Competitions and Rules

The Harvey Adams Cup: to be awarded to the member competing in section A of the print progress competitions having the highest aggregate points over the season.

The Daisy Edis Trophy: to be awarded to the member competing in section A of the colour slide progress competitions having the highest aggregate points over the Season.  

The Stidwell Cup: to be awarded to the member competing in section B of the print progress competitions having the highest aggregate points over the season.  

The Leslie Buss Trophy: to be awarded to the member competing in section B of the colour slide progress competitions having the highest aggregate points over the season.  

The Ted Mansell Award: to be awarded to the best print in the annual exhibition. Judged by the guest of honour at the exhibition opening. 

The Fillingham Trophy: to be awarded to the member submitting the best colour slide in the “set subject” competition.    

The Des Kelly Trophy: to be awarded to the member submitting the best landscape or architectural print (monochrome or colour) taken within 2 miles of Durham City Marketplace.  

The Dunelm Trophy: to be awarded to the member submitting the best landscape or architectural colour slide taken within 2 miles of Durham City Market Place.  

The Iris Trophy: to be awarded to the member submitting the best set of slides that illustrate a theme. Up to six slides to constitute a set. 

The Hon Members Cup : to be awarded to the member submitting the best set of prints that illustrate a theme. Up to six prints to constitute a set. 

The Lambert Hedley Cup: to be awarded to the member submitting the best monochrome or colour print portrait of the year. "Portrait" being defined as a description of a person; showing one or all of the following: features, character, expression.  

The Leazes Bowl: to be awarded to the member submitting the best colour slide portrait of the year. “Portrait” being defined as a description of a person; showing one or all of the following: features, character, expression. 

The Valente Cup: to be awarded to the member submitting the best entry of 3 prints in the competition (monochrome, toned or colour, in any combination of all three). 

The Colour Trophy: to be awarded to the member submitting the best set of 3 colour slides that demonstrate the versatility of the photographer. The 3 slides will be judged on their overall merit as a set.  

The George Samuel Trophy: to be awarded for the best single slide in the Colour Trophy entry.  

The Sterling Awards: (two separate competitions, one Prints one Slides) to be awarded to the member submitting the print or slide best displaying imagination and innovation; either in concept, technique or presentation. 

The Pixel Trophy: To be awarded to the member competing in the Digital Image Progress Competitions having the highest aggregate points over the year.

Competition Rules

1. The Committee is empowered to vary the competition rules as and when considered necessary in the interest of the Society.

2. Open slide, digital image and print competitions shall be judged by an independent judge.

3. The Prints Progress Competition shall be in two classes: Section A for the more advanced members, Section B for the less advanced members. Each member will be free to decide whether he/she competes for the year in Section A or Section B.

4. Members may submit up to three entries per competition with the following exceptions:

4.1. The Colour Trophy: Only one set of three digital images will be allowed.

4.2. The Valente Cup: only one entry of three prints allowed.

4.3. Trio Print Competition: a maximum of six prints per competition (see details on page 6).

5. A member’s number and competition being entered must be on all slide and print entries (on the back of prints) and entries may be titled. The member’s name must not appear on the entry. For digital images, the file title should contain the member’s number, title and competition being entered in the following format:  membership no_title (or “no title” if required),_competition entered e.g. 03_flowers_p2 (in this instance “p2” would represent Progress 2).

6. Members shall present slides and prints for competitions, to the respective competition secretaries, for collection at the Society on or before the closing dates advised in the Programme unless other individual arrangements have been made with the respective competition secretaries. Members shall provide digital images on either floppy disc or CD. Digital images may also be sent by email to the competition secretary (projected images) at the email address advised in the Programme. These images shall be presented to the competition secretary (projected images) on or before the closing dates advised in the Programme unless other individual arrangements have been made with the competition secretary.

The competition secretary reserves the right to resize any image file where necessary. (NB – please refer to the disclaimer on the back page. Should a member require their images to be transferred to the Society’s computer using a USB storage device, it is suggested that they use a device of no value as the Society will not be liable for any damage caused to the device.)

7. In Progress Competitions, the judge is to select the top five entries, from 1st to 5th (no joint placings). Any number of highly commended placings may also be awarded. “Place points” will be allocated on the following scale: 1st, 10 points; 2nd, 8 points; 3rd, 6 points; 4th, 4 points; 5th, 3 points; and highly commended, 2 points.

8. In Progress Competitions, points awarded to entries shall count towards a member’s aggregate over the season. An image can only be entered once in the form of a slide; digital image; or print in Progress Competitions, however, in Print Progress Competitions, a previous Section B entry may be used in a Section A competition. NB – variations of an image previously entered in other formats will only be accepted at the discretion of the competition secretaries.

10. Entries to all other competitions shall not have been entered in the same competition in previous years.

11. Prints may be produced by traditional darkroom means or from a digital image by means of a computer and printer.

12. Prints must be mounted with a maximum mount size of 50cm x 40cm. The top of the print shall be indicated on the back of the print.

13. Slides may be colour or monochrome and mounted in 50mm x 50mm standard sized mounts and between glass.

Slides must be spotted. A spot must be placed in the bottom left hand corner of the mount when the slide is viewed normally by hand. Slides incorrectly spotted will only be accepted at the discretion of the competition secretary.

14.  Digital images are images that are to be shown on a computer screen or via a digital projector. The source of the digital image may be from film (positive or negative), prints or digital capture. Ideally, they should be 1024 pixels wide in landscape format or 768 pixels high in portrait format. The file should be saved as a Medium jpeg file.