Photographic Competition

It is important that orchids and orchid sites are not damaged by HOS members. Please take extra care when photographing orchids and other plants. Heavy fines may be imposed if plants are damaged.

Rules for HOS Photographic Competition

1. Judging is based on the quality of the pictures, not on the rarity of the plants and the Judge’s decision is final.
2. Only Orchids that are “hardy” are acceptable.
3. Members must inform the Photographic Competition Organiser, in advance, which print classes they are entering. Contact details of the Organiser, and deadline dates for entry, will be notified well in advance in the Journal and on the website.
4. Each member may enter one picture only in each Class.
5. Pictures entered previously in HOS competitions are not permitted.
6. The name of the member entering a print must appear on the back only, no name must appear on the front of the print or in a digital image.
7. Each print must be accompanied by a small title note naming the plant and providing any information of interest to members. The print must be unmounted and placed in a plastic sleeve.  The sleeve should allow easy access to the print, so that it may be removed for judging, so not taped shut. The title note must either be in the sleeve with the print or stuck firmly on the outside of the plastic sleeve so that it is clearly visible when the print is displayed. The sleeve is essential for protection while on display and to ensure that the title and the photograph are not separated – entries without it will not be accepted. This applies to prints brought to the Show and those posted to the Organiser in advance. It is the responsibility of the member entering the photograph to supply the plastic sleeve as these will not be supplied by the Organiser for postal entries or at the show.
8. For entrants who cannot attend the meeting, the Organiser will accept postal entries (prints) by the deadline date. Prints cannot be returned by post unless an SAE is provided. Members may collect their prints at the end of the meeting or arrange for someone else to do this for them. The Organiser will bring all uncollected prints to the followings year’s meeting when the next year’s Photographic Competition is held, after which they will be disposed of.  The Organiser will also bring them to other meetings, that they attend, for collection.
9. A digital copy of print entries is required by the Organiser before the competition. These should be sent to the Organiser with your name and contact details.  Name each image in the following format, Your full name, Class, Name of Orchid, Location.  You will be notified of the date by which these are required.
10. When a class states ‘a group of orchids’, the picture must include whole plants, from the point where the stem or leaves is/are first visible above the ground or surrounding vegetation, to the top of the orchids and tips of the leaves.
11. When a class states ‘a single orchid spike’, the picture must the include the whole plant, from the point where the stem or leaves is/are first visible above the ground or surrounding vegetation, to the top of the orchid and tips of the leaves.
12. For Classes 13 and 14, a Novice is defined as an HOS Member who has never been placed First in any class in any HOS Photographic Competition. Entries in these classes do not have to conform to rules 10 and 11.
13. Techniques that enhance the presentation of the photograph without changing the story of the picture, are permitted including HDR, focus stacking, dodging/burning, and limited manipulation to remove distracting items.  Techniques that remove elements added by the camera, such as dust spots, digital noise, and film scratches, are allowed. All allowed adjustments must appear natural.  Stitched images are not permitted.  Colour images can be converted to greyscale monochrome. Infrared images, either direct-captures or derivations, are not allowed.  This rule does not apply to classes 15 and 16.
14. Digital entries must be sent to the Organiser with your name and contact details.  Name each image in the following format: Your full name, Class, Name of Orchid, Location. For large images use a file transfer service (Contact the organiser if you need details on how to do this).  Contact details of the Organiser and deadline dates for entry will be notified well in advance in the Journal and on the website.
15. For the purposes of this competition, the definition of an orchid/s in cultivation is any orchid/s that is grown in a pot or garden setting. The orchid/s do not have to be grown by the photographer.
16. Any orchid that is not defined by Rule 15.

Note for Classes 7 and 14 Orchid/s in cultivation

This subject allows potentially a great deal more photographic control than plants in the wild, which brings different considerations into play when judging.  For example, you have the ability to control when you take the photo, time of day, which gives control over lighting and weather.  You also have scope to use artificial light sources and backgrounds if you deem these to be necessary.

Photographic Competition Classes