The BSS Photo Competition is now open for entrants. All the entries will be displayed at the 2018 Conference in Norwich where the winners will be chosen by the delegates.
Previous entries and winners can be seen here. Good luck!
Please click Read More to see the full competition rules (or view, download or print them here) and note that each entry must be accompanied by a completed Entry Form, available here.
British Sundial Society – Photographic Competition 2017-18
Competition Rules
1 By entering the competition entrants agree to abide by the terms and conditions published here.
2 The Competition is open only to current Members of the British Sundial Society. A disabled Member may submit an entry in which physical (though not compositional) help to take the photograph has been given by a helper.
3 Each photograph MUST contain a sundial or other closely related object.
4 Competitors may submit up to three entries, as prints only. These may be in colour or monochrome, in landscape or portrait format. Digitally captured images are acceptable but must be submitted as prints. Prints may be any size up to, but not exceeding 10½” x 7″ (265 x 180mm) and should be mounted on a thin sheet of card, but not larger than A4 size (297 x 210 mm.) A printed Title (not hand-written) must be applied below the picture, but with no further information. The Entrant’s name should not appear anywhere on the picture or the mount.
5 A separate Entry Form must accompany each print. Photocopies of the Entry Form may be used for additional entries. Each entry will be allocated a separate entry number. Information from the top section of the Entry Form will not be revealed before the results of the competition have been announced. The ‘Photograph Title’ may be simply the location of the dial or any title of your choice. Please include the location of the dial with its BSS SRN (if it is a recorded UK dial). Entries without full ̂information will only be allowed where details are withheld for security reasons.
(‘Notes & Comments’ may include technical details, such as a brief description of how the picture was obtained, lighting, time of day and any special techniques used such as digital enhancement.)
6 Copyright will belong to the entrant but they agree to the BSS using any or all of their submitted pictures and/or text for promotional purposes and the furtherance of the Society’s aims.
7 Entry to the 2017-18 competition will close on 9th April 2018. Responsibility cannot be accepted for entries lost, delayed or damaged in transit. Proof of posting will not be accepted as proof of delivery. Notification of receipt can only be issued if requested with the submission and if a stamped self-addressed envelope or postcard is enclosed, or an E-mail address has been provided.
8 Entries will not be returned by mail after the competition but may be taken by entrants at the close of the Conference if desired.
9 Announcement of the winners will be made at the BSS Conference, in April 2018.
Winners’ names will also be published in the BSS Bulletin and on the BSS website.
No other notification will be given.
10 The three highest placed entrants to the competition will each receive a certificate.
11 The British Sundial Society reserves the right to reproduce or otherwise use (without payment or further notice) any of the photographs for display and publicity purposes. Entrants agree to such use by signing the Entry Form.
12 Entrants are responsible for securing all necessary consents for the display and use of their pictures and for the public disclosure of the location of the dial. If any entrant is unable to provide the necessary consents, his or her entry may be deselected.
13 Entries should be sent by ordinary letter post to: BSS Photographic Competition, 309 Crofton Road, Orpington, Kent, BR6 8EZ
Please place the sender’s name and address on the reverse of the mailing envelope.
14 Delegates at the conference will be given the opportunity to vote on their preferences for the photographs on display. They are able to vote for three photos in order of preference, with points being awarded as follows: 1st Choice – 3 points, 2nd Choice – 2 points, 3rd Choice – 1 point.
The points awarded will be totalled for the individual photos and the winning places decided by the 3 highest scoring photographs.
In the event of a tie the organiser will appoint an individual judge to resolve the tie.
15 Photographs offered for entry should not have been previously published or exhibited and should not be entered again in this competition in subsequent years.
16 The winning pictures and a selection of the others will usually be published in the BSS Bulletin, in colour or black and white at the Editor’s discretion. All the photographs received, will form a display at the 2018 BSS Annual Conference and will later, and subject to availability, be available for exhibition and BSS promotion at any suitable venue suggested by Members and approved by the Council. These may include an Art Gallery, Village Hall, Stately Home or similar location.
17 Should the quality of entries fall below the required standard or the total number of entries be less than 15 the organiser reserves the right not to award any prizes.
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General Notes.
In the earlier years of the Photographic Competition, entries were marked by a panel of judges who would have been asked to mark the entries based on a list of features, some of which would have attracted more points than others. Amongst those marking categories were the Choice of Dial, General Interest, Lighting, Exposure & Focus, Originality, Presentation (including Mounting and Titling) and Overall Effect.
In this particular competition the photos will be voted upon by individual delegates at the conference. Consequently, these aspects may well feature in their deliberations. The pictures therefore need to be more than just a ‘snapshot’, a record shot of a sundial or a poorly presented entry, even if it is of a very interesting or unusual type of dial. Consider features such as the surroundings, time of day and lighting, season, appropriate title or perhaps the reaction of passers-by to help to make the photograph more interesting.
(BSS Photo Comp 2)