MULTI-IMAGE SALON JUDGING CRITERIA
Basic guidelines for images
Muy Importante:
Firstly, I would like to mention that the guidelines that appear below are just that, “guidelines”. In Multi Image the sky can be the limit, so if you break the rules to achieve the “Big Picture”, don’t worry about it. There is one rule in photography that I go by, simply stated: There are NO rules in photography…
Technical Criteria for traditional (film) & digital images:
Provide an image that is in focus and correctly exposed, unless poor focus and poor exposure are used to illustrate a portion of your presentation. (Just let the judges know in your outline)
*Tips for optimum images, the following should normally be avoided:
Unless specifically intended as part of the Multi Image presentation, this would need to be noted in the presentation outline and included with the submission)
Sections of frame not correctly exposed.
Over-exposure ("burned in" so no detail is present)
Under-exposure (insufficient light on area of interest)
Sections of frame out of focus
Image not sharp when it should be.
Not correctly focused
Camera or subject moved during exposure
Blurred by water on lens
Inappropriate depth of field
Double images (overlapping images caused by multiple flashes).
"Worms" (streaks of light created by moving a light with lens open). Scratch on film. Digital images that are pixelated and/or display poor image resolutionArtistic Criteria:
(Ok, what exactly is art? If it is an integral part of the presentation, break the rules below.)
Provide an image that has a pleasing arrangement of objects, lines, contrasts, and colors.
Use horizontal or vertical format when appropriate. (Horizontal is the preferred format, as it fills the most frame area. In Multi Image it is considered the standard format for images)
Have a strong center of interest.
Leave open space in the direction a person is headed.
Align less significant elements so as to draw attention to center of interest.
Avoid backgrounds which distract from center of interest.
Crop edges of frame to fill the frame or eliminate distractions.
Effectively employ direction and intensity of lights.
Front-lighting, side-lighting, back-lighting.
Hard light, soft light, hard shadows, soft shadows.
Key light, fill light, highlight.
*Tips for optimum images, the following should normally be avoided:
Unless specifically intended as part of the Multi Image presentation, this would need to be noted in the presentation outline and included with the submission)
Frame not level.
Significant objects "cropped".Person on edge of frame looking out of the frame.
Distracting shadows or beams of light.
Burst of light from the flash is in picture.
Reflection from person's glasses.
Unusual object in picture (often placed in it for scale).Impact Criteria:
(These are good things to think about)
Provide an unusual point of view.
Stir viewer's imagination.
Convey a sense of action in progress.
Capture excited or intriguing facial expressions.
Invoke an emotional impact.
Cause the viewer to associate with image based on their experiences.
Convey a message.
*Tips for optimum images, the following should normally be avoided:
(Unless specifically intended as part of the Multi Image presentation, this would need to be noted in the presentation outline and included with the submission)
People in frame appear "posed" - lack of a sense of movement.
Out-of place or distracting facial expressions.
Lack of color when appropriate or ineffective use of color.
Caver Appeal:
Provide an image with subjects that have strong appeal to the caver community.
The following are general suggestions: ANYTHING to do with caving is fair game.General Criteria:
Please don't include any of the following in your presentation:Not related to caves or caving
Promotes unsafe caving practices Depicts practices flagrantly violating cave conservation ethicsDepicts practices flagrantly detrimental to land owner relations
Pornographic images
Basic Rules for Multi Image Entries:
Multi Image presentations will be judged in two categories:
Traditional (film) based
Digital based
Multi
Image presentations must be still images on traditional (film) or digital media
Each person that submits a Multi Image presentation must submit a basic outline for the judges to review. This outline should be included with the presentation. The person submitting the presentation will also have the opportunity to speak to the judges prior to it’s viewing, and give them any information related to the presentation.Digital presentations have a couple of rules:
Digital presentations can have NO video clips, ONLY still frame images (just like traditional Multi Image presentations).
Short animation clips (5 second) created to enhance the presentation, similar to animation in a traditional Multi Image presentation are acceptable. (However longer animated pieces are not allowed).
Digital Multi Image presentations will be submitted on a CD ROM.
Standard formats would be either “Slide Show To Go” found at www.nightwatchsoftware.com or Microsoft PowerPoint, part of Microsoft Office software. (FYI…SSTG does offer more true Multi Image features and is easy to learn)
(If the digital presentation was created with software other than Microsoft PowerPoint or SSTG a copy of the software will need to be provided to the Multi Image Salon chair to ensure that the presentation can be properly viewed by the judges.)
The sequence of images are judged based on their coherent flow towards
communicating a story, idea, mood, etc. (ie, the big picture)The image transitions are judged for how well they support the flow of
images. (Pick a transition or two and stick with them throughout, don’t overuse transitions)The audio is judged for how it interacts with the image transitions and
supports what the program appears to be communicating.