Monthly Competition

The Grand Rapids Camera Club’s digital and print competitions are meant to provide the photographic experience and stimulation necessary to raise an individual above the "point and shoot” stage to that of a qualified and creative photographer. Participating members find that the unprejudiced judging of their work is very helpful in making them see good images. In addition, a member can view the pictures that are selected as the best and can discern for themselves what makes those pictures good. Club competitions have been credited for being one of the best ways for photographers to learn and improve. Club competitions are also a showplace for your work, the results of many hours of making and editing images. A photographer does not take pictures just for his or her own viewing, but to show others how he sees the world. It expresses his ideas and emotions as an individual.

Assigned Subjects 2024:

  • A moveable barrier for opening and closing an entranceway, cupboard, cabinet or the like, commonly turning on hinges or sliding in grooves.

  • Images depicting the season of winter typically showing the effects of the cold - snow, ice, frost, etc.

  • A building typically used for worship.

  • Your subject must be predominantly the color yellow.

  • Images captured in rainy weather.

  • The outline or general shape of something generally dark, outlined against a lighter background.

  • To reflect inward, as if in a mirror.

  • Photographic capture while intentionally moving your camera during exposure to create a more abstract rendition of the subject.

  • Worn, disintegrated or seasoned. Affected by exposure to the weather.

Assigned Subjects 2025:

  • A black and white subject photographed in color. (i.e. a Zebra, piano keys, etc.) For this assignment, it is not intended to be an image changed to monochrome in post processing.

  • Consisting of, containing, covered with, or soaked with liquid.

  • Any image that makes us laugh!

  • Your image should be a landmark, building, landscape or cityscape, or an event, etc. photographed in and showcasing the City of Grand Rapids.

  • A soft thick hairy coat on the skin of an animal is defined as fur.

  • A building generally, or parts of a building, usually showing character or a particular style.

  • An insect is described as an Invertebrate that has a hard outer casing called an exoskeleton. Insect bodies are divided into 3 parts, adults have 6 legs and most adults also wings. For the record there are more than 1,000,000 different species of insects in the world. And…just so you know – spiders are not insects.

  • A photographic technique that involves moving a light source while taking a long-exposure photograph, either to illuminate a subject or space or to shine light to “draw” by moving the light source or camera itself.

  • The best images will be describing an item, scene or situation starting with the letter “S”

2024 Competition Results

2023 Competition Results

How it Works

Qualifications: Those entering GRCC monthly photo competitions must be a member of the Grand Rapids Camera Club. Yearly dues must be paid and up to date at the time of entry to be eligible for competitions. Any current member is eligible to compete in both digital and print competition in all categories.

How to Enter: We compete in eight categories (see next section) in both print and digital formats each month (except February, July, and August).

  • DIGITAL: Four (4) entries are allowed in any combination in any category; however one must be in Assigned. If a member chooses not to enter an image in the Assigned category, only three (3) images may be entered. Images must be emailed to the digital coordinator at images@grcameraclub.org no later than midnight on the 1st Wednesday of each month. Images must be resized no larger than 2160 px on it’s longest size, 300 dpi and RGB color space.

  • PRINTS: Six (6) entries are allowed in any combination in any category. Entering an assigned subject is not a requirement in the print division. An entry consists of one image and may not be a series of multiple images. Prints must be dropped off at the prior month’s meeting or email the following personnel to arrange drop off and for addresses: Jan Lewis (Southeast - jklewis52@gmail.com), Jeanne Quillan (Southwest - photobug49@comcast.net), or Becky Humes (Northwest - beckyhumes1@yahoo.com). Minimum print size is 10 inches on it’s longest edge, maximum print size is 20 inches on it’s longest edge and must be mounted in or on ridged background such as mat board or foam core, and a print label must be attached to the back (plus one additional label for judging purposes).

Judging: Judges for each month consist of club members who have met judging criteria (see membership manual) and are selected by the VP of Competition. Judging is done by the judges prior to the monthly club meeting and results are presented at the meeting. Judges score on a scale of 6 - 15 points, and the three judge's scores are averaged to determine the final scores for each image.

  • 15: Excellent. A judges highest score. Strong impact and technical excellence.

  • 12 - 14: Above Average. The image creates interest and is technically correct. It is excellently lighted and superbly composed with no noticeable technical flaws. Any minor flaw is compensated by other elements in the image. All elements of the image work together.

  • 9 - 11: Average. The image has no noticeable technical flaws but likewise has no significant strengths. It is acceptable but does not generate any special interest or stir emotions.

  • 6 - 8: Below Average. The image is of a very low standard with significant technical flaws such as unintentional blur or major parts out of focus.

For more details on competition and rules, see the Membership Manual.

The Categories

  • Assigned Subject

    The Assigned category is designed to challenge your photographic skills and to encourage you to photograph images that you may not have normally. Give a lot of thought to them. Be creative. The assigned subject changes every month.


    (Photograph: Burrowing Owls by Della Landheer)

  • Creative

    The creative category is for manipulated and enhanced images and those where the maker’s creativity comes into view in the final image. Images entered should be unique and different, perhaps out of the ordinary.

    All images which incorporate any AI generative elements must be entered in this category. (see Membership Manual for limitations on the use of AI generated elements).

    (Photograph: Chicago Glass by Evie Carrier)

  • Monochrome

    Monochrome is defined as black and white or varying tones of only one color. An image is considered to be monochrome only if it gives the impression of having no color (i.e. contains only shades of grey which can include pure black and pure white) OR it gives the impression of being a grey scale image that has been toned in one color across the entire image.

    (Photograph: Lost Lake Canoes by Randy Nyhoff)

  • Nature

    Images entered in the nature category must be presented in a manner that does not depict the influence of human habitation, “the hand of man.”

    (Photograph: Eastern Phoebe by Jan Lewis)

  • Open

    All images regardless of the subject matter or technique are eligible in the open category, with the exception of the use and incorporation of AI generated imagery, which must be entered in the Creative Category.

    (Photograph: ‘57 Chevy by Diane Durand)

  • Photojournalism

    Photojournalism images are images with informative content and emotional impact depicting the human presence in our world. This would include documentaries, sporting events, spot news and human interest. Human interest images depict a person or persons in an emotional, interactive, or unusual situation. An entry in the photojournalism category must tell or illustrate a story.

    (Photograph: Close Encounter by Jim Knapp)

  • Portraiture

    Any picture of a person in which the face or its expression is predominant may be considered. Entries in this category can be a formal studio or an environmental portrait.

    (Photograph: Dia de los Muertes by Rebecca Humes)

  • Scapes

    A section or expanse of scenery, usually extensive, that can be viewed from a single viewpoint. It refers to all the visual elements of an area of land, often considered in terms of aesthetic appeal. Generally, there are two types of Scapes – landscapes and cityscapes, however you could go so far as to call your entry a seascape or a farmscape. Scapes are NOT meant to be a single building, lighthouse, bridge or waterfall, no matter how wide or tall they are.

Year End Competition

The Grand Rapids Camera Club holds its annual “Year End” photo competition annually after the completion of the preceding years monthly competitions. Contrary to the monthly judging, the end of year competition gives members the opportunity to enter prints and digital images (that were entered in monthly competition throughout the year), competing with one another to win awards for the best of the year’s images. 1st, 2nd and 3rd place, honorable mentions and other special awards are presented to the winning members at the annual awards ceremony. Judges consist of three non-member guests.

For more details on the year end competition, see the Membership Manual.