Photography Competitions

If you are a budding or professional photographer, one of the ways you can make a name for yourself is to enter photography competitions. Apart from exposing you to a host of clients who need photography services, you also stand a chance of winning thousands in cash or equipment.

How To Find Photography Competitions

Australian photography competitions are usually advertised in photography magazines. Some competitions are also announced in art magazines and publications. If you are a member of a photography forum, you can also check the forum announcements and competitions.

Organizations and corporations also hold photography competitions. These are usually announced on their websites but you can easily miss the announcements. However, the good thing is that you can find them on the Internet at websites that list photography competitions.

What You Should Know About Photography Competitions

When you come across a photography competition, check the participation rules, read the concept of the competition to know what is required, check the date of submission and what photograph formats will be accepted. Also, read the terms and conditions to know what will happen in case your photograph is chosen as the winning entry. Some organizations will buy the photograph including the rights to it and may prohibit your from using or referring to it as your sample work.

Photography competitions usually get many entries from both professional and amateur photographers. Thus, you should present only your best photographs that bring out the concept of the competition. A good photograph, whether taken by a professional or amateur photographer, will speak for itself. People will instantly identify with the ambiance or mood of the photograph. Do not be intimidated if you are not a professional photographer. Submit your entry; you never know what will strike the judges.

You may be required to pay an entry or submission fee for some competitions. This is usually the case with competitions that are organized by professional photography associations. The cash or equipment prices are also typically more. There are also competitions that are free to enter. If you are just getting started with photography, start with the free competitions.

Presenting A Winning Entry

The photography entry you present should follow the guidelines of the competition. Make sure it is in the right format and the right size. It should also bring out the concept of the company or organization holding the competition. For example, if you are presenting an entry for a travel company which may want to use the photograph in their brochures, photographs that are vibrant with great composition and balance will work. On the other hand, if you are presenting portrait photographs, ensure the subject is balanced in the picture and the shadows bring out the required effects.

Also, pay attention to the background and horizon of the picture. Most photographers only pay attention to the subject of their photographs. While the photos can be great, they will lack a complementing ambiance in the background. Photography competition judges are usually professionals and will judge all aspects of the photographs to get the winning entries. You have to think about the mood that the photograph presents, what kind of background will be good, whether or not you will need shadows among other things. These are some of the things that will set your entry apart from the others and increase your chances of winning the competition.