Our opening salvo for 2017 is officially over. The votes and results are in. (Please note that this is different/separate from the photo contest sponsored by the Municipality of Guiguinto. This contest has a specific theme : Festival Action.)


The winners are :

The early frontrunner for our 2017 competition is ALIH VIAJE. Congratulations! 1st Place gets an extra 10 points, 2nd Place gets 7, 3rd Place gets 5, 4th Place (undisclosed) gets 3, and 5th Place (also undisclosed) gets 2 points for the 2016 Photographer Of The Year competition. Participants automatically get 3 points for submitting entries.

To our panel of judges and everyone who voted (especially those who offered critique)... THANK YOU. See you again on our next contest voting.

Voting Period : 31 January - 6 February 2017

Votes can be viewed at Facebook comment box below.

Focus competition for 2017 will still be handled by Competition Officer Amen Alcoriza (2016-present). He shall be in charge of accepting and organizing contest entries, tallying votes and results, record-keeping of points for the Photographer Of The Year competition, and other contest concerns.
 
Since Focus Bulacan is joining the FPPF PhotoWorld Cup competition starting this year, we will have a special adviser on the PhotoWorld Cup competition in the person of Joey Ramos. His official designation is PWC Competition Adviser.

Focus Bulacan is now affiliated with the Federation of Philippine Photographers Foundation (FPPF) and will compete in its annual PhotoWorld Cup. Our foray into the PWC competition will bring about changes to Focus competition. The main changes concern the following :

• NUMBER OF THEME CONTESTS : The PWC has 10 theme contests for the whole competition year (February-November). The Focus competition used to have 12 theme contests per year (January-December), but due to our participation in the PWC, Focus 2017 competition shall also be having just 10 theme contests for the year (in line with the PWC).
• ANNOUNCEMENT OF THEMES : The PWC announces all of the themes at the start of the year (all 10 themes for 2017 already announced in January). Focus competition, in contrast, used to announce the themes every month (during the first or second day of each month). In line with our participation in the PWC, all Focus theme contests for 2017 shall adopt the themes given by the PWC organizers.
• SUBMISSION OF HIGH-RES FILES : The PWC requires entries to be submitted IN PRINT, and the prints are used for judging. Focus contests used to require digital files for online viewing and voting. In line with our participation in the PWC, Focus 2017 competition shall now require that full/high-resolution files of entries be submitted. Online viewing and voting shall still be done, but the Top 5 entries of each theme contest shall be printed and submitted for the PWC judging.
• THEME CONTEST ANNOUNCEMENT OF WINNER : Due to a new rule of the PWC that prohibits photos that were previously entered in other contests or published/posted on social media (both on Facebook pages or personal accounts) from entering their contest, Focus Bulacan theme contest winner announcements shall be delayed a week or two. This is to accommodate the PWC judging during the last Saturday of each month.
• PRIVATE JUDGING FOR THEME CONTESTS : Also due to the abovementioned rule, Focus theme contests for 2017 shall be done in private, with secret page links to be given to Focus members for viewing and voting process. As such, only Focus members and guest judges shall be allowed to vote in theme contests (applicants were allowed to vote in theme contests in previous years, but will still be allowed to vote in photomeet contests). Members and judges will send their votes via private message to Focus competition officer Amen Alcoriza.

• DATE OF ENTRIES : Focus theme contests used to require new photos, shot in the same month of the theme competition. The PWC, meanwhile, allows old/stock photos to be submitted as entries. While we recognize the rule, we do not want to defeat the purpose of our theme competition, and as such, Focus shall STILL require that new photos be submitted and not old/stock photos, but not necessarily shot in the same month of the theme. For all Focus theme contest entries this 2017, only photos shot/taken in 2017 (January 1-onwards) shall be accepted.

You may download and view PhotoWorld Cup contest guidelines below :

Purpose. Focus Bulacan’s photocontests are meant to inspire improvement by providing an organized form of objective and subjective evaluation. Photograph entries are individually assessed, then compared to other entries, with these assessments being the basis for voting. The results and feedback of the contests should serve as critique, which in turn would guide the participants as to where improvements should be made in their next photos.

Approach. Contests are competitive in nature. Competitiveness - within the boundary of rules, fairness and sportsmanship – spurs improvement. Participants are urged to do their best to win contests while adhering to these guidelines. However, may we remind everyone that there will be winners, there will be losers, yet the ultimate goal is for participants to learn something from the feedback and critique on their photo entries. Winning isn’t everything. Wanting to win AND learning from trying are everything.

Methodology. Focus Bulacan contests are open only to official members and applicants. Likewise, only members and applicants are allowed to vote on the photos. Entries will be kept anonymous so as to eliminate bias and make voters assess the photos purely on their merit.

CONTEST GENERAL MECHANICS :

• Make sure your photos comply with the category or theme of the contest.
• Only one (1) entry is allowed per participant.

• Do not put borders or watermarks or any other mark of distinction on the photos.

• Please send high-resolution copy of your photo entry (as opposed to the previous requirement of resizing it for web). We need high-res files of entries, as they may get printed for the FPPF PWC competition if they land in the Top 5 after Focus voting. For theme contests (not required for photomeet contests), please also send the RAW or unedited JPEG file of your entry (required by PWC).
• Post-processing is allowed, unless stated otherwise. Creativity doesn’t end at the click of the shutter. However, putting text or borders on the photos are not allowed, unless specifically instructed by the Competition Officer to be allowed for a particular contest.
• NEW RULE FOR 2017 (to adhere to PWC rule) : Photo entries MUST NOT be published in print or online, or entered in other contests, or posted on social media (Facebook, Instagram, 500px, Flickr, website, etc.)
  
• For theme contests, entries must be taken on 2017 (January 1, 2017 onwards)
  
• For photomeet contests, entries must be taken on date of photomeet
  
• Entries will be subjected to a vote by official Focus Bulacan members and applicants.
• Contest organizer reserves the right to ask for RAW copy of the entry, for authentication purposes.

ENTRY SUBMISSION PROCEDURE :

• Follow contest general guidelines (regarding restrictions and photo resizing)
• Rename your entry in this format :

              If PhotoMeet contest : YOURNAME_PHOTOMEETNAME.JPG
              (Example : ALDENRICHARDS_MALOLOSPHOTOWALK.JPG)
              If Theme contest :
              YOURNAME_THEME_EDITED.JPG (for your entry)
              YOURNAME_THEME_UNEDITED.JPG/RAW (for RAW file of your entry)
              (Example : ALDENRICHARDS_EMOTIONS_EDITED.JPG /
               ALDENRICHARDS_EMOTIONS_UNEDITED.CR2)

• Email your contest entries to focusentry@gmail.com

The Theme Competition is another version of Focus Bulacan's contests. The other kind, as you may already know, involves photos coming from our monthly PhotoMeets or scheduled shoots. This one, however, will come from themes or concepts which will serve as guide or inspiration for the participants in taking their photo entries. The Theme Competition's main purpose is to inspire and challenge Focus Bulacan members to keep on shooting during the break between PhotoMeets.
 
As a result of Focus joining the PhotoWorld Cup, our theme contests for 2017 shall be based on the given themes of the PWC organizers (we shall adopt their themes for 2017). The PWC themes  have already been given, complete from February to November.
 
PWC Themes for 2017 / Focus Bulacan contest themes for 2017 :
February : Portrait (Tell a story)
March : Flora and/or Fauna (nature)
April : Love (couples)
May : Commercial (depicts selling of products or services)
June : Illustrative (graphic art or beyond reality)
July : Reportage (stories worth telling)
August : Philippine Cuisine (food photography)
September : Philippine Festivals
October : Sports (action shots)
November : Where in the Philippines? (capturing unknown beautiful places in the Philippines)

While the PWC competition allows the entry of old/stock photos, we in Focus Bulacan shall be requiring NEW photos from members, so as to stick to the purpose of our theme competition (to inspire and challenge Focus members to keep on shooting during breaks between PhotoMeets). For Focus 2017 theme contests, only entries taken during 2017 (January 1, 2017-onwards) shall be allowed.
 
Deadlines for submitting entries :
February : Portrait (March 13)
March : Flora/Fauna (March 13)
April : Love (April 17)
May : Commercial (May 15)
June : Illustrative (June 12)
July : Reportage (July 17)
August : Philippine Cuisine (August 14)
September : Philippine Festivals (September 18)
October : Sports (October 16)
November : Where in the Philippines? (November 13)

Only Focus members and applicants are allowed to join our contests. For photomeet contests, members, applicants, and guest judges may vote (public voting). For theme contests, however, only members and judges shall vote (private voting). For 2017 photomeet contests, we will revert to the public comment voting system (last used in 2015), where votes will be posted as comments on the website contest page.  You have to use your personal Facebook account in order to vote. The comment section is at the bottom of the contest page, click HERE to get the idea. We strongly encourage voters to offer critique along with their votes. Voting mechanics are also published whenever a contest is posted for voting. For theme contests, private voting shall be in effect where members and judges will be given secret page links to view the entries.

Starting 2017, there will be a permanent panel of 3 judges who will vote on all the 2017 contests. The judges shall be announced soon.

Voting Mechanics :

• Contest is open to Focus Bulacan official members and applicants. Voting is also open only to members and applicants, plus official guest judges.

• There's no specific criteria where to base your vote. Just vote for the photo that you think best represents the activity or theme.

• Please view each and every photo before casting your vote.

• Pick one photo for 1st place, one for 2nd place, and one for 3rd place. Cast your vote by stating the entry numbers of your 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place photos. 1st place votes get 3 points, 2nd place votes get 2 points, and 3rd place votes get 1 point. (Guest judges votes count for 5 points for 1st place, 4 points for 2nd, and 3 points for 3rd.)

• You need to pick three photos. If you name only one photo, your vote would only count for 1 point.
• Although not required, voters are encouraged to offer constructive critique on their picks.
• Participants may not vote for their own photo. Self-votes will be nullified and offender's entry (if he/she has one in the contest) will be automatically disqualified.

• The entry that accumulates the most number of points wins.

• Use your Facebook account to cast your vote. State your vote in the Facebook comment section at the bottom of the contest page.

• To the participants : win the contest thru the merit of your photo, not by other means.

• Voting usually takes a week (7 days), with the winner announced the next day once voting ends.

 

For 2017, we will have a panel of judges who will vote on our monthly contests. Each judge's votes will count for 5 points for their 1st place picks, 4 points for 2nd place picks, and 3 points for 3rd place picks. All 3 guest judges will vote in each monthly contest.

PhotoMeet Contest Judges :

• Arlene Donaire - travel photographer and Manila Bulletin Picture Perfect contributor
• Haw Santiago - commercial and corporate photographer
• Raymond Tanhueco - street photographer

Theme Contest Judges :

• Annabelle Chavez - versatile photographer, Camera Club of the Philippines member
• Mike Cruz - New York-based photographer and workshop instructor
• Ino Florencio - fashion and travel photographer

Competition Officer Amen Alcoriza has finalized the points system for our 2017 competition, with minor changes from the previous year's :

Points/Scoring System - Points awarded for contests and accomplishments :

• For every submission of entry to a Focus PhotoMeet or Theme contest : 3 points
• Bonus points for placing in the Top 5 of a PhotoMeet or Theme contest :

          + 10 points - 1st Place
          + 7 points - 2nd Place
          + 5 points - 3rd Place
          + 3 points - 4th Place
          + 2 points - 5th Place
          (No additional points for 6th place onwards)

• Scoring for Focus Portrait Project :

             Submission of entry : 7 points
             + 15 points : 1st Place
             + 10 points : 2nd Place
             + 7 points : 3rd Place
             + 5 points : 4th Place
             + 3 points : 5th Place

• Scoring for Scott Kelby Photowalk contest :

             Submission of entry : 3 points
             + 20 points : 1st Place
             + 14 points : 2nd Place
             + 10 points : 3rd Place
             + 6 points : 4th Place
             + 4 points : 5th Place
             Bonus points :
             + 10 points : if included in Honorable Mentions list
             + 20 points : if included in Finalists list
             + 30 points : if People’s Choice winner
             + 30 points : if Grand Prize winner
             + 7 points : for Photowalk Leader (who can only enter Leaders Contest, not the regular contest)

• Scoring for Exhibit and People's Choice + Juror's Choice contest :

             Submission of entries for exhibit : 10 points (regardless if photos are approved for exhibit or not)
             Bonus points for People's Choice :
             + 10 points : 1st Place
             + 7 points : 2nd Place
             + 5 points : 3rd Place
             + 3 points : 4th Place
             + 2 points : 5th Place
             Bonus points for Juror's Choice :
             + 15 points : Juror's Choice (only 1 will get chosen)

• Bonus points for FPPF PhotoWorld Cup competition :

             + 10 points : Place in the Top 10 of a PWC contest (regardless if 1st or 10th, as long as it lands in Top 10)
             + 75 points : Finish 1st in PWC Photographer Of The Year competition
             + 60 points : Finish 2nd in PWC POTY competition
             + 50 points : Finish 3rd in PWC POTY competition
             + 40 points : Finish 4th in PWC POTY competition
             + 30 points : Finish 5th in PWC POTY competition
             + 25 points : Finish 6th-10th in PWC POTY competition

• Participation in Focus Bulacan's PP Nights / Inspirational Talk / Insight activities (sharing of photography knowledge, to be announced beforehand) : 3 points
• Sharing knowledge / being resource speaker in Focus Bulacan seminars or workshops (to be announced beforehand) : 10 points
• Official representation of Focus Bulacan in covering a sponsored event (to be announced beforehand) : 5 points
• Participation in featured online activities/posts (to be announced beforehand): 3 points

Another year has gone by and it has been another 12 months of non-stop but fun-filled competition among our photographer members. True to Focus Bulacan's maxim "clearer, sharper, better", our contests are aimed at developing skills via year-round challenges. It's a merit-based system that ultimately decides the best of the best when all the points are tallied by the end of the year. It's not easy to have the drive and motivation to compete and do your best for a whole year, that's why the year-end awards are sources of pride for the winners.

The final numbers for our 2016 Competition : 12 months, 12 theme contests, 10 photomeet contests, 2 exhibits, and 1 Bulacan-wide competition (Larawang Bulakenyo). After all was said and done, the winners of our major awards (Newcomer Of The Year, Most Improved Photographer, and the Photographer Of The Year) are revealed :

(Click play to view Photographer Of The Year 2016 announcement video)

And here is the year-end ranking of our 2016 Competition. The Top 10 and their accumulated points :