Monthly Evaluation Image Submission Dates and Categories
From September to April, we dedicate one meeting per month to an Evaluation Night. Members are invited to submit digital images to be evaluated by a panel of judges. Scores and constructive comments are given on each image, to educate members, and to improve the overall level of members’ photography.
Images are evaluated in the following categories:
CATEGORY
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TYPICAL SUBJECT MATTER
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Landscape
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Cityscapes
Natural Landscapes
Pastoral Scenes
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Nature
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Nature Photography
Wildlife Photography
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People & Pets
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Portraiture
Glamour
Environmental
Pets or Domestic/Captive Animals
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Open
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When it just won’t fit anywhere else
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Monthly Challenge
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A different theme for each evaluation night, meant to challenge your creativity.
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Monthly Limit: Each month members will be allowed to enter up to 2 images into any of the regular categories and up to 2 images into the Monthly Challenge for a possible total of 4 images per monthly evaluation.
Photographs entered in the Monthly Challenge theme must conform to that theme and must “scream the theme”. Photographs entered in any of the other categories must conform to the category requirements. Further definitions of these standard themes are provided in the COPS Image Evaluation Guide.
Submission Dates and Monthly Challenge Themes
The Monthly Challenges for the current year are listed below, along with the image submission deadlines for the monthly evaluations.
Submission Deadline
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Monthly Challenge Theme
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Evaluation Date
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Sep 14
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Metal / Machines /Rusty Things
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Sep 21
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Oct 5
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Night Skies
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Oct 12
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Nov 2
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Minimalistic / Strong Mood
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Nov 9
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Dec 7
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Creative: Abstract / Lines-Curves-Patterns / Altered Reality, etc.
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Dec 14
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Jan 4
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Monochrome
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Jan 11
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Feb 1
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Macro
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Feb 8
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Mar 1
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Double Exposure / Strong Mood
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Mar 8
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Apr 5
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Architecture: Colour / Black & White
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Apr 12
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May 3
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High Key / Low Key
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May 10
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The photos should be thoughtful, and capture the viewers' attention to make them think, admire or wish to try their own hand at making a similar photo. The submissions should be captured in an interesting way via lighting, situation or during editing. A pen on a table is just that, but a pen laying in a silver case, with highlights bouncing off it, makes you realize it is not merely a pen, but The Pen. If you are really stuck for inspiration, you can browse the Internet for that photo theme and perhaps come up with a novel idea of showcasing your choice.