The club holds monthly competitions that are contests between individual members of the club. There are seven monthly competitions throughout the season (five open and two theme), with collections usually around the first Monday of the month and judging usually around the last Monday of the month from September to May. Additionally we hold landscape, three on a theme and mono competitions. Finally there is an end of season image of the year competition. For all competitions there are two separate formats, one for prints and one for digital projected images. Details for the 2025/2026 season are below. The judging dates are also listed in the programme and information on how to submit prints and images can be found here.
Members may submit up to two prints and two digital images per month for the monthly competitions. An image should be entered only once, either in the print or digital section (i.e. once used in one section, the image should not be entered in the other section for a later month). Digital entries whether for the DPI or the Print section are to be submitted to the Competition Secretary via email to intcompsec@bridgendcameraclub.co.uk prior to the notified closing date and time (usually 6pm on the closing date). Prints can be delivered to the Competition Secretary at any club meeting up to and including the closing date.
During the judging evenings, each piece of work will be awarded a mark out of 20 and be commented on in a constructive manner.
Chairman's Challenge
Last submission: 25 Aug 2025
Judging: 1 Sep 2025
Critique only
See additional notes in the panel below
Open competition #1
Last submission: 8 Sep 2025
Judging: 29 Sep 2025
Summer outings
Last submission: 15 Sep 2025
Judging: 6 Oct 2025
Critique only
Open competition #2
Last submission: 6 Oct 2025
Judging: 27 Oct 2025
Theme competition #1: Something beginning with B
Last submission: 3 Nov 2025
Judging: 24 Nov 2025
Landscape competition
Last submission: 24 Nov 2025
Judging: 15 Dec 2025
Winner to be awarded the Mike Stokes Trophy
Open competition #3
Last submission: 5 Jan 2026
Judging: 26 Jan 2026
Open competition #4
Last submission: 26 Jan 2026
Judging: 16 Feb 2026
Three on a theme competition
Last submission: 9 Feb 2026
Judging: 2 Mar 2026
Theme competition #2: Macro
Last submission: 2 Mar 2026
Judging: 23 Mar 2026
Open competition #5
Last submission: 23 Mar 2026
Judging: 13 Apr 2026
Amended entries allowed
Mono competition
Last submission: 13 Apr 2026
Judging: 27 Apr 2026
Image of the year
Last submission: 27 Apr 2026
Judging: 18 May 2026
Winner to be awarded the Terry Gardiner Trophy
More information
Chairman's Challenge
Held on the first night of the new season, with images taken over the summer break.
For 2025....
Using your phone, take photographs of dogs.
Images must be taken between 2 June 2025 and 25 August 2025. Use minimalistic editing and size the image to competition sizes, max width 1600 pixels, max height 1200 pixels.
Submit a maximum of 4 digital images per member (no prints) to
intcompsec@bridgendcameraclub.co.uk.
Last hand-in date is 5pm on 25 August 2025.
Thanks to our very own "Dog Whisperer" Gerald Henry who will critique the images of our first meeting of the season, 1 September.
Annual Mono Competition
This competition is held towards the end of the programme year. Members may enter up to two monochrome prints and two monochrome digital images with the definition of monochrome being that of the WPF at the time. Each piece of work will be commented on in a constructive manner. No theme is intended nor should any marks be awarded for any theme.
Note: You may enter images that have been entered in a regular monthly competition during the same competition year (either exactly as previously entered, or modified after comments from a previous judging).
Three on a Theme Competition
This competition is held annually. More information can be found here.
Note: As part of your set of images you may include images that have been entered in a regular monthly competition during the previous 12 months (either exactly as previously entered, or modified after comments from a previous judging).
The Mike Stokes Trophy
The Mike Stokes Trophy is a landscape and seascape competition held in memory of Mike Stokes. Mike served the club as a committee member holding several posts over many years. He also inspired and entertained members in equal amounts over those years. The competition is in print and digital projected image sections with an overall winner from the two sections.
Note: You may enter images that have been entered in a regular monthly competition during the previous 12 months (either exactly as previously entered, or modified after comments from a previous judging).
Image of the Year - The Terry Gardner Trophies
At the end of the season members may submit their favourite previously submitted images for an Image of the Year competition. Entries are scored by members or an external judge. The top scoring print and projected image are named as the "Image of the Year" for that season. The winning photographers are awarded the Terry Gardner Trophy, named in memory of a well respected former committee member.
Note: Images must have been entered in a monthly competition during the season and can be any image you may have entered previously, regardless of the score awarded in the monthly competition.
Review of Summer Evening Outings
During June and July club members meet on a Monday evening in the local area to take photographs. One evening in the programme for the following season, usually around October, is devoted to a review of images taken during these evenings with a winning image selected from those submitted.
Other Internal Competitions
Whilst planning that seasons programme the committee may decide on one or two more competitions, whose format will vary. The idea will be to provide a fresh and interesting challenge to club members. As much advance warning on the competitions rules as possible will be given, typically around the time of the previous years AGM.
Trophies and Awards
There are currently fourteen competition winners announced at the end of the season (end of May / start of June):
- Open - Print
- Open - Digital
- Themed - Print
- Themed - Digital
- Mono - Print
- Mono - Digital
- Three on a Theme - Print
- Three on a Theme - Digital
- Mike Stokes Landscape - Print
- Mike Stokes Landscape - Digital
- Mike Stokes Landscape - Shield
- Terry Gardiner Memorial Trophy - Print
- Terry Gardiner Memorial Trophy - Digital
- Novice of the Year
The Open winners, print and digital, will be decided by taking the highest seven scores over all five Open competitions.
The Themed winners, print and digital, will be the members with the highest four scores in the two Themed competitions.
All trophies are held for one year and are to be returned to the club at the end of that period for engraving and passing to the next winner.
Results from previous season can be found by scrolling through the News page.
Monthly competition theme subjects for years gone by
For the record here are the theme subjects of past seasons...
Season | Theme subjects |
---|---|
2024-25 |
Curves Wild |
2023-24 |
Still life / Table top Low viewpoint |
2022-23 |
People at work Weather |
2021-22 |
Two or a pair Openings |
2020-21 |
Framed Journeys |
2019-20 |
Danger Crooked |
2018-19 |
Life on the street In the garden |
2017-18 | Something new |
2016-17 |
T.V. programme title Transport |
2015-16 |
Lightweight Man's influence on the landscape |
2014-15 |
Footwear Toys |
2013-14 |
Creative Dereliction Emotion Macro Night photography Shadows Welsh |
2012-13 |
At night Childhood Only small Speed Still life Urban life Wildlife and nature |
2011-12 |
Action At work Creative / altered reality In the kitchen Lines Song title Weather |
2010-11 |
Coast Close up Dilapidation Grabshot (Street life/candid) RGB Seasons Something different |