PPWC's Triannual Image Competition

Hello PPWC members + friends,

Thank you for your interest in PPWC's Image Competition. We are continuing to host our Image Competitions on the PrintCompetition.com platform.

With new platforms, bring new questions, and we hope to answer yours below. 

What remains the same?

Do know that MANY things remain the same! Our categories are the same. We still have our fabulous local judges as well as international guest judges. Our images will still be scored based on PPA's standards, the 12 elements of a merit image. 

What is new?

A few things that have changed. First, we will now enter our images through printcompetition.com. Secondly, to watch along as the images are being judged, you will view the images through printcompetition.com and listen to the judges through zoom. If you want to watch your scores at a later date, then you will need a Premium Membership through printcompetition.com. 

2025 Image Competition Details for PPWC

2025 // Save the Dates:

All Image Competitions take place on the Third Tuesday of the Month (unless otherwise noted.)

Tuesday, April 15th

Tuesday, July 15th

Tuesday, November 18th

Deadline to Enter:

Enter your image(s) by noon on the day of competition.

Who Can Enter:

Image Competition is open to any PrintCompetition.com Member. Only PPWC Members are eligible for PPWC Annual Awards.

How to Enter:

Submit your images through printcompetition.com

Image Competition Evening Schedule:

Be sure to check your email for links!

6:30pm // Login via zoom and say hello. Open up printcompetition.com to watch "game day" for PPWC which is where you'll view the images.

6:45 // Judging begins. Please mute yourself. Feel free to use the chat window! We love that!

Mid-Way // Short Break. Unmute and say hello to your friends or refresh your beverage!

9:00 // Most evenings will conclude around this time.  

 

 

Print Competition (dot) Com

We are continuing on with the award winning PrintCompetition.com platform used by over 80 PPA affiliates. The platform has been refined over 10 years to provide numerous benefits to entrants and organizers alike, with multi-platform GameDay viewing, convenient image upload, high quality viewing and convenient scoring for judges, plus an reviewable archive of over 80,000 images and scores many with audio commentary (an excellent training tool to tune your eye to a competition quality image.).

Create Your Account

It's a very easy process that takes a few minutes.

Be sure to select PPWC as your organization.

Choose a Membership Level that's right for you:

For the avid professional photographer who's looking to dive deep into image competition with full benefits, we recommend a premium membership. If you would like to enter unlimited competitions (nation-wide!), then a standard membership is good for you.

PrintCompetition.com

Enter Your Images: Five Easy Steps

 

1. Select PPWC from the available competitions

Once you have created your account and are logged in, select PPWC, circled here in red.

2. Are you a member of PPWC

This competition is open to PPWC only. Select YES if you are a member. 

3. Create New Image Entry

Click this button to make your entry. Your browser will go to a new page. 

4. Your Entry

Image Title: This is where you'll enter your image title which will be announced to the judges. (*Note: you do not need to follow our previous guidelines of making a file name with your name, image title, and category. ONLY enter your title.)

Category: Select the appropriate category for your image. IE: Creative Open, Wedding, Environmental Portrait, etc. Please see below for our full descriptions.

Click the button: Create New Entry. 

5. Upload Your Image

Upload your image by clicking the blue button. Please follow the guidelines in red for file size recommendations and more. 

Tips!

See something to retouch, but already uploaded your image? No problem! You can modify your image and upload a new one at anytime BEFORE the deadline. Pretty cool, right?? :) 

Repeat the Steps for Each Entry

And that's it. Super simple. Easy to modify if you like. And always accessible with a premium membership. 

Image Competition Categories + Descriptions

PPWC CATEGORIES

  • Creative Open
  • Digital Artistry 
  • Environmental Portrait
  • Masters
  • Reportage
  • Studio Portraits 
  • Wedding 
image by diane conger

Creative Open

Images not meeting the requirements of any other category. 

Images such as photojournalism, architectural, commercial, illustrative, wildlife photography, or other images that do not fit any of the other categories. Portraits and day-of wedding images are not appropriate for this category.

image by diane conger

Digital Artistry

Images created or drastically altered with computer software. This is a category exclusively showcasing digitally created art. Composite images require an attached copy of the original source images prior to editing.

image by diane conger

Environmental Portrait

An image capturing a person or people, or domestic animal that is out of a studio environment. It is implied that the photographer has reasonable control over lighting, posing, situation, wardrobe, and/or setting.

image by diane conger

Master

PPA Master Photographers will enter this category. Any maker who has won PPWC Photographer of the Year at least 3 times. 

image by diane conger

Studio Portrait

An image capturing a person or people, or domestic animal that is in an environment with the photographer having control of lighting, posing, situation, wardrobe, and/or setting where the photographer has control over the image capture and a reasonable amount of time to create the image.

image by diane conger

Reportage

Image of any subject matter that could be used for publication, including story telling, action sports, street scenes or documentary. Only dodging, burning, color correction, exposure and cropping is allowed.

image by diane conger

Wedding

This category is meant to stay in the spirit of a photographer working with actual clients in the confines of a wedding while having limited control of the subjects and situations. All images will be photographed on the day(s) of the event.

PPA's 12 Elements of a Merit Image

These are the 12 Elements of an Image.

  1. Impact 
    Compelling images evoke emotion—laughter, sadness, anger, pride.
     
  2. Technical Excellence
    The quality of the actual image as presented for viewing. Aspects such as retouching, sharpness, printing, color, and exposure should be spot on.
     
  3. Creativity
    The image is original, fresh, and an external expression of the maker’s imagination.
     
  4. Style
    The subject matter meshes with the presentation. Style can also include the characteristic ways that an artist applies his or her specific lighting, posing, or compositional style to underscore the desired impact.
     
  5. Composition
    The visual elements of an image come together to express intent, whether that’s to please the viewer or otherwise. The viewer’s attention is captured and directed where the artist plans it to be.
     
  6. Presentation
    The way an image is showcased gives it a finished look. Everything in the presentation—mats, borders, color choices—should work to enhance the image.  
     
  7. Color Balance 
    Colors work together to evoke feelings in the viewer. For example, it can bring harmony to an image and enhance the emotional appeal. It can also be incongruous to arouse diverse feelings.
     
  8. Center of Interest
    This is where an image’s creator wants a viewer’s attention focused. There may be primary and secondary centers of interest. Sometimes all the elements in an image work together to create the center of interest.
     
  9. Lighting
    The image demonstrates excellence in the use and control of light, whether natural or additive. Light informs dimensions and shape, sets tone and mood, and enhances the image.
     
  10. Subject Matter
    The subject matter is central to the story being told, so the subject should sync with the story.
     
  11. Technique
    The approaches used to create the image—lighting, posting, capture, presentation—work together to be effective.
     
  12. Storytelling
    The image evokes the viewer's imagination. While the act of creating is a personal thing, so too is the act of viewing. Each image is a story, and the one it tells a viewer may be unique to that person.

 

Scores will reflect this scale: 

100-95 Exceptional

94-90 Superior

89-85 Excellent

84-80 Deserving of a Merit

79-75 - Above Average

74-70 Average

69-65 Below Exhibition Standards

More Resources on PPA.com:

Understanding the 12 Elements
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