SANParks Photo Competition 2016

[Bongeka Makabeni]

It's that time of the year again, however, this year it will be happening a little earlier than usual. With the guidance of our beloved moderators, we hope to make this years competition, a success, bigger and better. Here's to another year of happy shooting!!!!!

[JimS]

Looking forward to the competition.

May I suggest another category, "the best overall panel of photographs entered in the competition". This category could be open to photographers entering say four or more categories. The scores of the photographs entered in each category could be totalled and the photographer with the highest score would win the best overall wildlife category. I believe this would encourage entries into multiple categories. Photographers would enter photographs that may not win a category but may well earn votes that would help increase the score across the whole panel.

I would also like to see the scores for the photographs that I enter into the competition.

Jim

[Bongeka Makabeni]

Looking forward to the competition.

May I suggest another category, "the best overall panel of photographs entered in the competition". This category could be open to photographers entering say four or more categories. The scores of the photographs entered in each category could be totalled and the photographer with the highest score would win the best overall wildlife category. I believe this would encourage entries into multiple categories. Photographers would enter photographs that may not win a category but may well earn votes that would help increase the score across the whole panel.

I would also like to see the scores for the photographs that I enter into the competition.

Jim

Thank you Jim for your suggestion, it will be considered, but may or may not be implimented

[Bongeka Makabeni]

The photo Competition opens early this year, and is open longer!!!!

Competition opens 1 April to 30 June 2016

Competition Categories
There will be 5 categories for both Digital Compact and Digital Single Lens Reflex (DSLR) cameras. We will have a winner in each category and introduced last year, an overall winner. The overall winning image will be published in the SANParks Time and whichever publication will come on board. Die Burger and Media 24 Travel were keen last year.
The categories are as follows;
1. Portraits: All animals and insects-excluding birds (birds have their own category)
2. Landscapes
3. Plants: flowers and trees
4. Black & white: all subjects.
5. Birds
6. Animals and insects: All animals and insects (this will be images of animal full body, animal activity, animal groups ect)

Competition Rules 2016
1. Entries must be digital images, photographed with a DSLR/ Digital Compact Camera /Smart Mobile Phone between 1 January 2015 and 31 March 2016. Scans or prints are not permitted. No one picture may be entered in more than one category. Series shots are not allowed, please submit one image from any series. You can crop images before submission, but please ensure the image quality is maintained.
2. You must be a registered member of the SANParks forum or a fan of the South African National Parks page or group on Facebook.
3. SANParks employees, moderators and SANParks VHR judges are not allowed to enter the competition.
4. The number of entries per member is limited to two (2) pictures in each category.
5. The photos must be sent in jpeg format, resized to a maximum of 800 pixels on the longest side. The original capture as it was recorded by the camera with no manipulation applied. (eg *.DNG, *.JPG, *.NEF, *.CR2, *.CRW) may be requested if your image reaches the final stages of the competition and if requested must be supplied to us.
6. Copyright.
You must be the sole author and owner of the copyright for all images entered. By entering your images into the competition, you grant South African National Parks a non-exclusive licence to publish the images for any purpose in connection with the competition including, but not limited to, the following purposes:
* judging the competition,
* display in the galleries,
* inclusion within promotion of the competition and exhibition organised by SANParks.
7. Subjects.
The photos must be taken in one of the SANParks managed National parks in South Africa.
Domestic animals (cats, dogs, farm animals, etc) and cultivated plants (species or hybrids grown in a cultivated setting) do not count as wildlife and are not eligible subjects. You must declare at the time of submitting if a picture has been taken in captivity or conditions that are unnatural (eg if live bait has been used). Details of the subject and location must be provided in the file info.
8. Other competitions/publications.
A picture that has already won a prize in a major competition (one receiving more than 500 images) is not eligible for entry. Please avoid entering images that have been widely published in the past 12 months or entered into other nature photography competitions.
9. SANParks and the judges have the right to refuse any entries which they deem unfit for display as part of the competition.
10. Manipulation.
The faithful representation of what you saw at the time of taking the shot must be maintained. Sandwich shots, HDR, double exposures, photographs which consist in any way of more than one separate image and images that have been digitally manipulated outside of the guidelines below are not eligible.
11. By entering the competition you are deemed to have accepted the rules of the competition.

Judging and voting system.

1. The judges will selection 10 images per category. The selected images will be sent to SANParks HQ for the selection of 5 photos per category for the forum poll in October 2016. The forum members will choose the winner via a blind poll run on the SANParks Forums.

2.Should the quantity of entries in a particular category fall below a set amount or acceptable quality, SANParks reserve the right not to award prizes.
Notification.
1.Winners and commended photographers will be notified after the polls have closed. All the entries will be published on the competition gallery.
2.The winners will be announced on 27 November 2016.

How to enter
1.Contestants must e-mail their entry before midnight of 30 June 2016. Only e-mailed submissions will be accepted. The email address is: [email protected]. The Subject of the email should read Forum Photo Competition 2016
2.Filenames
Please name your photos as follows:
DSLR or compact
category (just the number)
Contestant’s name, with dots and no spaces between the two parts, like emily.crown
entry number

For example an entry into the compact landscape category should be named:
compact.2.emily.crown.1.jpg
Other information required
1.Hardware details (i.e. name of camera) should be mentioned in the mail, and if possible in the EXIF-information of the jpeg.
2.The contestant must specify which categories they are entering. If one is sure are not sure of the difference, a moderator will be available to assist when/if private messaged. The contestant should also include
- Your full name and/or forum name
- Your e-mail address
- A contact phone number
- A postal address
- Information on where and when your entry/entries was/were taken
3.There will be a thread about the competition on the forum where all questions can be posted.

Guidelines.
1.You may enter submissions for both DSLR and compact competitions but you will be restricted to 2 photos per category in each competition.
2.We have noticed that sometimes there is a bit of a confusion about the difference between the portrait and animal in a landscape orientated photo entered for the Portrait category. The basic rule is that the animal must fill the image/photo. Roughly at least 70%. Entries to the Portrait categories will not be excluded if they don't follow this but it will be one of the judging criteria.
3.Calibration and colour – for the best result please submitted images colour profiled/corrected using a correctly calibrated monitor and utilising Adobe RGB 98 colour space before submission. Entries will not be dismissed if the colour management is not according to our request. But the judges cannot be held in contempt for not accepting images of poor colour. Allowances will not be made for poorly colour managed/corrected images, in particular please ensure your images are not over saturated and faithfully represent the subject.
4.Digital adjustments are only acceptable if limited to minor cleaning work, levels, curves, colour, saturation and contrast work. The faithful representation of what you saw at the time of the shot being taken must be maintained.
Compositing and multiple exposures are not allowed. Sharpening and cropping (for instance to make a panorama-like photo) are allowed, but please ensure the image quality is maintained as they will be judged accordingly.

Prizes:
-Overall winner to receive a voucher for 3 nights free economy accommodation,MID WEEK, FOR 2 ADULTS at any national park of their choice and media publication of winning image.
-Category winners to receive 2 free economy accommodation, ,MID WEEK, FOR 2 ADULTS nights at any national park of their choice.

Inquiries:
Send email to admin at [email protected]
Please subject your email “inquiries”

[isinkwe]

1. Hardware details (i.e. name of camera) should be mentioned in the mail, and if possible in the EXIF-information of the jpeg.

What is EXIF information ?
When I look at the properties when I right click on my photograph I see
EXIF version 0230 .
Is that what I must add to my entries? along with the requirements that I do understand?

Any chance we can get a look at an entry from last year so we can see what information is submitted with the entry.( Kaapsedraai's winning entry maybe)

I have heard on the grape vine that many entries are received and not many entries have the correct information required by the rules and are therefore not considered .

On the other hand, maybe my photo's are just rubbish even so , I want to enter anyway even is its only for the judges to have a good laugh

Or should I wait for the "photo competition for dummies "

[Bongeka Makabeni]

1. Hardware details (i.e. name of camera) should be mentioned in the mail, and if possible in the EXIF-information of the jpeg.

What is EXIF information ?
When I look at the properties when I right click on my photograph I see
EXIF version 0230 .
Is that what I must add to my entries? along with the requirements that I do understand?

Any chance we can get a look at an entry from last year so we can see what information is submitted with the entry.( Kaapsedraai's winning entry maybe)

I have heard on the grape vine that many entries are received and not many entries have the correct information required by the rules and are therefore not considered .

On the other hand, maybe my photo's are just rubbish even so , I want to enter anyway even is its only for the judges to have a good laugh

Or should I wait for the "photo competition for dummies "

Haha! With each entry that is not correct, an email is sent to let them know what is wrong and are given a chance to fix and re-enter, as long as it's in the time jurisdictions of the competition. The only images not considered are images that photographed outside the time scale given, and that is what the EXIF info is for, usually it should have the date of when the image was photographed.

[isinkwe]

Haha! With each entry that is not correct, an email is sent to let them know what is wrong and are given a chance to fix and re-enter, as long as it's in the time jurisdictions of the competition. The only images not considered are images that photographed outside the time scale given, and that is what the EXIF info is for, usually it should have the date of when the image was photographed.

Well then , now I know , Thank you
Can we have a category called ( Recycle bin highlights ) I am sure I could come a close 21 st place .

[Bongeka Makabeni]

Haha! With each entry that is not correct, an email is sent to let them know what is wrong and are given a chance to fix and re-enter, as long as it's in the time jurisdictions of the competition. The only images not considered are images that photographed outside the time scale given, and that is what the EXIF info is for, usually it should have the date of when the image was photographed.

Well then , now I know , Thank you
Can we have a category called ( Recycle bin highlights ) I am sure I could come a close 21 st place .

Hmmm, let's see what we can do next year

[Kenmo]

Have you missed off the Animal category from last year?

[Bongeka Makabeni]

Have you missed off the Animal category from last year?

Competition Categories
There will be 5 categories for both Digital Compact and Digital Single Lens Reflex (DSLR) cameras.

The categories are as follows;
1. Portraits: All animals and insects-excluding birds (birds have their own category)
2. Landscapes
3. Plants: flowers and trees
4. Black & white: all subjects.
5. Birds

[Dr Etienne Erasmus]

God day,
With reference to "Competition rule 1" does it imply that photos must have been taken between 1 January 2015 and 31 March 2016 and photos taken during the duration of the competition are excluded?
Regards
Etienne

[Kenmo]

Last year there was an Animal category as well a a Portrait category. Also the Portrait category is limited in the Guidelines to photographs where the subject matter fills approx 70% of the photograph; this is specified a part of the judging criteria.

[Bongeka Makabeni]

God day,
With reference to "Competition rule 1" does it imply that photos must have been taken between 1 January 2015 and 31 March 2016 and photos taken during the duration of the competition are excluded?
Regards
Etienne

Yes, only images in the stated time frames can be entered

[Bongeka Makabeni]

Last year there was an Animal category as well a a Portrait category. Also the Portrait category is limited in the Guidelines to photographs where the subject matter fills approx 70% of the photograph; this is specified a part of the judging criteria.

Good Morning

We refined the categories because we felt there were too many, and there was a lot of repetition of entries. The black and white category is open for all subjects

[Kenmo]

Will you be sticking to the 70% criterion for Portrait entries?