Competitions are held on the first Monday of the month, October through May. Please arrive early for competition nights as the lines for entry are long and entries will not be accepted after 7:25 PM. Members are encouraged to enter the 8 monthly intra-club competitions, competing with peers at their own skill level (Novice or Advanced) in one or more of their chosen media (digital, slide, monochrome print, or color print). Digital entries must be filed on the club website no later than midnight of the Monday prior to competition. Login and password is required for digital entry submission.
Each competition provides expert, constructive criticism of each picture by outside judges, thus becoming a teaching tool for improving photographic results and personal satisfaction. We are also affiliated with regional organizations through which B-CCC members are eligible to participate in several competitions outside of the club.
| October | Open | Any topic, any subject, any place, any time. |
| November | Reflections | The central theme must be a mirror image of an object as seen when reflected by a glass, water or metal surface. |
| December | Still Life | An arranged composition using inanimate objects in natural or artificial lighting, indoors or outdoors. The subject, composition, lighting and photographic technique are what count and the photographer must have orchestrated the scene him/herself intentionally to control and produce the photograph. It could be a collection of match books or a formal garden which you have designed and created yourself and photographed in a unique way. |
| January | Motion | An image that depicts motion, action and/or movement using different photographic techniques, like slow shutter speed, panning, zooming, stop action, etc. Water may NOT be the main subject of the competition. |
| February | Travel | A travel image for the purpose of this competition is described simply as a photograph made outside the Bowie area that describes another place or people or culture. The Ernie Nagy Travel Award will be presented by the judge to the maker of the photograph he or she considers to be the best of show. All submitted images must have originated within the past three years. See the club competition rules for more specific details. |
| March | Abstract | Abstracts are the poetry of photography, free verse written in color and tone, producing poem of mood, feeling, and emotion. Abstracts are characterized by designs depicting no immediately recognizable object. (Definition courtesy of Joe Miller) |
| April | Nature | A Nature photograph is described as one of a landscape, animals or insects or something that appears as a natural object, i.e., vegetation, stones, water. The rules forbid any evidence of the hand of man. The Novice Nature Trophy will be awarded to the Novice entrant the judge considers Best of Show among the Novice Class winners. See the club competition rules for more specific details. |
| May | Open | Any topic, any subject, any place, any time. |
| May | End of Year Competition | All 2007-2008 club year award (1st, 2nd, 3rd, HM) winning photos are eligible for this End of Year Competition. |