Photographer Of The Year

2014 is here. It's time to up the ante and challenge our members further. The quest for the best is on.

The Photographer Of The Year competition.

It's a year-long competition designed to reward participative members and determine who did best in terms of contests and activities. The best Focus member will have the distinction of being Focus Bulacan's first-ever Photographer Of The Year. Along with the honor is a trophy and a photography item as prizes.

PLEASE TAKE TIME TO READ THE DETAILS.


POTY Mechanics:

• The competition runs from January until December of 2014.
  
• POTY is points-based, with members accumulating points based on their activity and performance in photocontests.
  
• All points will be tracked and recorded. The Focus member who has the most points at the end of 2014 will be adjudged as Photographer Of The Year.
• The points and records will not be made available to the public BUT members will be updated individually every quarter 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 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 prizes will be announced in the last quarter of 2014.

Points/Scoring System - Ways how to accumulate points for POTY competition :

• For every submission of entry to a Focus photocontest : 3 points
• Bonus points for placing in the Top 5 of every photocontest :
  

          + 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)

• Placing in the Top 5 in a reputable contest (other club, organization, publication, or online site) : 5 points

          (Contests based on the number of Facebook likes or similar mechanics will NOT be considered reputable.)

• Get published in a photography magazine, article, publication, or a reputable photography website : 5 points
• Participation in Focus Bulacan's PP Nights / Inspirational Talk Activities (sharing of photography knowledge) : 3 points
  
• Official representation of Focus Bulacan in covering a public event : 3 points
• Note : Our photocontests will consist of monthly PhotoMeet contests, monthly theme contests, and special contests (shooting challenges, projects, etc.)
  

Special Case
Focus Bulacan has overseas-based members. Obviously they will not be able to attend PhotoMeets and accumulate points for contests based on those. To give them consideration and a chance to somehow compensate for their situation, they will be given special points for the following:

• Attendance in a photowalk/photoshoot in their location, limited to once a month and must be proven by photos and EXIF data : 3 points
• Submission of photo based on a special monthly theme (exclusive to overseas-based members) : 3 points

Answers To Possible Questions :

Q: I'm not yet a member, but I'd like to join POTY. How can I do this?
A: As such, only official Focus members can join POTY, meaning their performance in contests and activities will be tracked and recorded. You may join our contests as an applicant, and if you fulfill our membership requirements by July (and become an official member by then), your performance from January to June will be reviewed and carried over to the official scoring for POTY. In short, if you're not a member now, you may still join POTY by becoming a member by July, your points before July will be carried over.

Q : How do I become a member in the first place?
A : PLEASE READ : http://www.focusbulacan.com/membership-application.html then http://www.focusbulacan.com/focus-bulacan-rules--by-laws.html

Q : Why do you always have contests? Doesn't it affect your group when members are competitive?
A : We'd like to think we have members who are mature enough to properly handle competition. We're no longer kids who are fighting over candy. Our contests are always based on merit and conducted with proper procedures and order. And finally, by being competitive, by challenging ourselves, we get better. THAT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT PART.

Q : What are the prizes? Why can't you announce it now?
A : We can definitely announce right now that the POTY winner will get a nice shiny trophy. What we can't announce yet is the photography item that comes with the trophy. We're still choosing among many options. We don't like to settle this early.

Q : I don't fare well in contests, but I have the passion to join. Help.
A : Try and try until you succeed. For every contest there is only one ultimate winner and a bunch of losers. You're in the same boat with a lot of participants. Time will come that you reap the benefits of your passion. Success in contests usually follows that. If you quit or stop, then you don't improve your situation at all.

Q : I don't like to get cheated. How can you assure me that doesn't happen?
A : The worst thing that could happen is scores getting overlooked and not recorded, but that hasn't happened so far. If you're thinking of cheating in terms of favoring another participant over another, let us assure you that that will never happen. The scores and records will be made available to scrutiny once the POTY competition ends, and if a case warrants that the wrong winner was determined, we reserve the right to correct the announcement. In other words, CHILL.

Q : I'm based in Antarctica, how come I could only get a maximum of 6 points to compensate for missing PhotoMeet contests?
A : We decided to give overseas-based members a way to SOMEHOW recover their losses because of their physical absence. Somehow, not totally. It would put our members who will attend PhotoMeets and go through the rigors of contest-voting at a disadvantage if it's that easy for overseas members to accumulate points. We hope you understand.

Q : What's the big deal about being named Photographer Of The Year?
A : Nothing really. Just the shame of being the best of all photographers in a group dedicated to improvement of their craft. Small feat, if at all.

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Now that you've read the details... we hereby officially declare the competition open.

GAME ON!!! Good luck to everyone!




( For further questions, clarification, comments, or suggestion, please state in the Facebook comment box below.)