For many photographers who join a local camera club or photographic society, the monthly competition quickly becomes one of the most useful parts of membership. These are not contests in the conventional sense. The purpose is structured feedback — a way to get an honest, external assessment of your work and to learn from what scores well and what doesn't.
Most US camera clubs hold competitions monthly or every two months during their active season, which typically runs September through May or June. On a competition night, a judge — usually an experienced photographer from outside the club — scores each submitted image and gives a verbal commentary on its strengths and weaknesses. Members listen, take notes, and ask questions. The whole room sees the same images and hears the same feedback, which makes it as educational for people who didn't enter as for those who did.
US camera clubs run competitions in two formats: prints and projected digital images.
A print is a physical photograph, usually mounted on a rigid backing board and displayed on an easel for the judge to assess. Most clubs specify a standard mount size — 16x20 inches is common, though this varies. The image itself can be any size within the mount. Prints are judged under controlled lighting, and the physical quality of the print matters: sharpness, tonality, and colour accuracy are all visible in a way they aren't on screen.
A PDI — sometimes called a DPI (Digital Projected Image) — is a JPEG file displayed on a screen or projector for the judge and audience. Most US clubs specify a maximum size of 1920 pixels wide by 1080 pixels tall, with images in sRGB color space. Files that exceed the size limit or are submitted in the wrong color space may be disqualified or display incorrectly, so checking the club's technical requirements before submitting is important.
PDI competitions are increasingly common because they are cheaper and simpler to run than print competitions — no mounting costs, no physical handling of images. Many clubs run both formats through the season, sometimes combining scores for an annual trophy.
Most PSA-affiliated clubs divide their competitions into three skill levels: Basic, Advanced, and Masters. The idea is to avoid beginners competing directly against photographers with decades of experience.
Promotion from one level to the next is usually based on accumulating a set number of high scores or wins. Some clubs use slightly different names — Beginner/Intermediate/Advanced is also common — but the principle is the same.
Within each skill level, competitions are usually divided into categories. The most common are:
Monthly competitions may also include a themed category — "reflections", "leading lines", "blue" — where all images must relate to the stated theme.
Judges are usually experienced photographers from other clubs who are known for their ability to give constructive feedback. A good judge spends time on each image, identifies what works and what doesn't, and gives specific rather than vague feedback. Scores are typically given out of ten or out of twenty, with the judge often placing images into broad tiers — highly commended, commended, and so on — before awarding scores.
Judges consider composition, technical quality (exposure, focus, depth of field), impact, and creativity. For nature images, factual accuracy and the rules of the category are also assessed. For creative images, originality is weighted more heavily.
Not all clubs use external judges. Some use peer evaluation or a points-based system where members score each other's images anonymously. External judging is generally considered more useful because it removes the social dynamics of a small group assessing each other's work.
Beyond internal club competitions, many clubs participate in interclub events coordinated by their regional council. In an interclub competition, each member club submits a set of images — usually five to ten — which are judged against submissions from other clubs in the region. Clubs are ranked and receive feedback on their collective submission.
PSA-affiliated clubs can also enter their members into PSA-recognised exhibitions and salons. These are juried events where photographers submit individual images for assessment. Acceptances in PSA-recognised exhibitions count toward PSA distinctions (APSA, EPSA, FPSA). See our awards and distinctions guide for more detail on how distinctions work.
Before submitting any PDI, confirm the club's required pixel dimensions and color space. 1920x1080 pixels, sRGB is standard but not universal. A file submitted in Adobe RGB when the projector is calibrated for sRGB will display with flat, washed-out colors.
Nature categories have specific rules. If your image includes a captive animal, a zoo shot, or a garden flower, it may not qualify as nature under PSA rules. Check before entering rather than after.
The score matters less than the reasoning. If a judge says the same thing about three of your images — cropping too tight, horizon not level, background too busy — that is useful information regardless of the final score.
Over several competitions you will notice patterns in what scores consistently at the top. Pay attention not just to the subject but to the light, the moment, and the framing of high-scoring images. The feedback given on other people's work is as instructive as the feedback on your own.