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                                  FWPPA Monthly Image Competition – Official Rules & Standards 

                           Updated for alignment with PPA’s 12 Elements & Professional Presentation Standards

Competition Schedule

  • FWPPA will hold a monthly digital image competition at each regular monthly meeting.

  • The competition will not be held during the December Holiday Party.

ELIGIBILITY

  1. Any Active or Associate member of FWPPA, in good standing, may enter a monthly Merit Image Competition.

  2. All images submitted for Merit Image Competition will be during social time prior to the meeting start at 6:30pm , unless the maker opts out by selecting the appropriate option on the entry form. This review is intended as a Supportive, peer level educational experience for members at all stages of competition, not as intimidation.

  3. Images scoring 79 or Below may be entered in a future Merit Image Competition at the maker’s discretion.

  4. New Active and Associate members, in good standing, are eligible to participate in Merit Image Competition beginning the month they join FWPPA .

  5. Wedding album entries must contain images from a single event .

  6. All entries must be captured and created by the entrant. Exceptions apply only to Restoration and Electronic Imaging entries, which must include a image on the print.

  7. The entrant’s name and studio name may not appear anywhere on the face of the entry.

  8. Images created under instructor supervision or as a class assignment are not eligible.

  9. Images previously merited at any PPA-affialiated judging are not eligible, including images from a merited album.

  10. All entries must include a title.

FEES

The FWPPA Merit Image Competition fee is included for Active and Associate members who pay dues monthly. Members who elect to pay annually will be charged $10 per image.

 

1. Image Scoring Standards

Images will be evaluated according to PPA 12 Elements of a Merit Image, which include:

  1. Impact

  2. Creativity

  3. Style

  4. Composition

  5. Presentation

  6. Color Balance

  7. Center of Interest

  8. Lighting

  9. Subject Matter

  10. Technique

  11. Storytelling

  12. Technical Excellence

 

Judges will apply these elements when determining the score of each entry.

Score Range

Rating

100–95 Exceptional

94–90 Superior

89–85 Excellent

84–80 Deserving of a Merit

79–75 Above Average

74–70 Average

  • A score of 80 or higher is required to earn any ribbon, regardless of category placement.

 

 

2. Submission Requirements (Digital Presentation Standards)

All entries must adhere to the following digital file specifications:

File Format & Color

  • JPEG format only

  • Embedded ICC color profile required: sRGB or Adobe RGB (1998)

  • No watermarks, studio names, entrant names, or identifying marks are allowed on the image.

Image Size

  • Longest dimension must be 4,000 pixels, regardless of orientation.

  • This aligns with standard competition practices and ensures consistent display quality for judging.

File Naming

  • Filenames must not include the entrant’s name or any identifying information.

  • Naming is otherwise flexible for internal organization

 

3. Categories for Submissions

  • PORTRAIT– Includes the following: individuals, seniors, families, children, and animals.

  • WEDDING– Can be a Bridal or Engagement portrait or any image taken at a wedding.

  • ILLUSTRATIVE– Includes: landscapes, scenery, buildings, commercial, photo journalism, restoration work and Electronic Imaging.
    (For these last 2 entries, the original photograph CAN be the work of another photographer but ALL of the artwork must be done by the entrant.
    We also ask that if entering a restoration or EI image that the print includes a ‘before & after’.)

  • ALBUMS– Can be any album, either bridal, wedding, engagement, or senior. Must consist of a minimum of 10 images represented in the album.  The album entrant must have created all the images within the album.   No other photographer’s images are allowed.  

 

 

4. Judging Process

Judging Panel

  • Images will be judged by a three-person panel, consisting of:

    • The evening’s guest speaker (when applicable)

    • Two Master Photographers or qualified judges

Scoring Method

  • Each judge scores independently.

  • The final score is determined by the average of all three judges’ scores.

  • Category awards are based on the highest scoring images that meet ribbon eligibility criteria.

 

Eligibility to Judge

  • Entrants may not serve as judges during any competition in which they have submitted images.

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5. Awards & Ribbons

Ribbons will be awarded in each category as follows:

  • Blue Ribbon – 1st Place

  • Red Ribbon – 2nd Place

  • Gold Ribbon – (Overall Competition Winner)

Minimum Score Requirement

To receive any ribbon, the image must score:
80 or above (Deserving of a Merit)

This ensures awards reflect the quality standards aligned with PPA merit-level photography.

 

6. Critiques & Score Release

  • Critiques will be provided each month by a variety of photographers to ensure diverse viewpoints and educational value.

  • Critiques will be delivered no later than the Wednesday morning of the monthly meeting.

  • Official scores will be released after the monthly meeting.

 

7. Purpose of Competition

FWPPA’s monthly Image Competition exists to educate, challenge, and elevate its members through meaningful critique and professional evaluation. The competition is designed to:

  • Provide thoughtful, constructive critique grounded in recognized professional and industry standards

  • Encourage continuous artistic, technical, and storytelling growth

  • Develop strong competition discipline and presentation skills for members preparing for district, state, and International Photographic Competition (IPC)

  • Promote consistency, craftsmanship, and intentional image making

  • Foster a supportive, respectful, and educational environment while maintaining the integrity and objectivity of professional judging

 

This competition is not solely about scores or awards, but about growth, preparation, and mastery of the craft strengthening both the individual image maker and the guild as a whole.

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PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR

  1. The Photographer of the Year Award is determined by participation and results in the monthly Merit Image Competitions conducted throughout the year during regularly scheduled evaluation months.

  2. All Merit- and Imaging Excellence-worthy images will be tracked and recorded by the Image Competition Director.

  3. To be eligible, a member must participate in a minimum of Six (6) monthly FWPPA Merit Image Evaluations within the calendar year. Plus, have attended Five (5) monthly meetings to be eligible.

  4. The member earning the highest number of Imaging Excellence awards through the Merit Image Evaluation process will be named Photographer of the Year and will receive a trophy at the December FWPPA meeting.

Year-End Awards

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FWPPA Year-End Awards recognize consistent excellence and craftsmanship demonstrated throughout the competition year.

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Award Categories

Year-End Awards will be presented in the following categories:

  • Portrait

  • Wedding

  • Illustrative

  • Artist

  • Reportage

  • Albums

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Eligibility

  • The maker must participate in a minimum of six (6) monthly Image competitions during the competition year.

  • Only images entered during the current calendar year are eligible.

 

Scoring & Determination

  • For each category, the maker’s six (6) highest-scoring images within that category will be used for Year-End Award consideration.

  • The average score of those six images will determine the final ranking.

  • The maker with the highest average score in each category will be named the Year-End Award recipient for that category.

 

Tie-Breaking

  • In the event of a tie, the image with the single highest individual score within the six qualifying entries will be used as the tie-breaker.

  • If a tie still remains, the Competition Director will follow established judging procedures to determine the final placement

 

Intent

The Year-End Awards are designed to reward consistent quality, growth, and mastery over time—not a single image—while encouraging ongoing participation and refinement of craft.

 

EDUCATIONAL TUITION AWARDS

  1. A total of $1,000.00 will be awarded annually at the December FWPPA meeting, divided into three (3) awards:

    • One (1) $500.00 award

    • Two (2) $250.00 awards

  2. Eligibility is based on participation in the monthly Merit Image Competition during the current calendar year.

  3. Each monthly Merit Image Evaluation entered earns one (1) entry into the Educational Tuition Awards drawing.

  4. To be eligible for the $500.00 award, a member must have participated in a minimum of six (6) Merit Image Evaluations during the year. There is no minimum participation requirement for eligibility for the two $250.00 awards.

  5. The $500.00 Educational Tuition Award winner will be selected by random drawing at the December FWPPA meeting. Entries are based on the number of months entered, not the number of images submitted (e.g., January entry = 1 drawing entry; January–April entries = 4 drawing entries). The winner need not be present to win.

  6. The two (2) $250.00 awards will be drawn from Active and Associate members in good standing who have entered at least two (2) Merit Image Competition. Winners need not be present to win.

  7. Educational Tuition Awards are not redeemable for cash.

  8. Awards will be reimbursed upon receipt and verified attendance at any PPA, TPPA, or affiliate guild educational event.

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©Fort Worth Professional Photographers Assoc. 2026 - all images are copyrighted

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