This is a DIGITAL ONLY competition.

All images MUST be pre-registered and uploaded to PrintCompetition.com

Dates & Cost

COMPETITION DATE: Saturday, July 9, 2022 at 9 AM CST

ENTRY OPENS: Wednesday June 1, 2022

DEADLINE DATE: July 7, 2022 at 2 AM CST

Registration fee for MOPPA members is $15 per image, and for non-MOPPA members, $20 per image. 

A maximum of TEN images are allowed.

Your total case score is determined by 4 top scores. 

Our jurors will evaluate each image based on the 12 Elements of a Merit Image.  Submitted images are graded on a 100-point scale.

Awards will be awarded to Missouri members of Missouri PPA.  Only members of MOPPA, living within 25 miles of the state boarder are eligible for Missouri PPA awards.

Competition Rules

1. MOPPA Image competition will be conducted live utilizing the services of printcompetition.com.  Entrants are required to have a membership in the printcompetition.com system, at either membership level.

2. Each entrant is allowed to enter up to a total of 10 digital files.

3. A $15.00 fee for MOPPA members and a $20.00 fee for non-MOPPA entrants will be assessed per image. Critiques are available for $10 for each image and will be delivered within 2-3 weeks after the MOPPA Image Competition.

4. Digital images must contain a digital presentation. Files must be sized so the longest dimension is 4,000 pixels (20 inches at 200 ppi). Each file must contain an embedded color profile of either sRGB or Adobe RGB1998 and be saved at a JPEG quality setting of 10. Name your file as the "The Title of Your Image", not Image 1.jpg as you would for Districts or ICP.  The title and should not include the name of the entrant, or any verbiage that identifies the entrant.

5. Names of individuals or studios may not appear on the front of any digital image so, no watermark.

6. Images that have previously received a Merit in MOPPA, Districts, and/or IPC are not eligible for entry into the current MOPPA Print Competition. Current entries may only be entered once, whether they are a single print, a RAW image, or an element in a collage or composite.

7. No entry will be eligible if it has been made under the supervision of an instructor or as a class assignment.

8. The entrant has obtained and has access to all necessary releases (model or property), and agrees to hold MOPPA harmless against all claims and liabilities arising out of MOPPA’s display of each image submitted.

9. The Creative Open category must include referenced thumbnails as part of the image presentation.

10. The RAW category is an image that is captured in RAW as recorded by your camera and is not edited. These are straight out of the camera images.  See below for more RAW rules and how to submit. 

11.  All entries must be entered into the online competition system, and case fees must be paid, by 9:00 PM CT on the Sunday prior to the competition. Once the online entry deadline has passed, no changes of any kind may be made by the entrant. Failure to pay your case fees and/or register prior to the online entry deadline will result in entry disqualification.

12. Scoring shall be based upon the following standards:

Exceptional 100-95

Superior 94-90

Excellent 89-85

Deserving of a Merit 84-80

Above Average 79-75

Average 74-70

Below Exhibition Standards 69-

MOPPA Image Competition Awards List

Master (MOPPA): (Ribbons for 2nd and 3rd, Trophy for 1st)

Awarded to those that have earned their Master’s Degree with National PPA and are members of MOPPA.

• Wedding (1,2,3)
• Portrait (1,2,3) 
• Illustrative (1,2,3) 
• Creative Open (1,2,3) 
• Best In Show
  
• POTY (Photographer of the Year)

Non-Master (MOPPA): (Ribbons for 2nd and 3rd, Trophy for 1st)

Awarded to those that have not yet earned their Master’s Degree with National PPA and are members of MOPPA.

• Wedding(1,2,3) 
• Portrait (1,2,3)
• Illustrative (1,2,3) 
• Creative Open (1,2,3) 
• Best In Show
• POTY (Photographer of the Year)

MOPPA Top 10

4/4 Pins (All Eligible)

**Trophies for MOPPA - Photographers must have a Missouri address/ business registration for their studio/place of business or live within metro areas. (KC, STL).

MOPPA SUBCATEGORY Awards: Top 3 Case Scores

Subcategories: ALL entries scoring 80 or above are ELIGIBLE :

• RAW Image 
• Newborn 
• Child 
• High School Senior
• Man 
• Woman
• Family/Group (if wedding, please categorize it as a wedding image) 
• Still Life 
• Landscape 
• Pet/Animal 
• Wedding 
• Commercial/Architectural
  
• Creative Open
  

ADDITIONAL Awards:

CPP AWARD is given to the person who has the highest scoring Image of all Certified Professional Photographers (Presented by a CPP)

JUDGES CHOICE AWARDS  

Clarification for Categories:

For the purposes of image competition in MOPPA, categorization of images should use these guidelines if unsure:

Portrait: Consist of Portrait Images. Subcategories will include (and must be photographic in nature.  No painted images are allowed in this category, place in Creative Open/Artistic Category):

• Newborn
• Senior
• Man
• Woman
• Child
• Families/Groups (if wedding, please categorize as wedding image)
• Animal Portrait 

Illustrative: Subcategories will include (and must be photographic in nature):

• Landscape 
• Still Life
• Commercial/Architectural

Wedding: (photographic images):
*Wedding category must only include images taken from an actual wedding day event. In the interest of fairness, styled shoot images will not be eligible. Images from styled shoots may be placed in the regular portrait categories.

Wedding category images may include:

• Bride
• Groom
• Bridal Party
• Candids
• Details 

 Creative Open: (must include reference images):

Creative Open category shall include any image that no longer is photographic in appearance, including PAINTED IMAGES, COMPOSITES, and RESTORATIONS. Reference images should be included with submissions as part of the image presentation. If anyone should have any questions regarding image submission and categorization, please contact MOPPA for clarification.

RAW:  Straight out of the camera with no lightroom, photoshop adjustments or digital mat placed.

The RAW category is an image that is captured in RAW as recorded by your camera and is not edited. These are straight out of the camera images.

Rules for the RAW category: The use of in-camera “art filters”, or HDR is not allowed. Lightroom adjustments, composites, dodging/ burning, or any adjustments are not allowed. Do not add a digital mat.  Refer to MOPPA Image Competition Rules, Category Clarification, and Awards 2022 when registering.  Title your image and upload a jpeg file size 4000 px on the long size, output quality 10 (save a copy of your RAW file, not resized). Then email your RAW and JPEG files to   Email your  folder of RAW  Files and JPG Files to lorianne.probst@gmail.com

Additional Rules

1. Entry form must be complete.
2. Entry fee is per image. Case score will be compiled of top 4 scores. Image file names must match the image titles on the entry form.
3. Entrants agree that any entered photograph may be used by MOPPA/ Develop in any publication or on the website. Model releases must be available for all recognizable individuals submitted.
4. Any entry that has earned a seal of approval or merit is not eligible and will be disqualified, even if it recently earned a seal of approval at districts.
5. Images entered in MOPPA competition will be judged for photographic artistry and craftsmanship, based on the 12 elements of a merit image as outlined by the Professional Photographers of America. The decision of the judges and the competition chair is final.
6. Total case score will be comprised of the top four image scores from your case. The bottom two scores will be dropped.
7. Rules for this competition may be modified without notice.

Digital File Submission Instructions

The Professional Photographers of America has gone to a system of digital submissions to prints at the International Print Competition. Due to this, we have decided that it is in our best interest to offer a digital competition. This allows our members to be judged at the same size as they will be at IPC as well as learn calibration and color management skills. The below requirements and settings will help with accurate representation on the competition monitor.

Images saved with long side at 4000px. Each image is to be embedded with a color profile of either sRGB or Adobe RGB1998 and be saved at a JPEG quality setting of 10. Name your file as the "The Title of Your Image", not Image 1.jpg as you would for Districts or ICP.  The title and should not include the name of the entrant, or any verbiage that identifies the entrant.

Images can be submitted online at https://www.printcompetition.com

Membership for the site is required at a negligible fee.