Grading and Awards

Competition Grades

The club has four grades in each regular monthly and annual competition in both Digital and Print.

• Masters
• A grade
• AB grade
• B grade

Grading promotion

At the end of each year members can be promoted between grades. Awards in Monochrome and Drone Photography competitions do not count towards promotion from one grade to the next.

Promotion from B grade to AB grade:

1. minimum of six (6) awards of honour and/or merit during the competition year,
2. and at least three (3) of which must be from the Set subject in prints OR at least three (3) from Set subject in digital images
3. and a minimum of five (5) other acceptances, three (3) of which MUST be from a Set Subject.

Promotion from AB grade to A grade:

1. minimum of eight (8) awards of honour and/or merit during the competition year,
2. and at least four (4) of which must be from the Set Subject in prints OR at least four (4) from Set subject in digital images
3. and a minimum of eight (8) other acceptances, four (4) of which MUST be from a Set Subject.

Promotion from A grade to Masters:

1. There are only ever 9 members in Masters.
2. The three lowest scoring members in Masters will drop back to A grade.
3. The three top scoring members in A grade will be promoted to Masters.
4. Aggregate points for Digital and Print are added together for this calculation.

Trophies will be presented for the following special awards at the Annual Awards Dinner:

• Annual Open Competition Print - 1st, 2nd & 3rd place in all grades
• Annual Open Competition Digital Image - 1st, 2nd & 3rd place in all grades
• Aggregate Points Competition Print - 1st, 2nd & 3rd place in all grades
• Aggregate Points Competition Digital Image – 1st, 2nd & 3rd place in all grades
  
• Champion Image of the Year - selected from the nine images awarded "Champion Image of the Month" throughout the year
• Greg Foley Trophy - for Club Person of the Year
• Bob Britcher Award - Champion "Most Apt Title" selected from the monthly "Most Apt Title" winners
• Howard & Sue Annual Best Bird Photographic Award (Selected by Howard Baker and Sue Wilson from all bird images submitted in any of the standard monthly competitions)
• Encouragement award - B grade only (may or may not be awarded)
• Certificate awarded for promotion from B to AB Grade
• Certificate awarded for promotion from AB to A Grade
• Certificate awarded for promotion from A Grade to Masters

Points

Set competitions (Print or Digital)

• Honour - 17
• Merit - 12
• Acceptance - 7
• Entry - 1

Open competitions (Print or Digital)

• Honour - 12
• Merit - 7
• Acceptance - 3
• Entry - 1

Monochrome

• 1st - 3
• 2nd - 2
• 3rd - 1

Drone Photography

• 1st - 3
• 2nd - 2
• 3rd - 1