This guide features extensive discussions of the guidelines set forth for print competitions held by the Professional Photographers Association of America and Wedding and Portrait Photographers International, the two largest professional organizations for photographers. Insight is offered into every aspect of competition, from the logistics of signing up to techniques for bringing out the best in submissions. The criteria by which judges determine the quality of images are revealed, and a list of features that judges loathe in submissions is provided. The importance of technical skill, image impact, style and creativity, composition, storytelling traits, and category selection is explained. Also outlined are the steps necessary to prepare prints or albums for competition, from cropping and mounting to packing images for shipment.
