Before entering any images into competition please read the Rules for Competition
Register with PhotoContest Pro
All digital competition images must be uploaded using PhotoContest Pro. In order to use PhotoContest Pro, first-time competitors must register by emailing your first and last name, email address and your phone number (in case we need to contact you regarding your registration) to the Digital Competitions Chairperson – competitionchair@teaneckcameraclub.org with “New Competition Request” in the subject line of your email.
Please allow at least 24 hours for the chairperson to upload your information to the website. Once your information is entered, you will receive an email from the TCC Digital Chairperson that you are registered with website. To log in, go to http://www.PhotoContestPro.com.
- Complete your registration by clicking on “Login” on the upper right corner of the screen. Click where it says in blue lettering “Logging in for the first time? Click here.” This will take you to a screen where you will enter your email address. Where it says “Organization” you will select “Teaneck Camera Club” from the drop down menu. Click “proceed.” You will get a message saying: “An email has been sent to [your email address] with your password.”
- Check your email and login with your temporary password.
- Once you have logged in with your temporary password, you will be able to reset your password to something that you will be able to remember. To reset your password, click on where it says in blue lettering on the top right of the screen “Change Password or Email.” This step is advisable since the Digital Chairperson does not have access to any temporary passwords generated by PhotoContest Pro.
- Once you have changed your password, you will get the message “Your password has been changed.”
- If you do forget your password, simply click where is says in blue lettering “Forgot your password? Click here.” You will get a message saying: “An email has been sent to [your email address] with your password.”
Digital Image Preparation
All images must adhere to the specifications set forth below in order to be projected correctly.
Image size: 768 pixels maximum for any side (including a border)
Resolution: 102 ppi
Color profile: sRGB
File Format: JPEG – Image Compression or quality = large/maximum
Bit Depth: 8
Image Size Manual Adjustments
The digital image cannot be greater than 768 pixels on any side (horizontal or vertical images), and must use a resolution of 102 PPI/DPI (Pixels Per Inch/Dots per InchD). If using Adobe Photoshop or Photoshop Elements, check the Scale Styles, Resample Image and Constrain Proportions options, so that the aspect ratio stays the same. The key is that neither the horizontal or vertical pixel size exceeds 768, including any borders. The website will not allow you to upload an image larger than 768. The image should be saved as a JPEG file.
Color Profile
In order for the projector to display the image’s colors as intended, the color space or profile of the image should be sRGB IEC61966-2.1. Depending on the photo editing software you have, this setting can usually be found in Edit – Convert to Profile, or Edit – Color Settings, or Image – Mode.
Bit Depth
The image has to be saved in 8 bit. In Photoshop: Click Image – Mode – 8 Bits/Channel
File Format
Files should be saved in JPEG format, include ICC Profile, use image compression (11 in PS/Elements).
Image Size Adjustments using Photoshop Actions
If you use Photoshop, Tibor Vari has generated an Action that takes you through all of the above steps. Download TCC Digital Competitions zip file. Save the file on your hard disk, unzip and save to your Photoshop folder — typically in the Photoshop>Presets>Actions subdirectory. Open Photoshop, go to or open the actions palette, click the triangle for options and load the action. To run the action, open an image, select the action, and click the play button.
Uploading Your Images
Go to http://www.PhotoContestPro.com and log in.
Click on where it says “Upload Pictures.” You have two options for uploading your images. The easiest option is “Uploading Directly from the Web”, which is explained on the right side of the screen. Click “Here” and it will take you to the upload page.
On the left side of the screen, you will see instructions on how to install the PhotoContest Pro software on your computer. This will only work if you use Windows and your computer has the correct specifications. Please read them carefully.
On the Upload Pictures page, all of the open competitions are listed on the left side of the upload screen. Make sure you click “select” on the correct competition you wish to enter if more than one is listed. Some months, there will be two competitions listed: Pictorial and Nature. Also, be sure to select the correct class you are competing in: Beginner, Advanced or Salon. Keep in mind that you may be competing in a different class for the Nature and Pictorial competitions. If you don’t remember which class you are competing in, please check the Competition Scores page on the TCC website or contact the scorekeeper.
Once you have the correct competition and class selected and you have clicked “select”, you can begin the process of uploading your images. Where it says “Picture to Upload” on the right side of the screen, you can enter the title of your photo. The title you fill in here is the title that will appear on the screen when your image is projected during the competition. Then click “Choose file” to select the photo you want to enter. Your name and Teaneck Camera Club will be automatically filled in. Click the Upload button and wait for the upload to complete. This may take a few minutes depending on the speed of your Internet connection. Once you’ve uploaded one or more images, you will see that they are listed on the screen. You can get a small preview of the image by clicking on “Show”. If you make a mistake in your title or chose the wrong image, click the “Delete” button and upload it again.
Submission Deadline
All files must be entered by midnight on the Saturday prior to the Tuesday competition date. The closing date for submission of images is on the upload page. The time remaining to enter images is also here. You will not be able to enter your images after the deadline as the PhotoContest Pro software will no longer show the competition.
Final Notes
Please try to use a calibrated monitor to preview and modify your images to ensure that the digital projector will display your images correctly.
Please do not wait until the last minute to upload your images. Everyone has computer or Internet problems from time to time. Waiting until one hour before the competition deadline to upload images will not give you enough time to correct any problems you may encounter.
Help
If you have any problems registering with PhotoContest Pro or uploading your images, please call the Digital Chairpersons or send an email through this link: Digital Competitions Chairperson (competitionchair@teaneckcameraclub.org). Please do not call or email the president of TCC.
