2023/2024 4C’s PRINTS (Updated 05/16/24)
This is a summary of the info for the print competition. The Gold Book has the complete rules and is available on the website.
PRINT COMPETITION: Print Competition includes all prints, whether made by traditional methods, on digital printers and/or in digital cameras and/or commercially made prints. All will be competing equally in this category.
SCORING SCALE: Judging clubs will score prints based on a scale of 5 to 9 points with half points, and no comments given.
ENTRIES: Each month clubs may enter up to five images from five different members of the club unless there are fewer than five individuals entering that month, in which case two images per individual is allowed. [Note that individuals belonging to more than one 4C’s member club may enter images in two of those clubs in which they hold membership, but no more than two images total, regardless of how many 4C’s clubs that individual belongs to]. This is an individual & club competition with a restriction on number of prints from a given club and therefore the club generally determines which prints are submitted.
Images that have received an award (Award of Merit or Honorable Mention) in any previous 4C’s competition year are not eligible to be re-entered at any time in the same Division/Class.
96 SQUARE PRINT DIMENSIONS: Prints and/or mounts must have a minimum size of 35-square inches and may not exceed 96 square inches (with the longest dimension not exceeding 20 inches).
AWARDS: Awards of Merit will be given to the prints scoring in the top 10%, and three prints will receive honorable mention awards. (This is referred to as the “10% plus 3” rule.)
LABELS AND FORMS: The competing club print chairs or print makers are responsible for affixing entry labels completely filled out to the back of the prints with the label positioned to indicate the top of the print, prior to sending them to the judging club.
All prints must be clearly identified with the following on the back of the mount (this identification should be written in alignment with the viewing position, top side up):
- Category that image will compete in (example: Monochrome or Color)
- Title (example: "My Best Image")
- Entrant’s Full Name and Address (example: Joe A. Photographer / 1234 Any Street, Sometown, USA 00000)
- Entrant’s Affiliate Organization’s Name (example: IdOreWashCal Camera Club)
- One completed submission sheet should accompany each package. The club name should be written on the outside of the package.
PRESENTATION/SHIPPING: Ship prints so they are received by the First of the Month. If you want the images returned to your club, please include in the shipment, the return postage (in stamp form) and return address label, for return shipping from the judging club. In addition, please consider not using plastic coverings that have sticky closing flaps – it is possible that stickiness will damage prints during handling. Please apply a label to the plastic coverings to ensure the correct photo is returned into the correct covering. Do NOT use anything but the US Postal Service, not everyone has access to other shipping services.
MATTING/MOUNTING: Prints must be entered unmounted. No frames allowed. Prints may be mounted (fixed to a hard, lightweight backing like mat board or foam core) if they are called back for end of year competition, but it is not required.
MAKE-UP ENTRIES: If you miss the deadline getting your prints to the judging club you must contact the 4C’s Print Chair before sending them to another club for judging. If, for some good reason (as determined by the 4C’s Competition Chair), a Members Club’s images are not available to the judging club in time for the scheduled judging a make-up entry may be made within two months. These images must be sent to the judging club for the current month, NOT to the judging club for the missed month. Make-up images are not eligible for awards (unless circumstances dictate otherwise as determined by the 4C’s Competition Chair). Entries that miss the May judging are just plain out of luck and will not be judged.