CATEGORIES:

01- Spot News A photograph of an newsworthy event where no advance knowledge or planning was possible.

02- General News A photograph of a newsworthy happening, event or issue for which advance knowledge or planning may have been possible.

03- Feature A single picture of usually a found situation with strong human interest.

04- Sports Action A single photo of sports, action.

05- Sports Feature A single sports related picture of usually a found situation with strong human interest.

06- Portrait Personality A single picture that captures a unique aspect of the subjects character.

07- Pictorial A photograph that exploits the graphic or aesthetic qualities of its subject.

08- Illustration Editorial illustration, fashion, food, etc.

09- News Picture Story A group of photographs fitting the description of either or both of the news categories that follows a storyline or theme.

10- Feature Picture Story A group of photographs fitting the description of the Feature category, which follow a storyline or theme.

11- Sports Picture Story A group of photographs fitting either or both of the sports categories following a storyline or theme.

12- Professional Portfolio There is a maximum of TEN entries in the portfolio competition (with picture stories counting as one entry) and not exceeding 50 (FIFTY) images total. Portfolios will be judged for overall excellence and as a measure of the photographer's versatility. A portfolio must contain: Pictures from at least four (4) different single picture categories. At least one multiple picture entry (News, Feature or Sports Picture Story or Essay) At least one entry from categories 1 (Spot News), 2 (General News) or 10 (News Picture Story). Do not include multimedia as a part of your portfolio. Category entries will be judged separately from Portfolio entries so you must upload separate copies of the category entries you wish to be considered in your portfolio entry.

13- Student Portfolio The rules for entering the student portfolio competition are the essentially the same at the professional portfolio category. Student eligibility is determined by how long you were in school during the contest year. If you were considered a full-time student for at least four months of the contest year and the year prior, you may enter as a student even if you are currently a working staff photographer or working professional. Internships for educational credit are counted as student work even if you were paid. If you have been working as a pad professional (not internship) for more than six months of the contest year, than you will need to enter as a professional. There is a maximum of TEN entries in the portfolio competition (with picture stories counting as one entry) and not exceeding 50 (FIFTY) images total. Portfolios will be judged for overall excellence and as a measure of the photographer's versatility. A portfolio must contain: Pictures from at least four (4) different single picture categories. At least one multiple picture entry (News, Feature or Sports Picture Story or Essay) At least one entry from categories 1 (Spot News), 2 (General News) or 10 (News Picture Story). Do not include multimedia as a part of your portfolio. Category entries will be judged separately from Portfolio entries so you must upload separate copies of the category entries you wish to be considered in your portfolio entry.



NCPPA Multimedia
The NCPPA Audio Slideshow contest will recognize outstanding multimedia, both individually and team produced, that presents still images with audio (not incluting video). Slideshows can be either a SoundSlides (with publish-to-web folder) or exported as a QuickTime movie file. These files can be FTP'd (There is FTP information on the upload page) or burned to a CD (formatted for MAC or Universal 9660) and mailed, NLT Jan. 15, 2010 , to the:


POY Chair
John Simmons
The Charlotte Observer
4511 Saxonbury Way
Charlotte, NC
28269
704-358-5182
jsimmons@charlotteobserver.com


There is no limit to the slideshow's length, but we strongly recommend that projects remain well under 5 minutes. Judges will not be obligated to view more than 1 minute of any slideshow.
Factors in judging will include image and sound quality, how effectively images and sound are woven together, and the overall impact of the piece. Slideshows must have been produced, though not necessarily published, during the year 2009 . Photos and audio may have been gathered before 2009.
If a slideshow is the work of more than one journalist, the entry must include (written on the CD or in a text file in the folder) the name of each person involved and his/her role (photography, audio, and/or production). Each photographer may enter no more than 2 slideshows. If you were part of a group entry, that counts as one of your 2 entries. Please put your slideshow(s) inside a folder on the CD named with the same photographer's code that you would use in the main contest. In the interest of saving time during the judging period, if we have more than 15 entries, there will be an initial round of judging to get the number down to 15 slideshows before they are presented to our POY judges.
These 3 judges will award 1st, 2nd, & 3rd place, and up to 2 HMs. Because audio slideshows are relatively new to our profession, and brand new to our contest, we are keeping the Audio Slideshow category separate from the main POY contest. Wins from the slideshow category will not yet count towards Staff of the Year, will not be considered for Best of Show, and will not be part of POY portfolios. Photos from these slideshows, however, may be entered into the main contest if they were made in 2009 .

For questions concerning the POY contest or the Audio Slideshow
Contest, please contact:
John Simmons at jsimmons@charlotteobserver.com
The Contest Chairman has the right to disqualify entries that do not conform to contest rules.

Back to Contest Rules