How to host a photo book competition guide
Hosting a photo book competition will allow your camera club members to extend their creative skills to include curating, pairing and sequencing images, layout and design, presenting a series of images, and enhanced storytelling. To make this easy we've created some guidelines and a template competition web page, based on the Australian Photographic Society's Book Competition and the Australian and New Zealand Photobook Awards. Please feel free to use these to create your own competition and promotional material, or call us for advice.
We are also happy to provide a $150 voucher prize for each photo book category, please contact us to make your request.
Categories
You may choose to keep your competition open to all photographic genres or create multiple categories.
The APS Book Competition includes a Portfolio and Storytelling category, to allow the judges to assess technical and creative skills separately.
Entry conditions
Choose whether you have any limitations on:
- Subject, content, format or number of pages
- When the photographs were taken
- Where the book was produced
- The number of books an entrant can submit
Entry period
A minimum entry period of 8 weeks gives entrants time to conceptualise, capture photos, design and print their book. Ensure the entry deadline is clearly noted in all promotions.
The APS Book Competition has an entry period of 14 weeks. It is generally hosted in the last half of the year, so to give club members the best chance in the national competition, we suggest you host yours in the first half of the year, so entrants can receive feedback beforehand.
Entry process
You can request the submission of a physical book or digital PDF file. Digital submission reduces costs for the entrant but does not allow judges to assess the physicality of the book which is also important to its success. Most international photo book competitions require a physical book. Ensure the postal address for submissions is clearly noted on your website or promotional material.
The APS Book Competition requires the submission of physical books.
Book returns
To allow for the books to be returned, entrants can provide a prepaid self addressed envelope or you can confirm a physical collection point along with dates and hours they can collect. Coordinate the return in the week after the winners are announced, and note any tracking numbers should entrants enquire about the book's whereabouts.
Entry form
Provide a downloadable Entry Form that entrants must complete and send with their physical book submission. Download our Entry Form template.
The APS Book Competition Entry Form requires this information:
- Name
- Phone
- Postal address
- Entry category
- Book title
- Book return: by prepaid self addressed envelope OR physical collection
Entry fees
The APS Book Competition is free to enter but you may choose to charge a fee to help cover administration and judging costs.
Book printing
While there is no requirement for entrants to print their book with Momento Pro, we'd appreciate you mentioning our Club Program members received a discounts of 30% on their first order then 10% off all other orders. Find our Club Program details here.
Judging criteria
Excellence and fitness for purpose in:
- Photography
- Selection, pairing and sequencing of images
- Design, layout and typography
- Paper choice, size, cover material and finishes
Should you host a Storytelling category we suggest the following additional criteria:
- Originality of concept and design
- An engaging visual narrative
The full APS Book Competition criteria can be viewed here.
Judging process
A jury of 2-4 judges allows for a diversity of knowledge and experience. Judges with experience in curating or editing images, photo book design or making, or camera club print competition judging will be most advantageous. Momento Pro is happy to provide a judge who can particpate via video or in person where all travel and accomodation expenses are covered.
A physical judging session is best but should COVID or budget restrictions apply, one judge could participate via video as long as the coordinator or other judges present the books to the camera and talk about their physical elements. Judging can take 4-8 hours depending on the number of entries and judges. Trestle tables to hold approximately 8 to 10 books each and chairs will be needed. Judges can use a scoring system to identify the top entries, then a group discussion can lead to a group decision on the winners.
The APS Book Competition has a panel of 3 judges who attend a physical judging session, assisted by a judging coordinator.
Prizes
Momento Pro is happy to provide a $150 voucher prize for each photo book category, please contact us to make your request.
The APS Book Competition has $2,000 in prizes, $1500 in Momento Pro vouchers and $500 in cash from the APS Print Group.
Winner announcement
Ensure the date and communication method for the announcement of winners is included in all promotions. In the past, some camera clubs have hosted award presentations with an exhibition of all the books entered, which is a great way for everyone to experience the books and learn more about photo book design. In the COVID era clubs have hosted online award presentations where images or videos of the books are presented, and the judges can provide feedback.
The APS Book Competition 2021 will announce the winners via a Zoom presentation.
Award coordinator
The coordinator can be a contact for any entrant queries, for receiving the physical submissions, for managing the judging process, coordinating the winner announcement and prizes, and ensuring the safe return of all the books.
Should you have any questions about hosting a photo book competition, don't hesitate to contact our friendly service team, and please let us know if you do host a competition so we can share the winning entries with our Momento Pro community.
