Why the change

The Essendon Camera Club has for many years run competitions based on a place system where each month, only one entry can achieve 1^st, 2^nd, 3^rd and 4^th placings.

There are two negative aspects to this system of competition.

The first being that, even if there are more than one entry that deserves an equal top score, it is left to the judge to determine which entry is “better” than another.

The second is that it creates a mindset that each month, members are in competition with each other. This has led, in some circumstances, to some members being unwilling to share or help other members improve in their photography.

A shift in mindset for competition

By moving to a points-based system, as opposed to a ‘placing’ system, as a club we stop competing against each other and begin competing against ourselves.

The motivation to put in entries is to improve yourself, not to beat another member.

As a club, we will still compete collectively against other clubs in both interclub and VAPS but more in the spirit of a cricket or football club where lifting every member gives our club the better chance of competition success.

Do other clubs use this model?

Yes, in fact the idea came from the President’s Forum held earlier this year. Other clubs moving to the model have reported not only an increase in entries but a change in the overall happiness of members.

The scoring system is straight out of the APJA handbook using a 15-point scoring model on each image.

We aren’t reinventing a system but rather, adopting a proven, existing model.

What exactly will change

The proposal is as follows.

We will remove our current placing system and instead, each entry is given a score out of 15 points.

Scores between 14-15 are awarded a title of “Honoured”.

Scores between 12-13 points are awarded a title of “Merit”.

In each month, there may be several images that fit within those two categories which means that if more than one image receives 15 points, they will both be given highest honours for that competition.

This directly addresses issues where members feel the judge may have been biased because they prefer one genre over another.

Removal of A and B grades

The big change will be the removal of A and B grades.

As each image will be judged on its own merits, rather than against other image submissions, every member will now be encouraged to improve their individual work.

There will no longer be ‘A’ or ‘B’ Grade divisions : just one portal entry for all Open Digital submissions/participants.

How does this affect the End Of Year Awards

– Member Donated Awards – 2^nd Monday of November

The Member Donated awards night will continue to run as it has previously.

The purpose of this night is more for the fun of competition and as the requirement is for the member donating the award to both judge and provide an award, it will be still selected as a 1^st place only.

– End of Year Awards

Club Aggregate Awards will use the new scoring model but continue in the same fashion of combining scoring achieved throughout the year.

This may have the potential of having more than one member win the award however, other clubs have reported this being a rare occurrence.

There will no longer be A and B grade categories.

Digital of the Year, Print of the Year, Aggregate Digital of the Year, Aggregate Print of the Year will remain the same as previous years in that; these will be judged on a 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd basis.

There will no longer be A and B grade categories.

Alex Murray Memorial Trophy will remain the same as previous years as it falls within the same scoring rules as currently used.

Bendigo Bank “Black & White PRINT” will continue using the same scoring model as previously used.

Harold McCorkill Memorial Trophy will continue using the same scoring model as previously used.

Neil Anderton – “Nature DIGITAL of the Year” will continue using the same scoring model as previously used.

Neil Anderton – “Nature Print of the Year” will continue using the same scoring model as previously used.

President’s Award will continue using the same scoring model as previously used.