Vermont Professional
Photographers all abilities welcome!

NOTICE: All entries are digital only for this remote photo competition. 

1. IMAGE FEES AND DEADLINES  

1. Image entry registration with PrintCompetition.com opens on January 12, 2024 
2. The entry DEADLINE is Thurs., February 15, 2024, at 11:00 P.M.  
3. VPP members entry fee is $15/regular image.  
4. Non-VPP members entry fee is $20/regular image. 
5. Full-time Vermont high school & college students’ entry fee is $7/regular image. 
6. The entriesfor the Creative Theme and Mack Derick categories at no charge. 
7. At the end of your image registration, image entry fees payment is via PayPal.  

2. PRINTCOMPETITION.COM  

1. The PrintCompetition.com platform will be used to host and organize all entries. 
2. All image-makers must create a profile at PrintCompetition.com and register each entry with the VPP competition.  
3. Club79 will be open to members and the public during judging. Have fun, discuss images, and relax in the comfort of your home, but please keep the tone respectful.  

3. ELIGIBILITY FOR THIS COMPETITION 

1. For VPP Vermont residents to submit entries in the VPP Annual Photography Competition, their 2024 VPP dues will be paid no later than February 1, 2024.  
2. Out-of-state residents may compete with six regular entries. 
3. Out-of-State high school and college students may compete with 6 regular entries.  
4. All high school and college students, who are full-time and in good standing, are allowed to enter at the reduced student fee rate.  

4. ENTRIES ALLOWED  

1. Up to six regular entries may be submitted by each entrant with digital images. 
2. Digital album entries. Each album will be one of your regular entries.  
3. Image-makers may use the same model/subject in multiple images if the images are created with entirely different concepts.  
   1. If the entirely different concepts standard isn’t met, all images with the same subject will be disqualified.  
   2. The Photography Committee Chair has the final word for any questions/disputes.  
4. Images that have earned a PPA Merit Image Review* Category C or D or have been previously entered in VPP annual image competitions AND scored 80, or above, are not allowed.  
5. Images captured by any entrant at a photography school, or under the supervision of an instructor, are not allowed.  
   1. High school and college students, in good standing, are exempt from this rule until they are no longer enrolled as a student.  
6. In addition to six regular entries, one entry for each special category is also allowed:  
   1. Mack Derick Memorial  
   2. VPP’s Creative Theme 

5. OUT-OF-STATE ENTRIES
 

1. Up to six entries are allowed by each out-of-state entrant and shall follow the same rules as VPP members.  
2. Only one Out-of-State Court of Honor award is available for these entries. 
3. All other awards are available to VPP members who currently live in Vermont.   

6. OUTSOURCING 

1. The outsourcing or supplying of digital files or film to a lab, editor, retoucher or print service is allowable under your direct supervision and explicit instruction.  
2. A third-party may offer recommendations for your consideration but may not make the ultimate final decisions. 

7. AI-GENERATED IMAGES 

1. Content created by Artificial Intelligence is not allowed in VPP’s Photographic Competition.  
2. This is a photography competition for photographers and computer artists who create their own images. 

8. CERTIFICATION OF RESPONSIBILITY  

a. By entering this photographic competition, each entrant certifies they created, composed, and made the original exposures and the processing, printing, and special effects were done by them, or under their direction, and all entries contain only appropriate content.  

9. DIGITAL ENTRIES – SUBMISSION GUIDELINES  

1. The longest side of each image file should be 4000 pixels at 200ppi.  
2. Image files saved to a JPEG quality of 10  
3. Image file size should not exceed 7.5MB.  
4. Image files should be saved in either sRGB, or the Adobe RGB 1998, color space. 
5. These digital files will be used for awards selection, presentation, and publishing on the VPP website and convention book. 

10. JUDGING  

1. Images will be judged Saturday, February 17, 2024, in a PPA-style image judging.  
2. PPA rules will be followed as they apply to state-level print competitions.  
3. Images will be judged individually, but not in categories or classifications.  
4. PPA Automatic Majority Challenge rule replaces the 78-79 and 80-81 review process.  
5. The Photography Committee Chair has the authority to decide any questions not specifically covered by these rules, and his/her decision will be final.  

11. IMAGE CORNERS  

a. Blue, red, and white corners are awarded as follows:  

i. Blue = 80-100; Red = 75-79; White = 70-74  

12.PHOTOGRAPHIC IMAGE CATEGORIES 

1. For the awards selection, your images will only be considered for awards in the categories you check marked during your online registration on PrintCompetition.com.  
2. Designate one of these five categories for each entry, including albums, when uploading your entries: 
   1. Portraits: 
      1. Portrait of 1 or 2 Adults 
      2. Family Portraits - 3 or more people 
      3. Newborn Portrait 
      4. Children’s Portraits 
      5. High School Senior Portraits 
      6. Boudoir, Glamour, Fashion 
      7. Pet Portraits 
      8. Wedding studio portraits  

iii. Landscape/Cityscape 

iv. Wedding/Events: 

1. Wedding - Documentary 
2. Wedding - Posed 
3. Event 
4. Non-Event - Portraits and Storytelling 

v. Artist  

1. This category is judged with emphasis on the creative use of manipulation through any means of imaging. 
2. It is not intended to be just images that are retouched, enhanced, or printed digitally. 
3. Photo restorations should be placed in this category. 
4. Entries may include any appropriate subject and may have additional elements not created by the maker. 
5. All processing, manipulation, artwork, or rendering must be done by the entrant.  
6. Guide images must be included on the submitted image.   

13+ continued...

13. CREATIVE THEME AWARD  

a. This year’s theme is “Face-to-Face.” 

1. Vermont VPP members may enter one image in this category. 
2. This category is in addition to the 6 regular entries and is free to enter. 
3. Judging is done within the VPP Photography Competition. 
4. The judges will select the image that best exemplifies and interprets this year’s theme.  

14. MOST PROMISING NEWCOMER  

a. Awarded to a Vermonter who has competed in VPP’s Image Competition for 2 consecutive years, or more. 

15. STUDENT PHOTOGRAPHER AWARD 

1. Awarded to a Vermont student photographer who is currently in high school, or college, and is full-time and in good standing. 
2. The winner of the Student Photographer award will receive a $500 college scholarship. 

16. GEORGE R. READ MEMORIAL AWARD  

1. For VPP members who resides in Vermont, and entered this category during registration, are eligible for this judges’ choice award, if part B applies. 
2. The image may be a portrait, commercial, or pictorial, but to be eligible, must stress the natural beauty of the State of Vermont, its people, or heritage.   

17. COURT OF HONOR AWARDS  

1. Any single image entry that scores 80-100, is eligible for these judges’ choice awards. 
2. Three awards shall be given to VPP non-masters.  
3. Three awards shall be given to VPP members holding any of these PPA degrees and registered as a “PPA Master” on PrintCompetition.com:  
   1. Master of Photography (M.Photog.) 
   2. Master Artist (M.Artist) 
   3. Master of Wedding Photography (M.Wed.Photog.)  
4. One award for an out of state entrant may be chosen.  

18. BEST BLACK & WHITE AWARD  

a. This award goes to the highest scoring B&W entry, 80-100. 

b. Or is a judges’ choice if more than one entry in this category scores in the same highest scoring level (Excellent, Superior, Exceptional). 

19. BEST PORTRAIT AWARD  

a. This award goes to the highest scoring PORTRAIT entry, 80-100. 

b. Or is a judges’ choice if more than one entry in this category scores in the same highest scoring level (Excellent, Superior, Exceptional). 

20. BEST WEDDING/EVENT AWARD  

a. This award goes to the highest scoring WEDDING/EVENT entry, 80-100. 

b. Or is a judges’ choice if more than one entry in this category scores in the same highest scoring level (Excellent, Superior, Exceptional). 

21. BEST ILLUSTRATIVE AWARD  

a. This award goes to the highest scoring ILLUSTRATIVE entry, 80-100. 

b. Or is a judges’ choice if more than one entry in this category scores in the same highest scoring level (Excellent, Superior, Exceptional). 

22. BEST LANDSCAPE AWARD  

a. This award goes to the highest scoring LANDSCAPE entry, 80-100. 

b. Or is a judges’ choice if more than one entry in this category scores in the same highest scoring level (Excellent, Superior, Exceptional). 

23. BEST ARTIST AWARD  

a. This award goes to the highest scoring ARTIST entry, 80-100.

b. Or is a judges’ choice if more than one entry in this category scores in the same highest scoring level (Excellent, Superior, Exceptional). 

24. BEST OF SHOW AWARD  

1. This award goes to the highest scoring entry from the five category winners, 85-100.  
2. Or is a judges’ choice if more than one entry scores in the same highest scoring level (Excellent, Superior, Exceptional).  

1. CERTIFIED PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHER (CPP) AWARD  
   1. This award is given to the highest scoring image by a Vermont VPP Certified Professional Photographer (CPP). 

1. AMERICAN SOCIETY OF PHOTOGRAPHERS (ASP) AWARD  
   1. This award is given to the highest scoring image by a Vermont VPP American Society of Photographers (ASP) member. 

27.  DIGITAL ALBUM 

1. An album is one of the regular entries.  
2. Currently, albums do not have a separate category. 

i. So, enter it in one of the 5 image categories. 

1. See the PPA video tutorial for preparing an album for competition: 

i. https://www.ppa.com/credentials-mem/merit-image-review/mir-rules

1. All page/spread files must have: 
   1. the longest file dimension at 4000 pixels,  
   2. have an embedded color profile of either sRGB or Adobe RGB1998,  
   3. saved at a JPEG quality setting of 10. 
2. Each page/spread file may contain as many images as you desire. 
3. An entry shall contain a minimum of 5 pages/spread files up to 36 pages/spread files 
4. Files will be numbered in viewing order with two digits, i.e., 01 jpg, 02 jpg, 03 jpg, etc. 
5. All individual files must be compressed into a single ZIP file. ZIP file must be named: Album Title.zip (e.g., Summer Wedding.zip). 
6. Studio identification or entrant's name cannot appear on any file within the album entry. 
7. MULTI-MAKER ALBUM:  
   1. Should be entered by the photographer with the most images in the album. 
   2. Each entrant must have a minimum of 10 images.   
   3. Multi-maker albums will be judged as one entry.   

28. VERMONT HIGH LEVEL OF EXCELLENCE AWARDS: GOLD, SILVER, BRONZE  

1. These awards are based on image competition performance. 
2. Six regular qualifying entries are required to be considered for this award.  
3. A minimum of four entries scoring 80, or above, are required. 
4. The scores are based on the highest total score from the top four entries.

29.MACK DERICK MEMORIAL AWARD 

1. Special Notes:for the 2024 competition, each printmaker needs to:
   1. Photographs enter in this category are only eligible for this award.
   2. Register your entry on PrintCompetition.com in this category only. 
   3. Print your Mack Derick photograph on your printer, or with your direct instructions and supervision. 
   4. The physical print must be delivered to Photography Competition Chairman, Wayne Tarr, bySaturday, February 17, 2024, before the competition starts.  

A. This award was established to give members a continuing incentive to create and enter    images of their own production. The award is in memory of one of the founders of VPP and a lifelong craftsman of the photographic arts. The intent of this award is to honor the craftsmanship of photography. This includes exposure of a sensitized material, film or digital sensor, which is processed in chemistry, or with a computer, and brought to a print through a chemical process, or an inkjet printer.

B. To earn this award, a member of VPP (also known as the “maker”) must enter a physical print and a digital image annually in the Mack Derick Memorial Award category. 

C. Judging shall be on the same basis as the VPP Photography Competition. The print/image shall earn the following points:

90+ = 5 pts; 85-89 = 4 pts; 80-84 = 3 pts; 75-79 = 2 pts; 74 = 1 pt; 73 & below = 0 pts

D. To receive the Mack Derick Memorial Award, the maker must compete for this award annually until 15 points have been earned. If the maker misses a year, any points they have earned will reset to (0) zero. 

E. Each print must be wholly of the maker’s own production (except for color first generation processing) from photographic capture to the finished mounted print, including all retouching, enhancements, and printing. 

F. Prints shall conform to the current rules for entry into VPP’s Photography Competition. 

G. The print, which may be a black and white, or color, print and will be in addition to the case total allowed by the VPP Print Rules. 

H. Transparencies are not eligible. 

I. An identical digital image of the Mack Derick physical print must be registered on 

PrintCompetiton.com. There is no entry fee for this category. 

J. The deadline for delivering the current year’s print to the VPP Photography Competition Chairman is any time before the judges start scoring the competition. If the Competition Chairman receives the print after this deadline, the image will receive (0) zero points, the maker keeps previously earned points, and the maker may continue entering this category the following year. If the print is not delivered by the end of the current year’s competition, this will be considered a missed year, and any earned Mack Derick points will be forfeited and reset to (0) zero. 

K. If the current year’s competition is a virtual competition, the maker‘s Mack Derick digital image is what the judges will score for points. If the competition is in-person, the maker’s physical print will be judged for points. 

L. Apply the Mack Derick Memorial Award label on the back of the entry print. See below.

M. Mack Derick Memorial Award recipients may receive this award one time only.

1. By entering this award challenge, you certify that you have read and understand the specifications of the Mack Derick Memorial Award as set forth in the VPP Photography Competition Rules. You also certify that you personally did all the work from capture to its final presentation for this award challenge.