Competition
rules and guidelines.
AMPOTT invites all media photographers, videographers and
freelance photographers to submit entries for the annual
Photo & Video Awards, 2007-2008.
Deadline
for submissions is October 31, 2008.
The entry form can
be downloaded
here.
Requirements
Competition entries will only be considered from members in
good standing of AMPOTT. Entries received without
membership fees from non-financial members will not be
forwarded to the judging panel.
The membership fee is TT$100.
Please note that this year, we have chosen to dispense with
the requirement for prints and images will be judged based
on image files delivered on CD. Video clips will still be
submitted on DVD, one disc per category.
Since receiving entries on CD is a new development, and
allows judges to decide on images without concerns about
differing print quality, we offer the following advice on
preparing entries.
Entries may be made on an individual basis or on a single
CD from the media house.
Images should be in RGB format at a size of at least 1280
pixels wide and 1024 pixels high. Please respect either the
height or width limitations in preparing your entry. No
CMYK images, no images which have been altered digitally.
Basic colour correction, sharpening and image toning is
acceptable, providing that it does not fundamentally change
the integrity of the original image. JPEG files are
preferred without excessive compression.
We encourage the addition of file metadata for images that
are entered for competition, but file names should be
prepared in this format: Category_Photographer_Publication
Date (year-month-day).file extension. Some truncation for
longer categories and photographer names is acceptable. A
typical entry might look like this:
News_Maharaj_08-02-23.jpg. Please gather entries in folders
organised around competition categories.
Photographs must be submitted with a proof of publication
clipping attached to each entry form.
Judging criteria: originality, sharpness and clarity,
creativity, impact, quality of light, composition,
technique
Notes
on judging
Judging of the AMPOTT Photo & Video Awards competition
is done “blind.”
Judges review images with no information about the
photographer who has created the photograph. To manage the
new all digital judging, an impartial third-party
technician will be commissioned to consolidate the images
for review, manage the projection of images for the judges’
evaluation and will respond to requests for review and
comparison.
It is a point of pride for AMPOTT that no judge has known
the winners of the competition until they are announced on
awards night. This will continue with the migration from
print based judging.
The
Categories of Competition.
Print photography
Best News
Photograph
News photographs should capture vital moments from the
daily news menu, packing information and understanding into
the frame.
Best Feature
Photograph
Feature photographs should strive to expand the viewer’s
understanding of the story and be capable of standing
alone, through visual impact, as illustrations of people,
situations and emotion.
Best Sports
Photograph
Capturing the world of sports, on the field and off, the
action and the people involved in athletic and leisurely
pursuits, illustrating grace and effort.
Best Carnival
Photograph
Photographs that capture the spirit of the Carnival season,
expanding and enriching our understanding of the annual
festival.
Best Community Life and
Environmental Photograph
Photographs that illustrate man's harmony or disharmony
with his living spaces and the natural environment.
Best Offbeat
Photograph
Photographs that illustrate unique visual treats, humorous
photographs, images of unique facial expressions.
Photographs that command their space in the print media by
virtue of their strength as images unrelated to a story
placement.
Best Cultural
Photograph
Photographs that record the uniqueness of Trinidad and
Tobago's creative cultural endeavours and the people who
are responsible for them. Fashion, festivals, performances,
art, craft, design and other creative pursuits are among
those that are encouraged in this category.
Best Religious
Photograph
Photographs that record the value of religion in the lives
of the people of Trinidad and Tobago and the impact of
religion on the nation.
Photographer of the
Year
In previous years, photographers have been selected as a
result of an aggregate of their successful entries. The
2008 awards will be made based on a portfolio of ten images
representing a wide range of coverage by no more than two
photographers selected by each print media house.
The successful entrant will have demonstrated mastery of
the many disciplines required of a practising journalist,
offering images that cover multiple beats of the newspaper
as well as presenting dynamic, informative images that
represent the pinnacle of the craft and practice of
photojournalism.
Videography
Best News
Video
News clips that enrich news stories with deeper
understanding and expand on the narrative. Striking images
that tell the most compelling stories of the day.
Best Feature
Video
Video clips and stories that expand on, follow up and
engage the viewer in a deeper understanding of people,
issues and situations of interest.
Best Sports Video
Videos that capture the energy
of sports, the passion for the game on the field and off,
the action and the people involved in athletic and
leisurely pursuits.
Best Carnival Video
Video clips and stories that
capture the spirit of the Carnival season, expanding and
enriching our understanding of the annual festival.
Best Cultural
Video
Video clips and stories that illustrate the diversity and
impact of local cultural, religious and social life in
Trinidad and Tobago.
Best Community and
Environmental Video
Video clips and stories that illustrate man's harmony or
disharmony with his living spaces and the natural
environment. Stories about urban environments and wildlife
environments are equally welcome.
Videographer of the
year
The overall winner of the video category will be selected
by the judges of the category
Freelance
photography
Best
portrait
Photographs of people captured with an eye for expression,
emotion and character.
The Jimmie Lewis Award for
best wedding photo
Photographs that capture the romance and joy of love in
first bloom
Best scenic
photo
Photographs that illustrate the natural beauty and wonder
of Trinidad and Tobago.