Preparing for competitions

Competitions are one way of helping to assess your abilities when they are compared to others in your class*. They are not the only way but we use a range of qualified judges who will assess your work in the competition environment and hopefully feedback in a constructive manner so that you can improve your work. But you don't need to make it easy for them to 'mark you down' by making silly mistakes so lets examine some do's and don'ts that will give you a better chance at success.

See also preparing for PDI images (Projected Digital Images)

Print Competitions

These are often open themed competitions (although you find one or two themed throughout the year) and the method of submitting your entries is covered on the entry form page.

  • Printed images may be any size on any paper but be inside the overall dimensions of 40cm x 50cm.

  • Images may be flush mounted or a cutout created on a suitable 40cm x 50cm mount board - or submitted not mounted at all. This is perfectly acceptable.

  • Unless otherwise specified may be colour or monochrome.

Quality of Print ; it perhaps goes without saying but the quality of the print should be the best you can achieve either through printing yourself or through a commercial print service. However when printing yourself:

  • Check your print has no lines or visible banding across the image

  • Check there are no colour casts evident - tip: its always best to view your prints in daylight.

  • Always work with calibrated monitor. (Laptop or desktop)

Print Workshops: If you are new to printing then advise is always on hand from any experienced member - just ask or look out for the next printing workshop that we run. These cover in full detail everything you need to know about printing. In particular, equipment and paper profiling in order to print out exactly what you see on the screen.

Mount cutting is also covered in these workshops. Ask when the next on is or check the events calendar.

Watch out for colour casts

Avoid 'banding' on your prints - do a nozzle check

class* - we classify our competitions according to your assessed ability when you join us; Primary, Intermediate or Advanced.

Longridge Mount Cutting Systems part 2

Monday 17th September 2018

Demonstrations from Longridge coming to the club