Weston Photography Competition

Calling all budding young photographers! Weston Civic Society and the Weston Mercury, with the support of Mayor John Crockford-Hawley, launch today a cool competition. 

Capture Weston's amazing architecture through the lens of your camera! ️ Think grand buildings and historical details - the focus is on showing off Weston's architectural wonders. No people allowed in the photos! This lets the spotlight shine on the timeless buildings themselves.

The Mayor said: "Most youngsters own mobile phones and regularly post photos for their friends to see but standing for a few moments gazing at a specific building might be unusual. This Civic Society initiative will encourage secondary school students to use their natural curiosity and technical skills to look, capture views, enter a competition and earn recognition for their efforts. 'Look up' and you'll see much of Weston as it was. You might even spot sympathetic modernisation at ground floor level  - in which case point the camera, record what you see and let the older generation know your thoughts."

The competition is open to young shutterbugs between 11 and 17! Think you've got the eye for capturing Weston's history? 

Here's the exciting part: The top three photographers will win awesome prizes! First place gets a whopping £100 voucher, second place nabs £50, and third place walks away with £25. All vouchers are for Camera World or Amazon, your choice! 

A panel of judges, including a pro photographer, will be picking the winners! The panel's decision will be final. Just submit your entries with your name, age and address by email to newsdesk@westonmercury.co.uk by the closing date: 30th September 2024.

John Crockford-Hawley is Mayor of Weston, North Somerset Council's Heritage Champion, and a former teacher who regularly writes and lectures about Weston's history.

Weston Civic Society Young Photographer Competition Rules

1. Eligibility

• This competition is open to young photographers aged 11 to 17 years old as of 1st July 2024.
• Residents of Weston and surrounding areas are encouraged to participate.
• Weston-super-Mare Civic Society Trustees and employees of Newsquest Media Group Ltd and their immediate families are not eligible to enter.
  

2. Theme & Subject

• The competition theme is "Weston's Architectural Wonders: A Timeless Legacy".
• Entrants are encouraged to capture the beauty and historical significance of Weston's buildings through photography.

3. Entry Requirements

• All entries must be submitted electronically by email to newsdesk@westonmercury.co.uk
• Images must be in JPEG format and not exceed 6 MB in size.
• Images must focus solely on the exterior of a Weston building, with no people present in the shot. This emphasizes the architectural details and celebrates the enduring structures.
• Basic editing is permitted, including cropping, adjustments to colour/contrast/brightness, noise reduction, and minor blemish removal.
• Images must be the original work of the entrant.
• Entrants must hold the copyright to all submitted images.

4. Judging

• Entries will be judged by a panel of three, including a professional photographer.
• Judging will be based on the following criteria:
• Creativity in capturing the architectural details
• Technical execution (composition, focus, lighting)
• Overall visual impact

5. Prizes

• The top three entries will receive prizes as follows:
• 1st Place: £100 Camera World or Amazon (entrant's choice) "online" voucher
• 2nd Place: £50 Camera World or Amazon (entrant's choice) "online" voucher
• 3rd Place: £25 Camera World or Amazon (entrant's choice) "online" voucher

6. Calendar

• The deadline for submissions is 30th September 2024.
• Winners will be notified by email by 31st October 2024.
• Winning entries will be showcased on the Weston Civic Society website and potentially featured in the Weston Mercury newspaper.

7. Additional Rules.

• By entering the competition, entrants agree to these rules and conditions.
• The competition organizers reserve the right to use winning entries for promotional purposes, with photographer credit.
• Entrants grant the competition organizers non-commercial reproduction rights for their submitted images.

8. Contact

For any inquiries, please contact the Weston-super-Mare Civic Society at photocomp@westoncivicsociety.org.uk.