Focus 2018 Competition

It's another year full of contests and competition - all aimed at improving the skills of Focus photographers while keeping them motivated to shoot. Here's everything you need to know about this year's competition :

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2018 FOCUS BULACAN COMPETITION OFFICERS

• 2016-17 Competition Officer Amen Alcoriza is taking on a new role, this time as Logistics Officer for 2018. He is now eligible to enter and join the Focus competition, with no restrictions.
• 2013-2015 Competition Officer Jer Sandel is now back to handle the club's competition, as Competition Officer for 2018. Like last year (2017), he is not eligible to enter Focus Bulacan's competition. He may, however, join the PhotoWorld Cup competition in representing Focus Bulacan, the Scott Kelby Worldwide Photowalk contest, and other national/international contests that are not organized by Focus Bulacan.
• 2017 PhotoWorld Cup Adviser Joey Ramos reprises his role for 2018 and will be a non-participant in Focus Bulacan's PhotoWorld Cup screening contests. He may, however, join Focus Bulacan's PhotoMeet and Theme contests.
  

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2018 CONTESTS

• Monthly PhotoMeet contests shall continue. Photo entries for these contests will be shot during designated monthly PhotoMeets of Focus Bulacan.
• There shall be 10 PhotoMeet contests for 2018 : one for every month except May, July, and December, plus a special PhotoMeet to be announced during the course of the competition.

• Our regular theme contest is back! Back in 2013-2016, themes were assigned randomly and announced at the beginning of each month. Photo entries for a specific month's theme contest should be taken during that same month, with old/stock photos not allowed in the contest. However, in 2017, with Focus Bulacan joining the PhotoWorld Cup, the monthly contest themes were synchronized with the PhotoWorld Cup-given themes.
  
• This year, our previous theme contest format is back. Themes will be announced at the beginning of each month. Photo entries must be shot/taken during the same month. Old/stock photos will not be allowed.
• Theme contests are meant to provide an extra challenge to Focus competition participants on how to interpret themes and execute ideas into photo output.
• Theme contests also give an opportunity to Focus members who cannot join PhotoMeets to participate in the competition by shooting on their own.

• Focus Bulacan will again compete in the  PhotoWorld Cup - a competition among FPPF-affiliated photography clubs
  
• The PWC Committee has announced the rules and guidelines for 2018 along with the themes for each month, plus the dates of judging (details provided below)

PhotoWorld Cup 2018 Rules

• All images must be taken from 2017 to 2018 only.
• Infrared and sepia photos are not allowed.
• Cellphone photos are strictly not allowed.
• Previously published (in print or in social media) photos are not allowed.
• Photos that previously won local and international awards prior to monthly theme judging will be disqualified.
• "Kapatid" shots are not allowed to be used by the same photographer who previously used the image; except by other photographers who shot the same photo if it was done at the same time.
• Photo inspiration is allowed for as long as it was not totally copied.
• RAW/SOOC (straight out of the camera) JPEG copy of entries shall be provided  by the participants along with the final output file of the entries

PhotoWorld Cup 2018 Themes

FEBRUARY - “Glass and Crystal”

• photo must be macro/extreme closeup shot
• photo should only show glass or crystal surface, no backgrounds
• open : colored or black-and-white / shot in local or international location

MARCH - "The Coconut Song" (aka "Da Coconut Nut") by Smokey Mountain

• song interpretation
• photo should show anything about the song
• Philippine location only
• song lyrics will be provided to judges during the PWC Judging
• colored or black-and-white

APRIL - “House of Worship”

• interior only
• the image should include the following elements : floor, wall, ceiling
• with or without people
• open : colored or black-and-white / shot in local or international location

MAY - “Portrait of Ethnic/Indigenous People”

• Philippine location only
• colored or black-and-white

JUNE - "Perya" (Amusement Park)

• 8×10 prints in portrait orientation
• image size should be 7”x 7” square format (Instagram square crop ratio) and should be placed at the center of the print. Please see sample as your guide;
• colored or black-and-white
• Philippine location only

JUNE - "#PWD’s Kumakayod”

• in connection with the annual International PWD (Persons With Disabilities) Day.
• special club effort competition with prize
• no club competition points
• Philippine location only
• minimum of 5 and maximum of 7 entries photo essay
• subject should be same on all frames

JULY - "Bawal"

• with or without signage but photo should depict the theme
• colored or black-and-white
• Philippine location only

AUGUST - “Urban Landscape”

• sunrise or sunset only
• open : colored or black-and-white / shot in local or international location

SEPTEMBER - “3 Rs”

• Anything that depicts "reduce, reuse, recycle". Can be one, two or all of the 3 Rs.
• Philippine location only

OCTOBER - “Only in the Philippines" Transportation

• panoramic size of 8” x 24”; 1x3 ratio
• open to cropping or stitching
• colored or black-and-white
• Philippine location only

NOVEMBER - “Women at Work”

• club entry competition
• photo essay of 5 maximum photos
• should be the same subject
• open : colored or black-and-white / shot in local or international location

PhotoWorld Cup Judging Dates

- March 24 - “Glass and Crystal” and "The Coconut Song"
- April 28 - "House of Worship"
- May 26 - “Portrait of Ethnic or Indigenous People”
- June 30 - "Perya" and “#PWD’s Kumakayod”
- July 28 - "Bawal"
- August 25 - “Urban Landscape”
- September 29 - “3 Rs”
- October 20 (tentative) - “Only in the Philippines -Transportation”
- November 24 - “Women at Work”

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CONTEST GUIDELINES & SUBMISSION MECHANICS

Purpose. Focus Bulacan’s photocontests are meant to inspire improvement by providing an organized form of objective and subjective evaluation of photos. 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.

PHOTOMEET AND THEME 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.

• 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.
• Please resize your entry to 1,000 pixels on the long side.
• For photomeet contests, entries must be taken on the date of the photomeet.
• For theme contests, entries must be taken on the same month of the theme.
  
• Old/stock photos are not allowed.
• 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.

PHOTOMEET AND THEME CONTEST 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.JPG (for your entry)
              (Example : ALDENRICHARDS_EMOTIONS.JPG)

• Email your contest entries to focuscompetition@yahoo.com
• Indicate in Subject the name of the photomeet or theme contest

              (Example : "DULANSANGAN CONTEST ENTRY")


PHOTOWORLD CUP CONTEST MECHANICS :

• Make sure your photos comply with the category or theme of the contest.
• All images must be taken from 2017 to 2018 only.
• Infrared and sepia photos are not allowed.
• Cellphone photos are strictly not allowed.
• Photo entries must not be published in print or online, or entered in other contests, or posted in social media sites (Facebook, Instagram, 500px, Flickr, website, etc.)
  
• Photos that previously won local and international awards prior to monthly theme judging will be disqualified.
• "Kapatid" shots are not allowed to be used by the same photographer who previously used the image; except by other photographers who shot the same photo if it was done at the same time.
• Photo inspiration is allowed for as long as it was not totally copied.
• RAW/SOOC (straight out of the camera) JPEG copy of entries shall be provided  by the participants along with the final output file of the entries
• 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 photomeet and theme contest requirement of resizing it for web). We need high-res files of entries, as they will get printed for the FPPF PWC competition .
• Post-processing is allowed, unless stated otherwise.
• Entries will be screened by Competition Officer Jer Sandel and PhotoWorld Cup Adviser Joey Ramos. Approved entries will be printed and submitted to the national PhotoWorld Cup judging.
  

PHOTOWORLD CUP ENTRY SUBMISSION PROCEDURE :

• Follow contest general guidelines
• Rename your entry in this format :

              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)

• Keep in mind that you have to submit BOTH your photo entry and its raw file. Incomplete submissions will be disqualified from the contest.
  
• Email your contest entries to focuscompetition@yahoo.com
• Indicate in Subject the name of the PhotoWorld Cup theme

             (Example : "HOUSE OF WORSHIP ENTRY"

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ONLINE CONTEST VOTING MECHANICS

• Only Focus members and applicants are allowed to join our contests.
• For photomeet and theme contests : only members, applicants, and guest judges may vote (public voting).
• For PWC contests, Competition Officer and PWC Adviser will select the entries for submission to the national PWC judging.
• For 2018 photomeet and theme contests, we will use public comment voting system 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.

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 judge's votes count for 10 points for 1st place, 7 points for 2nd, and 5 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.

 
Vote Solicitation/Influencing

• Soliciting or influencing votes is strictly prohibited.
  
• Do not ask voters to vote for your entry or influence them to do so by showing them your entry.
  
• Keep your entry anonymous as much as possible.
  
• Proven cases of vote solicitation/influencing will lead to disqualification of involved participant.
  
• Please report cases of vote solicitation or vote influencing to Competition Officer Jer Sandel. Rest assured that your report will be handled confidentially.
  

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2018 CONTEST JUDGES

Unlike the previous year when we had a panel of 3 judges for each type of contest, for 2018 we shall have one guest judge for photomeet contests and one guest judge for theme contests. Each judge's votes will count for 10 points for their 1st place picks, 7 points for 2nd place picks, and 5 points for 3rd place picks. Each guest judge will be asked to vote in every photomeet or theme contest.

PhotoMeet Contest Judge :

• RUBEN RANIN - award-winning photographer, former President of i-Focus Camera Club, member of the PhotoWorld Cup Committee, 2017 Canon PhotoMarathon Philippines Grand Winner

Theme Contest Judge :

• RICKY LADIA - photography instructor, advertising/food/fashion/travel photographer, the first Tamron Image Master in Asia

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POINTS ALLOCATION

Competition Officer Jer Sandel has finalized the points system for our 2018 competition, with 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 : 5 points
             + 20 points : 1st Place
             + 15 points : 2nd Place
             + 10 points : 3rd Place
             + 7 points : 4th Place
             + 5 points : 5th Place

• Scoring for Scott Kelby Worldwide Photowalk contest :

             Submission of entry : 3 points
             + 20 points : 1st Place
             + 15 points : 2nd Place
             + 10 points : 3rd Place
             + 7 points : 4th Place
             + 5 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
             + 50 points : if Grand Prize winner
             * +10 points for Photowalk Leader (who can only enter Leaders Contest, not the regular contest)

• Scoring for Fujifilm Nationwide Photowalk contest :

             Submission of entry : 3 points
             + 20 points : 1st Place
             + 15 points : 2nd Place
             + 10 points : 3rd Place
             + 7 points : 4th Place
             + 5 points : 5th Place
             Bonus points :
             + 15 points : Top 5 finish (2nd-5th place)
             + 25 points : for Grand Prize winner / People's Choice winner
             * +10 points for Photowalk Leader (who cannot enter the regular contest)

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

             Submission of entries for exhibit : 10 points total (regardless if photos are approved for exhibit or not)
             Bonus points for People's Choice :
             + 20 points : 1st Place
             + 15 points : 2nd Place
             + 10 points : 3rd Place
             + 7 points : 4th Place
             + 5 points : 5th Place
             Bonus points for Juror's Choice :
             + 25 points : Juror's Choice (only 1 will get chosen)

• Points for FPPF PhotoWorld Cup competition :

             + 5 points for submission of entry (regardless if approved for national contest or not)
            
             Bonus points according to contest ranking :
             + 10 points : Enter the Top 30 of a PWC contest (13th-30th place)
             + 20 points : Place 2nd-12th (Top 12) in a PWC contest
             + 30 points : Place 1st in a PWC contest

             Bonus points according to year-end competition ranking :
             + 75 points : Finish 1st in PWC Photographer Of The Year competition
             + 50 points : Finish 2nd-5th in PWC POTY competition
             + 30 points : Finish in Top 10 of PWC POTY competition
             + 50 points : Win PWC Rookie Of The Year competition
             + 20 points for each Focus participant if Focus Bulacan finishes in Top 10 of Club Of The Year competition
          

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PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR 2018 COMPETITION

Photographer Of The Year 2018 Competition Mechanics

• The competition runs from January until December and encapsulates all Focus contests during the period.
• POTY is points-based, with members accumulating points based on their activity and performance in contests/activities.
• All points will be tracked and recorded. The Focus member who has the most points at the end of 2018 will be recognized as Photographer Of The Year.
  
• The points and records will not be made available to the public but members will be updated individually - upon request - every quarter as to how many points they have accumulated and what is their current ranking. They will not be given access to other members' stats or standings.
  
• Only official Focus Bulacan members will be allowed to participate in POTY. Focus applicants MAY join our contests, but they will not accumulate points to be included in the POTY competition. However, once they become official members, their points in previous contests (during the year) will then be carried over to the POTY scoring. 
• Focus Bulacan officers are allowed to join the contest, EXCEPT the Competition Committee Officer, as standard procedure for our photocontests.
• Final details of prize options will be announced in the last quarter of a calendar year.
  
• For points allocation/system for POTY, please refer above (POINTS ALLOCATION).

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