If you love photography, then why not enter our new FREE monthly photo competition

Monthly Photo Competition – What’s it all about?

This free photo competition is open to anyone with a love of photography. Whatever your skill level and method of taking photos, you can join in the fun. You can use a mobile phone, iPad or camera.

Whether you are an absolute beginner, or have developed your skills over the years, I love nothing more than viewing other photographer’s work. Seeing how they progress and explore photography is so rewarding. You get to see the world from a new perspective, and they provide you with a unique opportunity to explore the world through their eyes.

How do you enter the competition?

You may submit up to three images in the Monthly Photo Competition, by email to cat@thephotoacademyni.co.uk or via our Instagram page. You must include an image title and your name. Entries open on the first of each month and are open until 21st monthly. The Photo Academy NI will select the top 3 images based on composition, creativity, technical execution and editing skills.

The Top 3 entries will then be shared on our social media platforms and via our mailing list. Followers will be invited to rank the images to choose their favourite photograph.

The winner each month will receive a 10 x 8 print of their image and will be awarded 10 points in the annual photo ‘Academy Awards’. Second place will receive 7 points and third place will receive 5 points.

Voting commences on 22nd monthly and closes 28th monthly. The winner will be announced on 1st of every month.

The annual Academy Awards will run from November to September each year, with the overall winner being announced in October. The annual winning photographer will receive an amazing prize valued at over £500!

Why should you enter?

One of the core values of my photography training school, The Photo Academy NI, is to help others become more inspired. This monthly photo competition will allow you to keep up your photography practice and try new techniques. As a professional photographer, I love being a member of the Professional Photographers Association of Northern Ireland (PPANI), SWPP and Guild of Photographers. We are actively encouraged to submit regular work to help keep us focused and shoot more creatively.

Anyone who has attended one of my workshops or courses will know that I love to see students develop and grow. I always tell them that one of the key things to becoming a better photographer is practice. You can have the most expensive camera in the world, with all the latest lenses but without regular practical application of your skills, it goes to waste.

What will you take photographs of?

I will provide you with a new topic each month. It will either be a word or phrase and it’s up to you how you interpret it. That’s the beauty of art and photography. It’s subjective and personal. You can take the word or phrase literally or get more creative. Remember, one of the criteria used when judging will be creativity, so take time to consider how you will approach the topic each month.

What can you use to edit the images?

You can use whatever app or software that you are comfortable with. You can edit on your phone using any of the free apps available or maybe consider using Adobe Lightroom if you want to have more control over your post-production.

Anything else you need to keep in mind?

There are a few terms & conditions in place to ensure that the competition runs smoothly and is fair to all taking part.

1. You must take the image yourself and not use anyone else’s work or elements within the image. E.g., you can’t pull an image off the internet and combine it with yours. Also, you are not permitted to use textures or overlays that you have purchased within your work.
2. The image must be captured during the month that the competition is open – this will be verified in the file data of the image when it’s been
3. submitted
4. All editing and post-production work may only be carried out by the person entering the competition
5. Images taken on photography workshops or seminars are not permitted
6. Please do not add graphics or text on your image
7. Entrants agree that any entered image may be used by the TPANI in any of their printed material, publications or for online usage. The rights to the image remain with the person who took the original image.
8. The competition is open to amateur photographers only to keep things fair

Is the Monthly Photo Competition now open?

Yes! As of November 1st 2022, the first monthly photo competition is now live so send your entries in today! Remember you can email your entries to cat@thephotoacademyni.co.uk or enter via our Instagram page https://www.instagram.com/thephotoacademyni/

Best of luck!