OCUPS Contest Categories and Rules - 2024
Contest Categories
Entrants must select a category and stay in that category for the year. Entrants may change categories each year. If a member chooses to change mid-year, they forfeit any points they accumulated in the other category.
Enthusiast
Any member may choose to be in this category. Only global changes are allowed in this category. Any member may choose to be in this category. This category is for people who may be better photographers than computer experts or do not want to spend time on a computer and are not considered an expert by our definition. Global modifications are those that affect the entire image, such as cropping, saturation, white balance, levels, sharpening, and contrast. Prohibited modifications include the use of layers or tools that are applied to specific areas such as brushes, healing, cloning, masking, etc.
Master
Any member may choose to be in this category. Digital manipulation is allowed except for composite imaging (adding to an image). This category includes members that wish to do more than global manipulation to their images and are not considered an expert by our definition.
Expert
Digital manipulation is allowed except for composite imaging (adding to an image). This category includes members who are thought of as experts or who present themselves as an expert in photography which would include professionals; semi-professionals; members making money from photography, giving seminars, workshops or blogs on underwater photography; or winning multiple international photo competitions. It also includes any member who wishes to compete in this category. Digital manipulation is allowed except for composite imaging (adding to an image).
Contest Rules
1 Monthly competitions are open to OCUPS Members ONLY.
2 Up to two entries are accepted per person for stills and video. Members may enter in both the video and the still competition each month.
3 Anyone winning first place twice out of the last three years is restricted to only one entry the following year if they stay in that category. If they decide to change categories, they can send in two entries. The following year the rule would be applied again. If they have not won two out of three years, they could go back to two entries.
4 Enthusiast, Master, and Expert categories are open to still images. Frames from video are not accepted.
5 Digital Submission Guidelines:
Please name your files in the following format: category abbreviation, a dash, first name initial, last name, image number.
For example: if your name is Babe Nemo and you are submitting three photos in the Master category the file names should be: MAS-BNemo1, MAS-BNemo2, and MAS-BNemo3.
Category Abbreviation Key: Enthusiast = ENT; Master= MAS; Expert= EXP
File Format & Size: Please use JPG sized at 1920 x 1080 (or 1920 maximum, on the longest side) at 72 pixels/inch.
6 Submission Deadline: Photos should be submitted no later than Friday evening prior to the club meeting. The Club is not responsible if the digital images will not project.
7 In the event of a challenge, the original image file or slide must be made available to the Club officers at the next meeting.
8 The entrant must have captured all images underwater, unless the contest category is specified as being "topside". Aquarium, pool and tank shots are not permitted. Unless specified all images are to be of living organisms.
9 No entry or copy of image that has previously won in the past three years in an OCUPS competition may be re-entered in a subsequent contest.
10 The contest theme or subject must be the focal point of the image.
11 The Contest Directors may disqualify any entry for rule stretching, marine conservation issues, or out of theme or incorrect level entries . They will attempt to inform the contestant of the Board’s decision before voting begins. It is the member’s responsibility to read, understand and clarify any questions regarding the categories, themes, and or rules before entering.
12 . Video Contest Rules:
a. Videos can be up to 30 seconds. Clips may be a continuous clip or edited but must be of the same individual subject taken in the same time frame to tell a story. No sound and no titles.
b. As with stills, global changes are allowed.
Global modifications are those that affect the entire image, such as cropping, saturation, white balance, levels, sharpening, and contrast. Prohibited modifications include the use of layers or tools that are applied to specific areas such as brushes, healing, cloning, masking, etc.
c. Contest themes will be the same as the still contest for the month unless specified.
Everyone will compete at the same skill level.
d. Videos may be taken on a video camera or with the video function of a digital still camera. A series of still shots is not permitted.
e. Up to two entries per month, per person. Anyone winning first place for the year twice out of the last three years is restricted to only one entry the following year if they stay in that category. The following year the rule would be applied again. If they have not won two out of three years, they could go back to two entries.
f Video file naming: VID_JSmith_01.mov
g. Do not email video files, as they are too large. Video clips can be submitted via http://wetransfer.comto ocups1@gmail.com. Please use 1080p format or just select the Vimeo/YouTube 1080p preset format.
13 Permission to reproduce any entry for purposes of OCUPS publicity is assumed, unless otherwise specified. All ownership and rights remain with the photographer.
14 Attendance is Required: Entrants must be present at the meeting to participate in the photo contest. However, if you leave prior to the contest conclusion you may still participate, as long as you were present sometime a substantial period of time during the meeting. If you do not plan on attending the meeting, please do not enter photos. Exception to attendance for up to two months is permitted with notification in advance to the contest coordinators.