2022-2023 Assigned Topics

Images submitted for the Assigned Topics category must originate in camera no earlier than September 1 of the start of the previous club season. That means September 1, 2021 for the 2022-2023 season.
Note: Due to the COVID-19 constraints, the above limitation will be lifted to allow images dating back five years, or September 1, 2017 for the 2022-2023 season.

1.  “Repetition“:

   • Repetition in photography involves capturing repeating shapes or repetitive patterns.
   • Repetition patterns can be found in nature, (e.g. trees, wave patterns, land-forms) or may be seen in man-made objects such as architectural details, fences or lamp-posts.
   • Repetitive patterns can be broken in order to add interest, but the repetition must be a clear part of the composition.
   • Using perspective, you can use repeating objects with a progressive rhythm to emphasize the vanishing point and give depth to image.
   • Complex patterns are acceptable, however, simple repetition may give a more pleasing example of repetition.
   • Repetition may include colours or textures.

2.  “Low-Key“

   • Low-key is a term that describes images that are dark and contain few highlight areas. The use of low-key lighting, as a creative visual tool, accentuates the shape and contour of a subject. Additional lighting, such as a fill light, is kept to a minimum, or omitted entirely, to create the low-key mode. 
   • Typical low-key images include dark-toned scenes that emphasize natural or artificial light on only specific areas in the images.  The majority of tones are dark but not underexposed. 
   • Low-key images leave a bit of mystery to the scene, since only a glimpse of the subject is present.
   • Images weak in category would include those that have a large amount of light tones and only small areas that are dark.  

3. “Creative”

   Creative Images are defined as follows:

   Images should interpret the real world in a new, experimental and imaginative manner resulting in an abstract, unique, imaginative or unconventional display of the subject.

   Further, these images are not normally as seen by the naked eye and may engage the viewer in finding the meaning of the photograph. They will have been manipulated either in the camera via conventional means (multiple exposure, special effects, filters, etc.) or by using more intensive digital editing or application of the following types of techniques:

   composites digital Filters colour Toning “orton” Effect motion blur texture blending or overlay masking montage collage combination of BW and colour

   selective colouring or desaturation of colour solarisation or posterization brush strokes photograms negative images distortion HDR multiple images 3D rendering

   Images that look like they are straight out of camera (i.e. realistic shots) will be considered weak in category.
   (Note: images for the Creative theme may include composites formed from images taken before the regular one-year limit, but the final composite must still be dated within the one-year limit).

   Composite images are acceptable, however, all content must be created by the maker. Stock images may not be used to create composites. Likewise, backgrounds and textures must be created by the maker and not derived from internet downloads.

4. “Liquids”

   • Depicts images where the main subject matter is of an element in a liquid state or where the main interest is the result of the interaction of the liquid with another object or subject. It must be clearly evident that the main subject is the liquid in a fluid form.
   • Examples would be water; such as rivers, waterfalls, rain drops, waves, water drops, mercury, molten lava, paint, oil, splashes of any liquid, macros of dew drops, etc.
   • Examples of images that would not qualify: images where the main fluid element occupies less than 30% of the image, frozen water/ice, images where the liquid is not visible but still evident (e.g. water in a balloon, wine in a dark bottle).

    

5.  “Industrial“

   • Industrial photography involves capturing interesting aspects of common industries, such as construction, mining, manufacturing, energy and transportation. Often, industrial photographs show people building and making things.  The aim is to capture the manufacturing process and the labour performed by workers.
   • Industrial photographs focus on the details of the manufacturing and industrial sectors. Common industrial photography subjects include assembly lines, factories, workers, tools in action and inner workings of machines. 
   • Images that demonstrate a story behind the industry are stronger in category than static images of machines, although a simple well-worn handle on a machine can tell a story as well. 

Wallet Card

A handy wallet card (pdf file) with the competition due dates for 2022-23 is available here.