Contests and Challenges
The Beach Photo Club will continue the awarding of The Multi-faceted Photographer Award. ** 3rd Year for this award ** This award will go to the photographer who attains the highest aggregate score in the following four categories: Motion, Landscape, Abstract, Silhouette. Note that you must have entered an image in each of these categories to be eligible. Your highest score in each of these categories will be used for your aggregate score.
Contests provide opportunities to share your photos and learn what makes a winning image. We encourage all members to participate in one of 3 groups: Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced. In addition to learning how you can improve your own images, you will see the work of your fellow members. Contests are either digital, where the images are projected, or print. All judging is done by certified Judges – and the comments are always constructive and useful. Certificates are awarded to the contest winners and winning images are put into a gallery on the club’s home page.
Challenges provide a fun and relaxed opportunity to share your work with our club members. Each member is asked to contribute up to three images ( *Sept allows 5) to a slideshow of images which will be presented after the main guest speaker during a club meeting.
Below, are the guidelines for submitting images. Note that the sizing is different for Challenges and Competitions.
(All image files are to be jpg files.)
When submitting images to COMPETITIONS, the maximum size requirement for an image is 1920 pixels wide and 1080 pixels high. This sizing matches the (FHD) Full High Definition specification which is typical for many displays. The most important point to keep in mind is that the dimension sizing is a maximum for each side, not a combination.
How does this affect the makers?
- Makers can submit images with ANY aspect ratio as long as the resulting image has a maximum of 1920 pixels wide AND 1080 pixels high.
- For example, if a maker resizes their image to be 1920 pixels wide and 1280pixels high, then the image is larger than the required specification maximum (the 1280 is greater than 1080). The action of the maker would be to resize the 1280 edge to a maximum of 1080. The longer, 1920, edge, will now be 1620. The result is that both edges are now within the maximum required sizing of 1920w and 1080h. And the maker's desired 6:4 ratio is intact.
- Similarly, if the maker has a square image, the image will be sized to a maximum of 1080.
When submitting images to CHALLENGES, the maximum size requirement for an image is 2560 pixels wide and 1440 pixels high. This sizing allows maximum display during the slideshow. The most important point to keep in mind is that the dimension sizing is a maximum for each side, not a combination.
How does this affect the makers?
- Makers can submit images with ANY aspect ratio as long as the resulting image has a maximum of 2560 pixels wide AND 1440 pixels high.
- For example, if a maker sizes their image to be 2560 pixels wide and 1980 pixels high, then the image is larger than the required specification maximum (the 1980 is greater than 1440). The action of the maker would be to resize the 1980 edge to a maximum of 1440. The longer, 2560, edge, will now be 1862. The result is that both edges are now within the maximum required sizing of 2560w and 1440h. And the maker's desired ratio is intact.
- Similarly, if the maker has a square image, the image will be sized to a maximum of 1440.
The Contest Schedule for 2026-2027:
**Note that for all contests** In general, generative AI is not allowed. Generative AI tools, such as the Lightroom object removal feature, may be used.
BPC Competition Categories
Digital Competition #1 (December 3rd, 2026):
Motion
This category captures the dynamic energy of a fleeting moment. It requires the
art of freezing high-speed action or using intentional blur to convey speed,
passage of time, and vitality. Photographers use techniques like panning, long
exposures, and fast shutter speeds to transform physical movement into a
powerful visual narrative. This category challenges creators to look beyond static
subjects and master the technical precision required to document the living,
moving world around them.
Texture
Texture celebrates the tactile qualities of the physical world, calling for
photographers to make viewers "feel" an image through sight alone. It focuses on
the intricate details of surfaces—such as the roughness of weathered bark, the
smoothness of polished stone, or the patterns of woven fabric. Success in this
category relies heavily on the masterful use of directional lighting and sharp focus
to emphasize depth, contrast, and three-dimensional form. This theme
transforms everyday objects into compelling visual stories by highlighting the
gritty, smooth, or complex details that usually go unnoticed.
Landscape
The Landscape category showcases the vastness and beauty of the natural or
urban world. It focuses on capturing the grandeur of wide-open spaces, from
rugged mountain ranges and serene oceans to dramatic city skylines.
Photographers in this category must master elements like golden hour lighting,
composition, and depth of field to evoke a powerful sense of place and
atmosphere. This theme encourages creators to document the scale, mood, and
ever-changing character of the environment around them.
Open
Any subject matter is acceptable, as long as all component images are taken by
the maker. Use of artistic filters or processing is acceptable.
Digital Competition #2 (February 18th, 2027):
Street Photography
The Street Photography category captures the unposed, raw essence of everyday
life in public spaces. It focuses on chance encounters, human behavior, and the
unique character of urban environments. Photographers in this category must
possess a keen eye for framing candid moments, utilizing natural light, shadows,
and architectural elements to tell a story. This theme is about the art of finding
extraordinary narratives within ordinary routines, documenting the heartbeat of a
community without staging the scene.
Abstract
Use your creativity to focus on isolating shapes, lines, colors, and patterns to
create images detached from immediate recognition. It challenges photographers
to look past the literal identity of a subject and focus purely on its graphic
components. By using tight framing, extreme macro views, intentional camera
movement, layering, or unusual perspectives, creators transform ordinary objects
into conceptual art. This theme rewards visual imagination, inviting the viewer to
engage with the mood, form, and mystery of the composition rather than its
functional reality. Any type of manipulation is acceptable.
Silhouette
This category highlights the dramatic interplay of light and shadow by reducing
subjects to bold, dark outlines against a bright background. It strips away fine
details like color, texture, and facial expressions, forcing the viewer to focus
entirely on shape, form, and story. Photographers achieve this striking effect by
placing the subject directly between the camera and a strong light source, such as
a setting sun or an artificial backlight. This theme rewards minimal compositions
and precise timing, turning everyday scenes into powerful, high-contrast visual
narratives.
Open
Any subject matter is acceptable, as long as all component images are taken by
the maker. Use of artistic filters or processing is acceptable.
Print Competition# 1 (May 20st, 2027):
*** Live Judging ***
For the print competition, we encourage all members to try their hand at printing
images – we provide matting and mounting instruction closer to the competition
date. The print image minimum is 11″x14″ (so that the judges can see the image
clearly – but it could be smaller). The maximum print and matte combined size is
16" x 20" (20”x20” if square). All paper types are allowed. Mounting is mandatory
(minimum foam core). Matting is optional. Choice of matting is part of the
process and overall finishing of an image and may be considered in the scoring.
Your submission will be the digital image used to make the print and the final
mounted/matted print. Refer to the detailed document in the Downloadable Documents tab.
Monochrome (maximum of 3 prints)
This category is limited to prints that are Monochrome. Monochrome
photography is any photography that utilizes differing amounts of light instead of
different colours to capture and represent images. Take only one single colour
and use a range of tones of that colour. There are no restrictions to subject
matter. All forms of manipulation are allowed as long as the original image(s) are
photographed by the maker.
Colour (maximum of 3 prints)
This category is limited to prints that are Colour. There are no restrictions to
subject matter. All forms of manipulation are allowed as long as the original
image(s) are photographed by the maker.
The Challenge Schedule for 2026-2027:
Please make sure you submit a title for each submitted Challenge image, which will be shown during the slideshow presentation. In addition, the maker's name will also be shown with each image and at the end of the slideshow. Please review all the image requirements on our BPC website under the Competitions heading and then under the “Competitions and Challenges” section, before submitting any image.
September 10: Summer Memories (*5 photos each)
(Deadline to submit photos to the BPC website is Monday, September 7, 2026)
This challenge consists of everything to do with summer. Get out and capture striking memories
during the warmer months which may including music/street festivals, lazy days on a dock, new
getaway adventures to far-off destinations or local road trips.
October 8: Smartphone Photography (3 photos each)
(Deadline to submit photos to the BPC website is Monday, October 5, 2026)
Celebrate great images made with the camera you always have with you. The open subject entries
should showcase creative composition, smart use of light, and the unique strengths of mobile
devices—proving that compelling photography doesn’t require a traditional camera.
November 5: Leaves (3 photos each)
(Deadline to submit photos to the BPC website is Monday, November 2, 2026)
Explore the beauty, structure, and personality of leaves in any season. From fresh spring growth to
autumn’s dramatic colours, from intricate veins to bold edges, leaves offer endless opportunities for
creativity. Entries may be literal, macro or wideangle, but should highlight the texture, form, pattern,
or story that leaves can tell.
December 3: Music (3 photos each)
(Deadline to submit photos to the BPC website is Monday, November 30, 2026)
This challenge focuses on visually expressing the feeling, energy, or atmosphere of music. Images
might feature instruments, performers, movement, or scenes that capture rhythm and emotion,
showing how sound can be translated into a compelling photograph.
January 7: The Colour Blue (3 photos each)
(Deadline to submit photos to the BPC website is Monday, January 4, 2027)
This challenge focused on showcasing the colour blue as the defining element of your image.
Whether bold or subtle, natural or manmade, entries should use blue to create mood, contrast or
visual impact.
February 4: Weather (3 photos each)
(Deadline to submit photos to the BPC website is Monday, February 1, 2027)
This challenge celebrates the mood and atmosphere created by the natural elements. From
dramatic storms to gentle light, fog, frost, wind or rain. Submitted entries should highlight how
weather transforms a scene and shapes the story within the frame.
March 4: Found Faces (3 photos each)
(Deadline to submit photos to the BPC website is Monday, March 1, 2027)
A playful challenge to spot facelike shapes in everyday objects or scenes. Entries should capture
those accidental “expressions” created by patterns, shadows, man-made objects or structures that
make the world appear to look back at you.
April 1: Still Life (3 photos each)
(Deadline to submit photos to the BPC website is Monday, March 29, 2027)
This challenge encourages photographers to slow down, arrange thoughtfully and use light, shadow,
and texture to create mood and meaning. Objects can be simple or elaborate. Think about how
items are placed, how they interact, and how the scene feels as a whole. Examples may be the
classic bowl of fruit or highlighting a vegetable, a flower in a vase or a collection of objects arranged
in a graphic pattern.
May 20: Tools of the Trade (3 photos each)
(Deadline to submit photos to the BPC website is Monday, May 17, 2027)
This last challenge of the year, celebrates the objects that represent work, craft and skill. Entries
should highlight the character, texture and purpose of tools. Whether wellworn, neatly arranged or
shown in their working environment. The tools should tell the story of the craft behind them.
Examples can be tools used by a carpenter, contractor or DIY’er, a chef in a kitchen, an artist, a
gardener, a mechanic and of course, a photographer.