Vermont Professional
Photographers

1. IMAGE FEES AND DEADLINES

a. Image entry registration with PrintCompetition.com opens on January 16, 2023

i. The entry DEADLINE is Wednesday, March 1, 2023, at 11:00 P.M.

b. VPP members entry fee is $12/regular image.

c. Non-VPP members entry fee is $15/regular image.

d. Full-time Vermont high school and college students’ entry fee is $7/regular image.

e. The entries for the Creative Theme and Mack Derick categories at no charge.

f. At the end of your image registration, image entry fees should be paid via PayPal.

2. PRINTCOMPETITION.COM

a. The PrintCompetition.com platform will be used to host and organize all entries.

b. All image-makers must create a profile at PrintCompetition.com and register each entry with

the VPP competition.

c. 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

a. For VPP Vermont residents to submit entries in the VPP Annual Image Competition, their

2023 VPP dues will be paid in full no later than March 1, 2023.

b. Out-of-state entrants may compete with six regular entries.

c. Out-of-State high school and college students may compete with six regular entries.

d. High school and college students, full-time and in good standing, are allowed to enter at the

reduced student fee rate.

4. ENTRIES ALLOWED

a. Up to six regular entries may be submitted by each entrant with digital images.

b. Digital album entries. Each album will be one of your regular entries.

c. Image-makers may use the same model/subject in multiple images if the images are

created with entirely different concepts.

i. If the entirely different concepts standard isn’t met, all images with the same

subject will be disqualified.

ii. The Image Committee Chair has the final word for any questions/disputes.

d. 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.

e. Images captured by any entrant at a photography school, or under the supervision of an

instructor, are not allowed.

i. High school and college students, in good standing, are exempt from this rule until

they are no longer enrolled as a student.

f. In addition to six regular entries, one entry for each special category is also allowed:

i. Mack Derick Memorial

ii. VPP’s Creative Theme (2023 – “Smartphone Born”)

5. OUT-OF-STATE ENTRIES

a. Up to six entries are allowed by each out-of-state entrant and shall follow the same rules as

VPP members.

b. Only one Out-of-State Court of Honor award is available for these entries.

i. All other awards are available only to Vermont VPP members.

6. OUTSOURCING

a. 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.

b. A third-party may offer recommendations for your consideration but may not make the

ultimate decisions.

7. AI-GENERATED IMAGES

a. Content created by Artificial Intelligence is not allowed in VPP’s Photographic Competition.

b. This is a photographic 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

a. The longest side of each image file should be 4000 pixels at 200ppi.

b. Image files saved to a JPEG quality of 10

c. Image file size should not exceed 7.5MB.

d. Image files should be saved in either sRGB, or the Adobe RGB 1998, color space.

e. These digital files will be used for awards selection, presentation, and publishing on the VPP

website and convention book.

10. JUDGING

a. Images will be judged Friday, March 3, 2023, in an open PPA-style image judging.

b. PPA rules will be followed as they apply to state-level print competitions.

c. Images will be judged individually, but not in categories or classifications.

d. PPA Automatic Majority Challenge rule replaces the 78-79 and 80-81 review process.

e. The Photographic Committee Chairman 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

a. 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.

b. Designate one of these categories for each entry, including albums, when uploading your

entries:

i. 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

ii. Illustrative:

1. Nature: flowers, insects, wild animals, zoo animals

2. Commercial: real estate, architecture, still life and product photography

3. Includes images that don’t fit into other categories.

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.

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13. CREATIVE THEME AWARD

a. This year’s theme is “Smartphone Born”

b. Vermont VPP members may enter one image in this category.

c. This category is in addition to the 6 regular entries and is free to enter.

d. Judging is done within the VPP Photographic Competition.

e. 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

a. Awarded to a Vermont student photographer who is currently in high school, or college, and is

full-time and in good standing.

b. The winner of this award must have a VPP mentor who is in good standing.

i. If you need help finding a VPP mentor, contact the image committee chairman.

c. The winner of the Student Photographer award will receive a $500 college scholarship.

16. GEORGE R. READ MEMORIAL AWARD

a. A Vermont VPP member's image in a Vermont setting is eligible for this judges’ choice award.

b. The image may be a portrait, commercial, or pictorial, but must stress the natural beauty of

the State of Vermont, its people, or heritage, to be eligible.

17. COURT OF HONOR AWARDS

a. Any single image entry that scores 80-100, is eligible for these judges’ choice awards.

b. Three awards shall be given to non-masters.

c. Three awards shall be given to VPP members holding any of these PPA degrees and

registered as a “PPA Master” on PrintCompetition.com:

i. Master of Photography (M.Photog.)

ii. Master Artist (M.Artist)

iii. Master of Wedding Photography (M.Wed.Photog.)

d. 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. Or is a judges’ choice if more than

one entry 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. Or is a judges’ choice if

more than one entry 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. Or is a judges’

choice if more than one entry 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. Or is a judges’ choice if

more than one entry in same highest scoring level (Excellent, Superior, Exceptional).

22. BEST LANDSCAPE AWARD

a. This award goes to the highest scoring LANDSCAPE entry, 80-100. Or is a judges’ choice if

more than one entry 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. Or is a judges’ choice if more

than one entry scores in the same highest scoring level (Excellent, Superior, Exceptional).

24. BEST OF SHOW AWARD

a. This award goes to the highest scoring entry from the five category winners, 85-100.

b. Or is a judges’ choice if more than one entry scores in the same highest scoring level

(Excellent, Superior, Exceptional).

25. CERTIFIED PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHER (CPP) AWARD

a. This award is given to the highest scoring image by a Vermont VPP CPP.

26. AMERICAN SOCIETY OF PHOTOGRAPHERS (ASP) AWARD

a. This award is given to the highest scoring image by a Vermont VPP ASP member.

27. DIGITAL ALBUM

a. An album is one of the regular entries.

b. Currently, albums do not have a separate category

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

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

i. https://www.ppa.com/events-members/photo-competitions-mem/ipcresourcesmem

d. All page/spread files must have:

i. the longest file dimension at 4000 pixels,

ii. have an embedded color profile of either sRGB or Adobe RGB1998,

iii. saved at a JPEG quality setting of 10.

e. Each page/spread file may contain as many images as you desire.

f. An entry shall contain a minimum of 5 pages/spread files up to 36 pages/spread files

g. Files will be numbered in viewing order with two digits, i.e., 01 jpg, 02 jpg, 03 jpg, etc.

h. All individual files must be compressed into a single ZIP file. ZIP file must be named: Album

Title.zip (e.g., Summer Wedding.zip).

i. Studio identification or entrant's name cannot appear on any file within the album entry.

j. MULTI-MAKER ALBUM:

i. Should be entered by the photographer with the most images in the album.

ii. Each entrant must have a minimum of 10 images.

iii. Multi-maker albums will be judged as one entry.

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

a. These awards are based on image competition performance.

b. Six regular qualifying entries are required to be considered for this award.

c. A minimum of four entries scoring 80, or above, is required.

d. The scores are based on the highest total score from the top four entries.