The NVPS competition rules committee of Sam Schaen, Scott Musson, Bill Prosser, Fred Chitty, Gerry Abbott and Sandi Croan was formed last summer "to review and make recommendations" for change to NVPS competition rules, as necessary to better serve the current membership. Any changes adopted by membership vote in April or May 2010 will become effective starting in September 2010.

The review included the data from last year's competition entries (e.g. # of entries by class/category, # of members competing, etc), survey of other camera clubs' rules and the trend of changes, the results of the NVPS member survey conducted on October 20th, and comments from members by email, in face to face discussions with individual committee members and comments during a short Q&A during the October 13th meeting.

The table below summarizes the data from competition entries September 2008 through May 2009.

Class & Category	Average # of members each month	Average # of entries each month
Monochrome prints - Novice	5.6	6
Monochrome prints - Advanced	5.8	7
Color prints - Novice	15.7	23
Color prints - Advanced	13.9	21
Digital projection - Novice	14.7	26
Digital projection - Advanced	13.4	23
Enhanced prints	12.6	14
Slides	3.7	6

There were a total of 95 members who entered images in competition, with about half submitting images in 4 or fewer months and half submitting images in 5 or more months. On average, each month had 52 members competing with an average of 126 images.

The table below summarizes the data from the member survey of "that choice associated with the classes/categories you expect to participate". There were 68 members submitting surveys, very close to 50/50, novice & advanced.

Class	Total	Novice	Advanced	One Class	Master
Unrestricted prints	45	12	14	17	2
Restricted prints	24	12	9	2	n/a
Monochrome prints	27	7	5	15	n/a
Unrestricted digital projection	41	22	17	n/a	2
Restricted digital projection	19	7	12	n/a	n/a
Slides	8	n/a	n/a	8	n/a

In the member survey, there were 27 members that selected choice "E" (i.e. no change in current class/categories), but with 5 of these advocating some type of change in their comments. There were 41 members that selected "A", "B" or "C" (i.e. for change in class/categories), with a fairly even split between the 3 choices. (At the meeting, we discovered that choice D was a duplicate of Choice B and instructed members to ignore Choice D.)

The proposal includes a change to the categories and classes of competition. Under the proposal, there will be 5 categories:

• Unrestricted Images Digitally Projected (2)
•  Unrestricted Color Prints (2)
•  Monochrome Prints (1)
•  Restricted Images Digitally Projected (1)
•  Restricted Color Prints (1)

Due to the small number of participants over the last several years, the committee proposes that the slide category be dropped. Slides may still be used as the basis for a print or a digitally projected image. The committee also proposes combining the two classes for Monochrome prints into a single class due to dwindling participation.

The numbers in parenthesis above indicate the number of classes for the category. Monochrome Prints, Restricted Prints, and Restricted Images Digitally Projected will each have a single class. The other categories, Unrestricted Digitally Projected Images and Unrestricted Color Prints will have 2 classes--Novice and Advanced.

The proposal increases the number of required participants needed for a Novice Competition from two entrants to three entrants (making it the same as for Advanced classes). In addition, for all Categories/Classes, there must now be four images submitted for a competition to take place. This was done to ensure that awards are given only when there is adequate competition.

The proposed Restricted Prints Category is intended to provide a slightly more restricted venue than has been used for color prints in the current rules. The final image mustcome from a single exposure and may have only specifically listed manipulations after it has been captured. Nothing may be added to an image, and aside from dust spots, nothing may be taken away. Minor adjustments (global and targeted) to tone, color and contrast to the Raw or Jpeg file are acceptable if needed to more closely represent the original subject matter. Sharpening, noise reduction and cropping are also permitting in this category.

The proposed Unrestricted Color Print Category is intended to include manipulations that would be unacceptable under the definition of Restricted Prints. This category replaces the enhanced category under the current rules and additionally reaches "down" a bit further to include some manipulations that were previously allowed for straight prints (e.g., removing distractions). The only restrictions are that all elements of the image must have been photographed by the entrant.

Monochrome Prints are restricted only in color. They can include various shades of black on a white background, or shades of a single other color such as sepia. Aside from color, manipulation is unrestricted. A monochrome print may be derived from an image originally shot as a color image, e.g., by fully desaturating it.

The Restricted Image Digitally Projected category is intended to parallel the Restricted Color Print category. The same intent, namely to limit the permitted manipulations to those necessary to bring the image closer to the original subject matter, is the same.

The Unrestricted Image Digitally Projected category does not restrict manipulations. The single restriction is that all elements must have been captured by the entrant.

The language concerning advancement from Novice to Advanced Class has been clarified. It was not intended to change the process. 15% of the photographers in each Novice Class will be promoted to the Advanced class for that category.

A second Versatile Photographer of the Year award is proposed to provide separate awards for Novice and Advanced categories.

A link to a PDF is provided below: