There are many competitions to choose form each with their own advantages and disadvantages. You could start off at your local camera club or library, while there may not be any prize money your only cost should be the printing and you should be able to get more in-depth feed back from the judges.
If you do not want to be in person, you could always use the internet. There are many good photography web sites, some linked with off line magazines that have regular competitions with quite a few offering equipment as prizes. If a competition winner is voted in by the members of the site then the winner will be the one with the biggest following on twitter / facebook. If people can leave comments on your entry, remember that there are some very sad people that like to hurt others while hiding in hyperspace.
Big money competitions that have prizes of five figures plus attract many people with a lot of talent and usually have quit a high entrance fee to keep the numbers down. If you are going to part with your hard-earned money, you should look out for a few things:
• Does the competition have a history, so that you can see what standards your will work have to be to have a chance of wining.
• Is the competition run by a reputable organization, so that you know that you will be paid?
• Make sure that you are not giving away your copyright if you win or even just for entering. Even well known and loved organizations run copyright grab competitions from time to time.
• What are your responsibilities if you win or are placed? You might have to print and frame your work to a set size and be there on the opening night to get your prize. Not a problem if it is in your home town or nearby city but what if it is half way around the world!
Local competitions come up all the time, it could be the local paper, government, company or even a local band and they are usually free to enter. Local photography competitions usually have goods or services as prizes but if it is worth your time and it is not a copyright grab then why not give it a go!
It is always best to take a fresh photo for a competition rather than dig one out of your files and if you feel that your technique needs a little help then you could read up a bit on it, I would recommend:
The Photographer’s Mind: creative thinking for better digital photos by Michael Freeman
Composition: From Snapshots to Great Shots by Laurie Excell
Disclosure: many of the links on this blog are affiliate links from which I receive some money, but if you use them, you get the added benefit of knowing that you are helping support a fellow photographer with their own camera collection addiction, thank you.
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