name?   A lot, so take the time to be creative in the title of each submission.  It’s hard to be unique, but keep in the back of your mind that “First Love”, “Morning After” and “Young Love” have already been used – about 10,000 times.

3)      Exposure, composition and printing – is it your best work?   If you were the client would you buy the print?  I’m surprised when so often, especially the printing quality is poor. 

4)      Pay attention to the categories you enter.   I hung two prints one year in PPA which were underwater shots on chromes.  I know part of the reason they scored well was because they were unique – there were no other entries like them.  So, when you’re trying to decide what category to enter a print under take the time to consider all the possibilities.

5)      Sit in on judging.  I realize it’s not always possible, but ideally if you’re going to enter print competition then it should be AFTER you’ve observed the judging process.   The first time I entered in WPPI competition I went in to listen, thinking I’d stay for an hour – well, I stayed for almost 4 hours!  It’s the most educational event WPPI offers and very few people realize it.  Every print is judged by a panel of professional photographers, most of them instructors themselves.   Just listening to their comments about a print is invaluable and an incredible educational experience.

6)      It’s better to enter than NOT enter.   Entering prints in competition isn’t just about scoring or the recognition.   There’s a spinoff benefit that falls under the you-never-know category.   Twice I saw images picked for magazine covers that were entered originally in competition. 

Looking for a great image demonstrating portrait lighting one year,  we received a press release from Adobe.   Just a normal press release, but the third place winner was perfect for our needs and the photographer, a student, found he’d not only placed third in an Adobe contest, but locked in the cover of Rangefinder Magazine before he’d even graduated!   You never know what doors an image might open.

7.  Most important of all, when you do enter, don’t take it too seriously.  Enter with the expectation that it’s simply going to be a learning experience.  Remember too, that “beauty is in the eyes of the checkbook holder” (Dean Collins).   Just because a group of independent judges didn’t jump up and down over your print doesn’t mean your client didn’t love it!   Entering prints in competition takes a special mindset that allows you to just sit back, enjoy a little feedback – be it good or bad – and learn from the experience.