Submitting Your Work for “Judging”

It’s thrilling to have an image exhibited for viewers to celebrate. Being juried into a competition show is a highlight for all of us.

Submitting your work for “judging” can also be a great opportunity to review your own work with an objective eye, grow your self-critique skills, learn from constructive feedback, and plan for future shoots.

So… How exactly do you choose which competitions to enter and which images to submit?

A great place to start is the Professional Photographers of America (PPA) list the 12 key criteria used to select the “merit” images in its annual competition. While not specific to nature photography, this article’s recommendations are still relevant to whatever you shoot. [https://www.ppa.com/events/photo-competitions/ipc-international-photographic-competition-overview/the-12-elements-of-a-merit-image]

It’s also enlightening to follow the blog of professionals you know and whose work you respect, to better understand how they approach and compose their images. Many share fantastic tips and techniques that will help the next time you capture them.

Recommended Sites to Explore

North America Nature Photography Association (NANPA)

David Akoubian

John Gerlach

Rick Sammon

Charlotte Gibb

Joyce Dumas

Kathleen Clemons

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Framing Specifications – Chattahoochee Nature Center

Framing Specifications for the Chattahoochee Nature Center Gallery

If you have exhibited at CNC before, these are the same guidelines so you can reuse a frame if you would like.  There is a difference in the frame sizes for the wall and the grid system so check on the size of your frame if you are reusing one. The inner dimension of the frame is what counts as the measurement.  That is also the measure of the outside edge of the acrylic and the mat.

Information on framing are as follows:

Photos to be displayed on the WALL. 

  • Framing specs for the wall will depend on the specific competition.
    • Normal CNC Gallery Framing – 16×20 or 18 x 24 frames
    • Double Vision Exhibit – 22 x 28 frames for the wall
  • Wood (or wood composite) frames using plain flat black molding of 1″ to 2″ wide.
  • Mats must be white – not ivory – with normal heavyweight mat board. They must have approximately a 2″ mat border on each side (the border can range from 1.5 to 3 inches)
  • Acrylic or styrene glazing is required over the print.  No glass may be used for this gallery.
  • Photos must be prepared and ready for hanging using picture wire.  (Sawtooth hangers or loop hangers are not permitted.) Be sure the picture wire is pulled tight and has just enough slack to fit your hand between the wire and back of the print.

Photos for the metal GRIDS – Double Vision Only

  • Frame specifications are 16 x 20 for the grids for all exhibits
  • 16” x 20” wood frames using plain flat black molding of 1″ to 2″ wide.
  • Mats must be white – not ivory – with normal heavyweight mat board. They must have approximately a 2″ mat border on each side (the border can range from 1.5 to 3 inches)
  • Acrylic or styrene glazing is required over the print.  No glass may be used for this gallery.
  • Photos must be prepared and ready for hanging using picture wire.  (Sawtooth hangers or loop hangers are not permitted.) Be sure the picture wire is pulled tight and has just enough slack to fit your hand between the wire and back of the print.

Sources

You should be able to buy stock frames and custom mats if needed.  Michael’s and other craft shops have frames at a reasonable price.  Discount Picture Framing in Lawrenceville also has reasonable prices. Also, one of our GNPA sponsors, Digital Arts Studio may also be considered. The latter will provide a one-stop shop for GNPA to print from your digital image and frame for about $100 – $150 depending on the size and mat you choose.

We also want to help keep the cost down.  If you need to order frames and mats with acrylic glazing, www.framedestination.com has everything available.  I recommend the Corporate Wide Black wood frames and the White Sale mats.  The cost will probably be around $55-65 for frame with styrene glazing  and mat.  If you want to upgrade to acrylic for a higher end glazing, it will cost around $25.  You can also order frames and mats online from https://www.frameusa.com/wood-frames/corporate-wide-picture-frames  They are both very reasonably priced but usually require a 2-3 week lead time.

We recommend printing to the required mat opening.  Prints can be ordered online if desired from mpix at www.mpix.com  and COSTCO, for pickup at their store.  A local Atlanta company that has also been great to work with is https://www.myphotopipe.com/.  Owen Thompson at Digital Arts can provide turnkey prints and framing.

If you have an image that does not work with standard framing, or if you have questions, be sure to ask.   We usually can accommodate small exceptions or make suggestions to help keep costs down.