Photo Contests

[badgerdad]

Virtually every contest I've seen requires slides. Some contest organizers have told me that they plan to allow digital images sometime in the future, just not now. I've gone ahead and had slides made at a local lab but it's time consuming and expensive. So my question is what do others do who are faced with this problem? [BTW, I've been lurking around this forum for months and I've enjoyed every minute of it. This is my first question.]

[SoCal69]

I've only submitted a few to a single photo contest, and only because it was so simple. http://www.betterphoto.com accepts digital entries and you can submit them online from their site. It's a monthly ongoing contest. Beyond that, I don't really have any useful info for you. Sorry.

[onehotrx7]

That's really odd... I've entered hundreds of photo contests, and the only one that needed slides, not a digital file or print, is my camera club slide night... where are you looking to find these contests?? Do you just want competition, or prizes??

Cheers,
Stuart

[badgerdad]

Thanks for the replies. No, I'm not talking about sites like betterphoto.com or other web galleries that by definition require digital images. I'm talking about contests sponsored by local photo societies, art shows, galleries and museums, as well as contests sponsored by magazines. Basically any contest that requires mail in submissions. Slides are always preferred. Prints may be allowed. But that's it. I suppose the answer is either you comply with the rules or go elsewhere.

[onehotrx7]

Hi Badgerdad,

Yep, most mail in competitions want prints at least... but I haven't run across any 'slide' only - even stock libraries don't push for that anymore IMHO... some of the better competitions will accept digital images on CD, but really, at competition level, submitting a print isn't a big ask... they have to display them, and only you can print the image the way YOU want it...

The first step in judging many contests is to throw away all images that don't grab a judges attention at a certain distance... submit prints, as big as they allow... it's the first rule in getting anywhere in 'live' competitions, as opposed to the games on the net...

Cheers,
Stuart

[badgerdad]

Stuart - great advice. Thanks, Steve