All members of the club are encouraged to enter their photos for our internal competitions which are spread throughout the season.

For a summary of all club competitions SEE Club Internal Competitions

Eligibility

• No person may take part in a Club Competition or enter a Club Exhibition unless their subscription is fully up to date.
• Each member may submit a maximum of two entries for each competition, unless otherwise stated.

Re‑submission of Images

• No image, substantially similar image, or digital file previously entered by the author may be entered again in any subsequent LBPC competition.
Exceptions:
• Entry into PDI of the Year
• Inclusion within a Portfolio Panel for the Portfolio Competition

Author’s Ownership and Copyright

• All elements of the submitted work must be the author’s own.
• All assets used in an image must have been captured by optical means by the author.
• The author must own the copyright for every element included in the image.

Use of AI, Machine Learning, and Digital Tools

AI‑Assisted Editing Tools (Permitted)

Software that uses AI or machine‑learning technologies to edit or transform photographs is permitted.
This includes tools used for:
• cloning
• compositing
• sky replacement
• blurring
• noise reduction
• sharpening
• tonal and colour adjustments

These are considered modern extensions of traditional darkroom techniques.

Important: This does not override the requirement that all photographic assets must be the author’s own work and captured optically by the author.

AI‑Generated Images (Not Permitted)

Software, services, or applications that create computer‑generated images from scratch are not allowed.
Images entered into club competitions must:
• be the author’s own work
• be created solely from assets captured optically by the author
• not contain AI‑generated or AI‑fabricated content

Exemptions

The following do not fall under the AI restrictions:
• Autofocus, face/eye detection, and other AI‑based functions built into modern cameras and phones
• Editing assets such as brushes, textures, masks, overlays, etc., provided they do not introduce non‑author photographic content

Judging

The Committee will appoint an external judge for each competition. Each entry will be marked out of twenty.

Discretionary Powers

Competition coordinators may, under certain circumstances, use their discretion to waive or amend the competition rules where appropriate.

Rules for Projected Digital Images (PDIs)

All digital images must be uploaded via Photo Entry ahead of the deadline listed in Photo Entry. All images must adhere to the standard rules below:

  • Target Dimensions:  Width 1600, Height 1200
  • Max Image Size:        2MB
  • Colour Profile:           sRGB IEC61966-2.1

Photo Entry will reject any image which does not adhere to these rules.

Rules for Prints

  1. Prints must be mounted on a mount of sufficient thickness that will stand when supported on its lower edge.
  2. The print may be any size not larger than 40cm x 50cm overall, including the mount. There must be no Velcro on the mount, and the print must not be mounted in such a way that other prints may be damaged when stacked.
  3. The print title, member’s name, and section must be on the reverse. The front of the print may optionally show the title, but must not identify the author.
  4. Trade, home processed, digital, monochrome or colour prints are accepted in both sections.
  5. The prints must be handed to the Print Co-ordinator by 19.45 on the night of the competition.
  6. In addition, a digital image (conforming to Club PDI standard) of the print must be uploaded via Photo Entry before the deadline listed in Photo Entry.
  7. The PDI’s will be projected while the print is being judged, so members can see the image more clearly. The judge will base all comments and scores solely on the printed version.

Purpose of the Category

The mobile‑phone category is designed to celebrate:

  • spontaneous photography
  • creativity within the limits of a phone sensor
  • the distinctive look and feel of mobile‑camera images

Heavy manipulation can undermine this purpose if it makes the final image appear as though it was captured on a more powerful camera or created through synthetic means.

Eligibility

Devices

  • Images must be taken exclusively on a mobile phone.
  • Any make or model is permitted (Apple, Samsung, Google, Huawei, etc.).
  • Tablets may be included or excluded depending on club policy.

Capture Requirements

  • The original image must be captured using the phone’s built‑in camera hardware.
  • Clip‑on lenses (macro, fisheye, wide‑angle, etc.) are permitted if they attach directly to the phone.
  • Images created using AI‑generated content or AI‑assisted composite tools are not permitted.
  • Heavy manipulation must not misrepresent the image’s origin as a mobile‑phone capture.

Editing and Processing

Permitted Adjustments

  • EXIF data must be retained to confirm mobile‑phone capture.
  • Editing may be carried out on the phone or on a computer. The following adjustments are allowed:
    • colour grading
    • exposure and contrast adjustments
    • cropping
    • sharpening
    • noise reduction
    • monochrome conversion
    • HDR blending from multiple phone captures
    • local dodging and burning
    • removal of small distractions
  • Composites are allowed only if every element was photographed on a mobile phone.

Not Permitted

The following manipulations are not allowed because they misrepresent the limitations of mobile‑phone photography or disguise the true origin of the image:

  • replacing the sky with a DSLR‑quality sky
  • adding elements photographed on a non‑phone camera
  • composites that create scenes impossible for a phone to capture
  • AI‑generated or AI‑fabricated content
  • extreme upscaling that mimics high‑end camera resolution
  • blending in textures or details from non‑phone sources
  • removing so much noise/detail that the image appears to be from a studio‑grade camera

  1. At least 75% of the AV content must be the original work of the author. and must comply with any copyright legislation.
  2. The presentations need to last between two and twelve minutes and be accompanied by a soundtrack.
  3. The sequences must run with no additional software requirements and without a ‘run box’, and they must return to the desktop at the end.
  4. Sequences must be anonymous; neither the club nor the author’s name must appear.
  5. To comply with copyright rules, the author must hold copyright or licences for soundtracks, or use royalty-free material. No reference to the music/soundtrack must be shown.
  6. The committee will appoint an external judge who will select the first, second and third place entries.