Regional Groups

 

Regional groups are a cornerstone of what makes the BIPP a prosperous and united collective of professional photographers. They allow members to stay connected, informed and receive support regularly on a local level. Each region has an elected Chair responsible for organising local meetings, events, and competitions throughout the year, which are run voluntarily with the support of the Head Office.

As a member, your assigned local region offers you a place to socialise, network, learn and grow as a photographer in a friendly and welcoming atmosphere full of like-minded people. Whether it's camera workshops that focus on teaching technical skills or experts speakers sharing insight into their experiences within the industry, regional groups provide a broad array of sessions that cater to all sectors within photography.

 

Benefits:

  • Network 
  • Socialise 
  • Develop skills 
  • Find support 
  • Increase knowledge  
  • Discover opportunities

2022 Regional Image Competition

 

The Regional Print Competition will be open from 2nd May 2022 through to 22nd May at 11.59 pm.

Both rounds will be via our online platform, negating the need for prints.  The regional image competition is the first past the post-competition, meaning the highest scoring image in a category will become the photographer of the year in that category. This is to reward entry and participation and help the photographer promote themselves through PR. 

The cost is £5 per image for BIPP members and £10 per image for non-members. Monies will go back to the region for a get-together to celebrate the winners.

Before you can enter your images, you will need to have a member profile on the competition site. (this is separate from your member's area on the main website) Files should be submitted at least 4,000 px on the longest side (no borders, keylines, watermarks or identifying information should be included).

Judging

The digital entries will be viewed and scored by five judges. A score of 75 or higher will be classed as merit.  The highest scoring image in each category will be the regional photographer of the year in that category.  All category winners will go to a second round and re-scored, the highest-scoring image giving the author the title of the regional photographer of the year.

MB: This year images will not go through to the national print competition, which will be treated as a completely separate event needing images to be printed in the second round.

The judging will be carried out by five judges and chosen by our Chair of Qualifications, judges may be Associate or Fellowship level. Judges are not eligible to enter.

Categories

We have re-worked the categories this year to try and simplify what can be entered. A full description of the categories can be downloaded here.

  • Advertising/Commercial
  • Architectural and Industrial
  • Digitally Created Images
  • E-Comm
  • Fashion and Beauty
  • Illustration and Fine Art
  • Landscape
  • Natural World
  • People & Portrait
  • Reportage/Photojournalism
  • Scientific and Technical
  • Wedding

We know the standard is going to be very high, we wish you the very best of luck, and we cannot wait to reveal the winners.

2022 Regional and National Print Categories 

If the Competition Chairman or a judge has any doubts as to the authorship of the constituent images, BIPP

reserves the right to examine the original files used to create the final picture.

Advertising/ Commercial

This category is for commercial images used to sell, market, promote or advertise a product, brand, service, or

person(s).

Images pertinent to advertising campaigns, must not contain any text or graphic elements not part of the original

exposure.

Aerial, automotive, food, products, still life, self-promotion, music covers and corporate photography are all

included in this category.

Composite, non-composite images and digitally manipulated images (Photoshop or similar) are allowed in this

category. All image elements used to create the final picture should be taken by the photographer and not be

stock images or fully digitally created images

Architectural and Industrial

Architectural photography is often concerned with the accurate recording of structures. Architectural Images can

also take more stylised look, use unusual angles and even create ‘abstracts’ from the form of the building. It can

also include buildings and structures such as bridges, telecommunication towers, windmills, staircases, and

monuments.

Industrial Photography is focussed on serving businesses within the industrial sector. This may include

engineering companies, manufacturers, factories, high-tech start-ups etc.

Composite, non-composite images and digitally manipulated images (Photoshop or similar) are allowed in this

category. All image elements used to create the final picture should be taken by the photographer and not be

stock images or fully digitally created images

Digitally Created Images

Images that have been largely created/generated using digital technology/3D modelling/editing/CGI software

should be entered into this category.

Domesticated Animals

Animals not in their natural habitat, tame animals, such as pets, farm animals or those kept in a zoo. Animal

portraits can be taken in studio or on location.

Composite images are allowed as long as the digital post production is not a significant part of conveying the

natural appearance of the animal(s). Photographic works where the image manipulation or post production

becomes a significant part of the final image must be entered into Illustration & Fine Art or Advertising/

Commercial. Judges will consider the relevance of highly manipulated images.

The original captured image (RAW or jpg) must be available if requested by the BIPP. Otherwise the BIPP

reserves the right to disqualify the submission.

Note: Animals photographed in their natural habitat must be submitted in the separate ‘Natural World’

category

Fashion and Beauty

Fashion is about promoting a lifestyle and to stimulate interest and/or purchasing appeal towards a

product/business/fashion-brand by the observer.

Fashion:

Featuring clothing, other fashion items/accessories, makeup or styling.

Beauty:

Glamour-style portraiture, either artistic or commercial, emphasising someone’s or something’s

beauty.

Images pertinent to advertising campaigns must not contain any text or graphic elements that were not

part of the original exposure.

Composite, non-composite images and digitally manipulated images (Photoshop or similar) are

allowed in this category. A large proportion of the images used to create the final picture should be

taken by the photographer and and not be stock images or fully digitally created images. Images that

have been largely created/generated via computer algorithms are NOT allowed and must be submitted

in the Digitally Created Images category.

Illustration and Fine Art

Illustrations of an idea or concept. Creativity, originality and story-telling within the composites are

important features of this category.

They may be composites or multiple exposures. Photos heavily digitally post-processed are allowed.

Composite, non-composite images and digitally manipulated images (Photoshop or similar) are

allowed in this category. A large proportion of the images used to create the basic idea behind the final

picture should be taken by the photographer and not be stock images or fully digitally created images.

Images that have been largely created/generated via computer algorithms are NOT allowed and must

be submitted in the Digitally Created Images category.

Images must be presented as single-frame images. It is also allowed to create panoramic images

(photo stitching), use focus stacking, and multi-exposures in the camera, which are taken

simultaneously in the same place (as a continuous sequence, seconds or minutes apart) or use of HDR

for extended tonal range.

Landscape

Landscapes, natural as well as artificial landscapes, urban landscapes, cityscapes and sunsets,

astrophotography are allowed in this category.

Landscape photography is not a passive process it is the photographer’s control of natural light,

composition and is above all, a creative process, an opportunity for the photographer to express

themselves in the form of an individually crafted picture, utilising the creative elements of

photography.

Images must be presented as single-frame images. It is also allowed to create panoramic images

(photo stitching), use focus stacking, and multi-exposures in the camera, which are taken

simultaneously in the same place (as a continuous sequence, seconds or minutes apart) or use of HDR

for extended tonal range.

Natural World

This category is for photography displaying natural elements such as plants, flowers, trees and closeups

of natural scenes and textures. Macro are included in this category.

Included in this category is the diversity of wildlife from all parts of the world.

Pictures of actual wildlife in a natural habitat, underwater photography, macro photography…

Entries must not deceive the viewer or attempt to disguise and/or misrepresent the reality of nature.

NOTE: animals NOT in their natural habitat, such as pets or farm animals or those kept in a zoo,

should be entered in the DOMESTICATED ANIMALS category.

The content of the image must not be altered. Entrants are permitted to crop, rotate, brighten and

darken the image locally, reduce noise, sharpen, adjust colour/black and white, use grain and minor

cleaning such as removing sensor dust and chromatic aberration. Images must be presented as possible

single-frame images. Composite and multiple exposure images are unacceptable.

It is also allowed to use focus stacking and use of HDR for extended tonal range.

Entrants are permitted to create panoramic images (photo stitching), use focus stacking, and multiexposures

in the camera, which are taken simultaneously in the same place (as a continuous sequence

– seconds or minutes apart) or use of HDR for extended tonal range.

People & Portrait

This category is for photographs where people are the main subject, whether a single person or a

group, showing the human aspect of life in all its wonderful variety.

Portrait

Adults, youth, children, new-born, babies, toddlers, families, self-portraits: artistic images specifically

capturing the unique personalities and characteristics of a person or group of people as well as the

personality, artistic and technical skills of the image-maker.

Culture

Images that tell a story about a people and their culture or traditions.

Lifestyle

The art of ‘everyday’ photos showing real-life events or milestones, people and their way of life.

Entrants are permitted to carry out minor skin retouching, crop, rotate, brighten and darken the image

locally, reduce noise, sharpen, adjust colour/black and white and minor cleaning such as removing

sensor dust and chromatic aberration.

Reportage/Photojournalism

Images that illustrate an actual event, life, areas of human interest, a public or private occasion or

news that has high impact and/or a lasting emotional value, without the photographer’s interference.

General news, contemporary issues, political, social, environmental, traditional and cultural events,

wars and conflicts, feature story, photo essay…

NOTE: Wedding images: Images featuring people and activities relating to wedding or engagement

ceremonies, celebrations or traditions must be entered in the separate Wedding category.

Entrants are not permitted to combine several photos into one (panorama, multi-exposure, etc), or add,

delete or move elements by, for instance, cloning, healing, patching, content aware fill, liquify or

similar tools.

Sports

This category is for all sports-related photography, editorial or artistic, featuring any competitive or

recreational sport

Scientific and Technical

This category is for images of a technical nature including CSI photography, Macro photography,

capturing details around us, that may otherwise go unseen.

Scientific illustration of the profession, bringing together the disciplines of clinical photography,

medical art, which can incorporate illustration and graphic design.

Note:

Please bare in mind, patient confidentiality must be respected, and that images should be appropriate

for display to general public.

Wedding

Images must be taken on the actual wedding, either on the day of the event. Wedding reportage should

reflect the atmosphere of the event, the personality/personalities of the subject(s) as well as a personal

style, illustrating the artistic and technical skill of the image-maker.

Entrants are permitted to carry out minor skin retouching, crop, rotate, brighten and darken the image

locally, reduce noise, sharpen, adjust colour/black and white, use grain and minor cleaning such as

removing sensor dust and chromatic aberration and use of HDR for extended tonal range.

Composite images are allowed as long as the digital post production is not a significant part of

displaying the essence or the personality of the subject(s). Photographic works where the image

manipulation or post production becomes a significant part of the final image must be entered into

Illustration & Fine Art or Advertising/Commercial.

E-Commerce

This category recognises product photography including: cars, jewellery, sport equipment, food &

drink. In this category, branding is encouraged, however captioning should be inline with the client

campaign.

Composite, non-composite images and digitally manipulated images (Photoshop or similar) are

allowed in this category. All image elements used to create the final picture should be taken by the

photographer and not be stock images or fully digitally created images.

Photographic works where the image manipulation or post production becomes a significant part of

the final image (50% or more) must be entered into Illustration & Fine Art or Advertising/

Commercial.Copyright and Usage Rights

Copyright of the images remains with the photographer. By entering the competition both regionally

and nationally, the photographer accepts and recognises that the BIPP can use the images submitted

publicly for the use of publicity either printed in ‘The Photographer Magazine’ Website or other

promotional material.