How to Win Photography Competitions?
I have several blog entries here on Photority.com about photography contests so it is just but right that I also post some guidelines or tips on how to win photography competitions.
Haje of Photocritic.org listed 7 tips on how to win photography competitions.
- Stick to the topic
- Know the rules - then break them
- Keep it simple
- Tell a powerful story
- Technical perfection in pair with strong vision
- The X-Factor
- Develop your own style
BetterPhoto.com, a website the regularly holds photo competitions, has published the following contest guidelines on how to win a photo contest
- Know the ropes
- Look sharp
- Picture perfect exposure
- Get digital, if need be
- Get creative / be artistic
- Name and describe your photos
- Don’t distract the viewer
- Study the winners and keep your chin up
Brian Small, an experienced and full-time bird photographer also shared photo contest tips that are practical and should be very easy to follow.
- Follow all the contest rules
- Review all the categories and try to anticipate which ones will have the most entries and which will have the fewest.
- Conduct a research on what entries have won previously and use it a reference for your own entries
- Be selective. Send only your best entries even if it does not meet the maximum number of entries.
- If entries are to be returned, include a proper postage for the return and have it already applied to a pre-addressed return envelope.
- Try to enter only those photographs that are technically well done. Look for sharp focus, good composition, excellent color and contrast, beautiful lighting, a pleasing background and an interesting subject in your entry.
- Submit an entry that depicts action.
- When submitting multiple entries to a single category, submit three different and unique photographs instead of a single subject taken at a different angles or poses.
- Be realistic about your expectations. There are other contestants and you may not win.
In case you decide to join one or more of these photo contests, a knowledge on how a judge views each entry will come in handy so go ahead and read the full articles. Have fun and keep on improving your shots.
