Note that the rules were updated for the 2026/7 season. The key changes were:
- New rules regarding whether an image can be submitted more than once and whether similar images to previous ones are allowed (1.5, 1.6 and 2.4).
- Clarification regarding the use of AI in submitted images (1.7).
- Renaming of the “Hilda Thurman” competition to “Pure and Simple”.
1.0 General
1.1 These rules apply to Beeston Camera Club competitions.
1.2 Competitions are only open to fully paid-up members of the club.
1.3 The Competition Secretary has the right to refuse late entries.
1.4 In any of the themed competition, points will be deducted from any image which the judge considers not to conform to the theme.
1.5 An image may not be submitted more than once, whether entered as a print or a PDI, unless it has scored no more than 17 points (see 2.3)
1.6 Images considered to be significantly similar to a previously entered image should not be entered and you may be asked to provide a substitute
1.7 Wholly or largely computer-generated images (using text instructions or otherwise), commonly referred to as ‘AI’ are not permitted.
1.8 The Competition Secretary’s decisions in interpreting the rules are final.
2.0 Prints and Projected Digital Images (PDI)
2.1 In internal competitions (including Best of Beeston and the ‘Pure & Simple’ Competition), images can only be entered once as a PDI or as a print. This does not apply to inter-club competitions or the annual club exhibition
2.2 There are a series of open competitions, plus a final mandatory competition with a theme. Each such competition has these four categories:
- Monochrome Prints
- Colour Prints
- Monochrome PDI
- Colour PDI.
2.4 You may enter a maximum of one image in each category for each competition, with each category being judged separately. The same image may not be entered in any subsequent competition in any subsequent season either as a Print or PDI. The exception to this is where an image has scored no more than 17 points, where it may be edited and re-entered in the subsequent season, in any format.
2.5 Marks for each competition entry will be awarded out of 20. Only your best four marks in each category, plus the themed competition mark, will be counted towards your overall score, so that the maximum overall score will be 100. If you do not enter the themed competition only your best four scores in the other competitions will count, i.e. a maximum of 80 points.
2.6 With the exception of the member-judged ‘Pure & Simple’ competition all prints must be mounted with a mount size of 50 x 40cm. Prints submitted in any other mount size will be rejected on the night. A digital version of the print must also be submitted. (See 2.8).
2.7 For prints, the title and the entrant’s name must be clearly marked on the back of the mount and the front should be free of any identifying marks.
2.8 All digital images must be in JPEG format and should be at a maximum size of 1600 x 1200 pixels. The height of any digital image must not exceed 1200 pixels.
2.9 A digital version of the prints plus the PDIs must be entered via a link on our website www.beestoncameraclub.org or entered directly via the PhotoEntry website using a log-in supplied. Full instructions will be issued to new members.
2.10 The digital version of the prints plus the PDIs must be entered by midnight on the closing date, usually on the Friday before the competition evening.
3.0 Best of Beeston Competition Rules
Please note that this is nothing to do with taking pictures of Beeston.
3.1 This Competition is restricted to digital images only which must (a) have been taken during the previous 12 months, and (b) not been entered in any of the other monthly club competitions including the ‘Pure & Simple Competition’ formerly known as The Hilda Thurman Competition. (But they may be entered in the Annual Club Exhibition.)
3.2 There are six categories each year which will normally be announced in January of the previous season, re-iterated at the AGM and will appear in the Club Programme.
3.3 Members may submit one image in any four out of the six categories.
3.4 Each category is judged separately, and individual entries marked out of 20. The winner will be the entrant with the highest aggregate score (out of 80).
3.5 All digital images must be in JPEG format and should be at a maximum size of 1600 pixels wide x 1200 high. The height of any digital image must not exceed 1200 pixels.
3.6 All entries must be made through the website www.beestoncameraclub.org or entered directly via the PhotoEntry website using a log-in supplied. Full instructions are issued to new members.
3.7 Titles and digital images must be entered by midnight on the closing date, usually on the Friday before the competition evening.
4.0 Member-judged Pure & Simple Competition Rules (formerly Hilda Thurman)
4.1 This is a print-only competition which is judged by the audience on the night. If you do not have access to a printer, arrangements can be made to produce a print for you by contacting the competition secretary on the usual email or by speaking to a member of the Committee at a club evening. Prints should be brought on the night of the competition. They will be placed on tables around the room so that members can study them and vote for their favourites (see 4.8).
4.2 The entry must not have been entered in any other club competition during the season.
4.3 The image should have been taken during the previous 12 months 4.4 The image should be a ‘traditional photograph.’ For the purposes of clarity, we are using the following FIAP Definition of Traditional Photography: an image maintaining the original scene’s reality, allowing only minimal, natural-looking adjustments like cropping, dodging/burning, or noise removal, but strictly forbidding adding, removing, or relocating elements, ensuring it reflects the single, unmanipulated capture. This means that ‘Composites’ are not accepted.
4.4 The image should be a ‘traditional photograph.’ For the purposes of clarity, we are using the following FIAP Definition of Traditional Photography: an image maintaining the original scene’s reality, allowing only minimal, natural-looking adjustments like cropping, dodging/burning, or noise removal, but strictly forbidding adding, removing, or relocating elements, ensuring it reflects the single, unmanipulated capture. This means that ‘Composites’ are not accepted nor ‘Triptychs’ nor wholly computer-generated images (via text or otherwise), commonly referred to as ‘AI’.
4.5 The image should be submitted as an A4 unmounted print with the title clearly marked on the reverse.
4.6 The title should be sent to beestoncameraclub@gmail.com by midnight on the Monday prior to the competition to allow time to prepare title strips and score sheets.
4.7 Members will choose their top four favourite images from those presented, marking them 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th on the forms provided on the night. These will be collected and simply scored with 10, 7, 5 and 2 points respectively. The scores will be collated on the night. The winner will be the image which scores highest on the night. In the event of a draw the number of 1st place votes will be taken be into account. The Competition Secretary’s decision will be final.
Note on colour spaces
It is advisable that images submitted for digital projection at the club are in the sRGB colour space. Images in other colour spaces may not project with the correct colours.
- If you don’t understand what this means, then you are probably using the sRGB colour space already!
- Images that you print at home can be in any colour space.
Please address any queries regarding these rules to the Competition Secretary at beestoncameraclub@gmail.com.
