2011 Contest Rules

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Category definitions
Rules using Photoshop
Rules using Photo Mechanic

NEW THIS YEAR: Awards: New this year, a “Best of Show” award will be given out. Judges will discuss the merits of the first place winner in each category with the photo, photo story or multimedia piece that best exhibits the nature of its category being awarded Best of Show.

NEW THIS YEAR: As photojournalists we strive to hold our work and the perception of our work to the highest ethical standards. Therefore, no photographs of immediate family members will be allowed in the contests. Failure to comply with this rule will mean the dismissal of the photographer’s entire submission for the contest.

Reminder: In order to be eligible for the annual contest, membership dues ($30 for professionals or $10 for students) must be payed in full by 5 p.m. on Saturday, January 28, 2012. You can pay using paypal here or mail payment to:

Scott Park
Jackson Citizen Patriot
214 S. Jackson
Jackson, MI 49201

Reminder — When naming files, please put the category code in the file name. eg — GN_homecoming.jpg. For stories and portfolios, please begin with order and then category. eg — 01_FS_Matilda.jpg

ELIGIBILITY

The contest is open to all MPPA members with dues paid-in-full as of 5 p.m. on Friday, January 28, 2012.

Only photographs made during the 2011 calendar year are eligible. A picture made before January 1, 2011 and subsequently published during 2011 is not eligible with the exception of a single image from a photostory. The single image can be entered as a single even if it was taken in a previous year, as long as the photostory was partially taken in 2010 and the image was not entered as a single in a previous year. Some of the picture story must have been shot in 2011 and picture stories may not be submitted in succeeding years. Pictures must have been made while the photographer was employed and/or living in Michigan. This does not mean pictures must be made in Michigan. Pictures made on vacation or out-of-town assignments are eligible.

List of Contest Categories
Download a PDF formatted Entry form*

*When using Safari hold the option key when opening link.

DEADLINE

Contest entries must arrive by 5:00 p.m. Saturday, January 28, 2012 to MPPA c/o Emily Zoladz, Grand Rapids Press, 155 Michigan St. NW, Grand Rapids, MI 49503

ENTRY PREPARATION

• Submit only JPEG files.
• Only one image per file is allowed.
• No single image can be entered in more than one category.
• A single image from a photo story can also be in one other single category.
• File size should range from 4 to 8 megabytes uncompressed. Use the “High” or “Maximum” compression settings to compress your images into RGB JPEG format. The finished JPEG file should be around 600K when you are finished. No CMYK files please.
• You must submit files on a CD or DVD.
• Enter up to 12 images per picture story. Only one image per file is allowed. Any image from the picture story may be entered in a single picture category, but you must provide a separate entry file.
• Use a separate folder to separate your portfolio entries from the regular category entries.
• No more than 20 total entries may be submitted by any one contestant in the single categories.
• Information can be added to the PhotoShop files using PhotoShop File Info, Photo Mechanic or other IPTC-compliant software package.

Examples for labeling Digital Files

Adobe Photoshop
Photo Mechanic Lite

Contact Cory Olsen at cdolsen73@gmail.com if you have any questions about your software.