PPSC 2026 Annual Image Competition
August 6th, 2026 at Noon
Why should you enter competition?
Well, there are at least two basic reasons. First, ask yourself, Do you want to improve your image creation? You get great feedback on your images and how to improve them. That makes you a better photographer and improves the value of your work to clients. You will see your work get better each year! You are only competing with yourself. Second, ask yourself, Are you a competitive person who likes recognition? If so, you might win one or more awards and get recognized. There are trophies to be claimed! It is amazing how addictive photographic competition is. All it takes is one image that scores 80 or above and you are hooked.
Basic Info:
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Digital entries only.
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Early bird by Sunday July 5th at 11:00 PM EST - $20 per image for members and non members.
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July 6th to August 2nd at 11:00 PM EST - $25 per image for members and $30 for non members.
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Final deadline: Sunday, August 2, 2026, 11:00 PM ET
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To get a optional recorded critique from a juror, there is an additional $10 fee per image. This is normally a 2-3 minute recorded video that will be emailed to you about 2-3 weeks after the competition.
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Enter at PrintCompetition.com – you’ll need to sign up for an account (Free) in order to enter.
- We are using the PPA NUMERICAL scoring system!
The Judging Process
Our 2026 Annual Image Competition Jury Panel consists of a five-member panel, one of whom also serves as the Moderator.
Judging and Scoring System
Images will be judged on the PPA standard of 12 Elements of a Merit Image.
PPSC will utilize the
Our illustrious 2026 panel is comprised of the following jurors:
Juror #1 & Chair - Dwight Okumoto, M. Wed.Photog., M. Artist, MEI, Cr., API, CPP, Hon. EA-ASP
Juror #2 - David Foltz, M. Photog., M.Wed.Photog., Cr.
Juror #3 - Linda Long, M. Photog., Cr., CPP
Juror #4 - Kenzie Hunter, M. Photog., M. Artist
Juror #5 - Javon Longieliere, M.Photog., M.Wed.Photog., Cr., CPP
We use the printcompetition.com virtual judging system. Each juror has a calibrated monitor. After each judge scores, an average score will be announced. At this point judges may challenge the score and declare a reason why he/she believes the image should score higher or lower. The image will be re-scored. Images receiving a score of 80 or higher are considered “deserving of a merit.”
After all images have been scored, there will be a jury panel discussion led by the Moderator. Each image will be briefly discussed, providing the maker with some feedback. Also, formal recorded critiques can be purchased for $10/image.
Rules And Guidelines
Click HERE to view the rules.
AWARDS
Awards are given to PPSC members for merited images (score of 80 or higher), with the exception of the
Judge’s Choice Awards, which may be awarded to members or non-members, and the Non-Member Award
Certificate. Awards for the 2026 PPSC Photographic Competition will be as follow:
Category Awards (Any ties will be broken by the jury panel):
- 1st, 2nd and 3rd place awards will be given for each category listed below, for images meriting with a
score of 80 or higher, based on score. - 1st place images will receive a trophy or plaque.
- 2nd and 3rd place images and non-member images will receive a ribbon or certificate.
Award Categories for Photographic Open, Wedding, and Artist
- First Timer - 1st, 2nd and 3rd
• Photographic Open- All General Portraits - 1st, 2nd and 3rd
- Pets and Domestic Animal Portraits (including those with people) - 1st, 2nd and 3rd
- Illustrative Nature (Nature/Landscape/Wildlife/Zoo Animals) - 1st, 2nd and 3rd
- Illustrative General (images not included in the above categories, including the commercial categories of architecture, real estate, product photography) - 1st, 2nd and 3rd
- Reportage (General Reportage & Sports) - 1st, 2nd and 3rd
- Wedding
- All Wedding - 1st, 2nd and 3rd
- Artist
- Artist (including Artist Restoration) - 1st, 2nd and 3rd
Albums are entered into their respective categories and will be judged as equal entries to single images
within the category.
Individual Awards (Any ties will be broken by the jury panel):
- Photographer of the Year (determined by the highest-scoring cases of four or more entries in Photographic
Open, with head-to-head judging of multiple qualified cases). - Artist of the Year (determined by head-to-head judging of the highest-scoring cases of four or more entries
in Artist, with head-to-head judging of multiple qualified cases). - Best of Show (highest scoring image in the entire competition)
- CPP Award (highest scoring image in the entire competition made by a CPP)
- ASP Elite Award (highest scoring image made by a member of ASP)
- Judge’s Choice Awards (awarded to different images, chosen by the individual judges from among all judged
images, including nonmembers) - Certificate of Merit (for all PPSC members who did not qualify for an award, but who achieved at least one
merited image in the competition) - Non-Member Award Certificate (for the highest-scoring merited image by a non-member)
12 Elements Of A Merit IMAGE
The Photographic Exhibitions Committee (PEC) of PPA uses the 12 elements below as the “gold standard” to define a merit image. PEC trains judges to be mindful of these elements when judging images to the PPA merit level.
Presentation
Presentation affects an image by giving it a finished look. The digital mats and borders used, should support and enhance the image, not distract from it.
Creativity
The original, fresh, and external expression of the imagination of the maker by using the medium to convey an idea, message or thought.
Subject Matter
Subject matter should always be appropriate to the story being told in an image.
Technique
The approach used to create the image. Printing, lighting, posing, capture, presentation media, and more are part of the technique applied to an image.
Center of Interest
The point or points on the image where the maker wants the viewer to stop as they view the image. There can be primary and secondary centers of interest. Occasionally there will be no specific center of interest, when the entire scene collectively serves as the center of interest.
Composition
Important to the design of an image, bringing all of the visual elements together in concert to express the purpose of the image. Proper composition holds the viewer in the image and prompts the viewer to look where the creator intends. Effective composition can be pleasing or disturbing, depending on the intent of the image maker.
Style
Style is defined in a number of ways as it applies to a creative image. It might be defined by a specific genre or simply be recognizable as the characteristics of how a specific artist applies light to a subject. It can impact an image in a positive manner when the subject matter and the style are appropriate for each other, or it can have a negative effect when they are at odds.
Color Balance
Color Balance supplies harmony to an image. An image in which the tones work together, effectively supporting the image, can enhance its emotional appeal. Color balance is not always harmonious and can be used to evoke diverse feelings for effect.
Technical Excellence
The quality of the image itself as it is presented for viewing. Retouching, manipulation, sharpness, exposure, printing, mounting, and correct color are some items that speak to the qualities of the physical print.
Impact
The sense one gets upon viewing an image for the first time. Compelling images evoke laughter, sadness, anger, pride, wonder or another intense emotion. There can be impact in any of these twelve elements.
Lighting
The use and control of light, refers to how dimension, shape and roundness are defined in an image. Whether the light applied to an image is manmade or natural, proper use of it should enhance an image.
Story Telling
Story Telling refers to the image’s ability to evoke imagination. One beautiful thing about art is that each viewer might collect his own message or read her own story in an image.
