Competitions and Competition Rules


Monthly Photo Competitions
The Monthly Print Competition is an “Open” theme i.e. with no set subject. This competition is available only to financial members, with the exception of the February meeting.

There are two grades in the photo competitions that run through the year.
  • A Grade
  • B Grade
Members are encouraged to enter photos into whichever grade they feel represents their skill level. You can only enter photos into one grade level each month.

A Grade members can enter up to  four (4) images.  These have to be digital images and uploaded to the website.

B Grade members can enter up to  four (4) images.  These have to be digital images and uploaded to the website.

Images entered in the competition need to be:
  • Taken by and be the work of the person entering the image.
  • Of photographic origin. Images of artworks need to have a significant creative element added photographically to the final image to qualify.
  • Taken within the previous 24 months. Members are allowed to enter one image that is older than 24 Months each month.
  • Images can not have been entered in any previous month's competition.

Images are critiqued and awarded scores as follows:
  • Bronze for 1 point: Images judged to be at this level should be of average quality.
  • Silver for 2 points: Images judged to be at this level must be above average quality.
  • Gold for 3 points: Images judged to be at this level must be of exceptional quality.
  • Photo of the month 2 bonus points. The judge for each grade will award one only photo of the month which will receive two extra points

The scores from each month are added each photographers total at the end of the year. The highest total scores in both grades are awarded an individual trophy. Points earned in one grade can not be transferred to a different grade if a member changes grade during the calendar year.

Quarter Club
The Quarter Club has a fixed subject and is voted by the members at the 3rd, 6th, 9th and 12th Monthly Meetings.
The subjects are decided at the beginning of the year and workshops arranged on these subjects.
There are no end of year points awarded for Quarter Club prints.
Entries for the Quarter Club may be up to A3 in size (297 x 420 mm). Images should not be mounted or framed.
Two entries per subject are allowed.
See Calendar for current Quarter Club Subject.

Other Competitions
The Mackay Camera Group actively participates in external competitions.
The major ones of these are; SEQ is run in conjunction with the Annual Convention of the Photographic Society of Queensland. This is a multi discipline competition with print images, digital projected images and audio visual sections. The Mackay Camera Group has had excellent results in this competition over the years.

The Mackay Camera Group provides the Stewards for the Mackay Regional Show. We encourage our members to participate in the Show and again have had excellent results here. Prior to the show, workshops are usually held to print and matt images for club members.

  • Queensland Inter-club DPI
This is an online competition. It is a whole of club competition where a majority of the club members enter a number of images per person, dependant on the membership of the club.
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  • Annual Display
An Annual Display of work by members of the Club is held at the Gordon White Library every year.
Many of our members enter this Club Display and this is where we showcase our work to the public.

Held in Brisbane every year, this is the larges Show in Queensland. In recent years the competition has been opened to all photographers in Queensland and Mackay Camera Group Inc. members have entered and received high awards in this show.


 Header Image Credit:  A Bath and a Stretch by Lynnie Hutchins - A Grade