Sponsor: Ron McConathy, mcconathy@aronsha.com, 865-387-8673 (mobile)
Location: Continental United States
Date & Time: Any day from October 1 through October 28, 2023.
Maximum Number of Participants (5 minimum for judging): No maximum.
Purpose of this Challenge: Make a photograph where the subject is a small part of the image and yet is obviously still the subject of the image. Examples:
- A picture of a tree with a bird perched in it, instead of a closeup picture of a bird sitting on a branch (see specific example).
- A field with deer in it, instead of a closeup photo of the deer standing in a field (see specific example).
- A mostly out-of-focus photo with a small, sharp subject placed in the frame (see specific example).
In other words, the subject’s environment in the image’s frame is as important as or more important than the subject and indicates the environment in which the subject resides. Example photos are shown at https://sanp.zenfolio.com/p99019290. Some of the photography of Belgian wildlife photographer Michel d’Oultremont inspired this Photo Challenge.
Challenge Procedure: You must register for this challenge if you want to submit images for judging. You will receive a registration confirmation. You may submit up to three images for judging, following the guidelines below for file naming, file size, and deadline. Before the images are posted to Zenfolio for judging, the Administrator will replace the Participant's name with an assigned Participant Number to help ensure image anonymity during the judging. If you have questions, contact Ron McConathy, at mcconathy@aronsha.com.
If a Participant wants his/her images displayed on Zenfolio but not judged, that can be stated in the email with the submissions.
Note: Challenge image submissions will be posted (anonymously until after judging) in a Challenge Gallery on the SANP Zenfolio website accessible to the public; winners will be displayed on SANP social media, the SANP website, and in the SANP Newsletter.
Equipment Specifications:
- Camera: Any handheld type of camera is allowed. (Drones are allowed. :))
- Lens focal length: Only lens focal lengths from 12 to 300 mm may be used (35mm equivalent focal lengths). Macro lenses are allowed.
- Filters: Neutral density, polarizing, and closeup filters may be used.
- Flash: On-camera or off-camera flash is allowed.
- Tripod: Any tripod is allowed.
- Cell Phone: Any cell phone is allowed.
- Other: The photographer must get signed model releases from any people recognizable in a photograph.
Photography Technique Specifications: Focus stacking and HDR are allowed.
Processing Technique Specifications: Combining elements from multiple images is not allowed.
Entering Challenge Images for Judging
Entries must be received between Oct. 29 and Nov. 4 at midnight. Participants may submit up to three JPEG digital image files (not over 4 MB each). The Participant’s copyright information and the image metadata must be embedded in the submitted image files.
Send your entries to mcconathy@aronsha.com. Entries received late, too large, or not in the proper file name format will not be judged. If you want your images displayed on Zenfolio but not judged, state that when you submit the images.
Name the digital files in the following format:
SANPPC-202311-a-A_Photographer
Where:
- SANPPC stands for ‘SANP Photography Challenge’ (do not change this)
- 202311 is the year and month (month is always two digits)
- a is the participant’s first entry (b = second entry, c = third entry)
- A_Photographer is the photographer’s first initial and last name
