2008 Kona Classic Photo Contest Guidelines and Procedures

Kona Classic Underwater Photography and Video Festival
2008 Kona Classic Photo Contest Guidelines and Procedures

The Kona Classic event is dedicated to providing a healthy, learning and adventurous experience. The goal is to have divers capture as many images as possible while maintaining the highest regard for the environment, in an atmosphere of friendly competition, expression and learning.

We are all here to celebrate our love for the marine environment and the underwater photography. A number of sponsors have helped make the event special by donating great prizes that acknowledge the 'best' images created during the week. Please don't let the spirit of competition overshadow the enjoyment of learning, interaction, safety and camaraderie.

Contest Categories
Contestants must register in one of the following categories:
Advanced Photographer/Dive Professional

• Open to any Participant
• Entrants in this category are defined as those who consider themselves advanced amateurs or are dive professional that are actively employed as a Dive Master or Instructor and have some underwater photography experience.
• This category is also designed for professional topside photographers that engage in underwater photography for enjoyment (they don't make a significant amount of their earning from underwater photography). Any photographer that has ever won any award or honorable mention at any underwater photography competition that is similar to, or perhaps wider in scope than, the Kona Classic also must select this category.
  • Categories:
    1. Best Macro Image (any image with a picture area of 5" x 7" or smaller)
    2. Best Wide Angle Image (any image with a picture area larger than 5" x 7")
    3. Best Creative Image (all post processing options are available to the photographer)

Beginner to Intermediate Photographer

• Open to all participants who are not required to enter the Advanced Photographer/Dive Professional category.
• All participants are encouraged to enter the appropriate category for their experience and skill level. This will ensure a more enjoyable experience for all entrants. If the judges feel that a given photographer entered the Beginner to Intermediate category inappropriately and with the sole purpose of increasing their chances of winning a prize they may choose to judge the entries in the Advanced category.
  • Categories:
    1. Best Macro Image (any image with a picture area of 5" x 7" or smaller)
    2. Best Wide Angle Image (any image with a picture area larger than 5" x 7")
    3. Best Creative Image (all post processing options are available to the photographer)

Plus - Open Photo Essay

• Open to all Participants that are entered in either of the other categories.
• All entries will be judged together.
  • Category:
    1. Best Photo Essay (a series of 4-6 images that tells the story of the 2008 Kona Classic)

Best Show

• Best Overall Image of the Competition

Best Topside Shot

• Best Topside Image

Video Category

• Open to all Participants

Category:

1. Best Video Competition
2. You'll be judged on creativity, originality, and clear and concise message or story.
3. Production quality is also important.

Photo Submissions and Guidelines

1. Participants may enter one submission in each category.
2. Only images taken during the actual date and time of the event are eligible for the competition.
3. Digital images may be entered that have NOT been manipulated by Photoshop or other manipulation software, or they can be manipulated as follows: Images taken in RAW format may be manipulated using all sliders and tabs in the entrant's RAW converter (for example Adobe Camera RAW)
   • An image (once an image is converted from RAW these same constraints apply) may be manipulated by software for Contrast, Brightness, Levels, Color (selective color and color balance), Shadow and Highlights, and Curves only.
   • Sharpening to compensate for digital sensor artifacts may be used. Unsharp Mask is recommended. Over sharpening will detract from the final submission.
   • No image can be manipulated to remove backscatter.
   • No image can be cropped.
   • Images entered into the Best Creative Image category may be manipulated in any way so long as all the source material comes from images collected during the competition time frame.
4. Judges will have the final say as to whether an image or video was taken during the competition.
5. Any individual submitting images dishonestly will be disqualified from the competition.

Re-sizing and Saving Instructions

Re-size images to 1024 pixels on widest dimension at 72 dpi resolution – normally 1024 x 683 or 1024 x 768 pixels.

1. In Photoshop start from the image menu at the top, and select "Image Size". Make sure all three boxes at the bottom of the dialogue box that opens are checked. In the "pixel dimensions" box at top enter 1024 into either the width (for landscape or horizontal orientation? Or height (portrait or vertical orientation) field. The dropdown menu to the right of that field shuld be set to "pixels". Click OK.
2. In Photoshop start from the File Menu at the top and select "Save As". Put the new name of the files in "Save As" field at the top of the dialog box and choose "jpeg" from the "format" drop-down menu in the lower part of the dialog box. Rename the file according to the following convention: division.category.firstinitial.lastname.jpg. For division use adv for advanced, beg for beginner or cre for creative.
   For example beg.macro.j.smith.jpg or adv.wide.m.smith.jpg.
   The .jpeg extension is essential. If your software does not automatically add the extension when you save your file, you must re-name it afterwards to add the extension. In the middle field choose the folder and location on your computer where you want the file to be saved, then click OK.
3. Your essay shots should be placed in a folder named "Essay – Your Name" Shots inside the folder would be named per the following examples: essay.m.jones1.jpg, essay.m.jones2.jpg, etc.
4. Videos submitted as QuickTime movies must have the .mov extension on the file name to be recognized by the judging computer.
5. Still pictures may be submitted on a D or jump drive, but CD is your advantage, as it leaves a back-up with the judges. Bes sure to mark your name on the CD. The preferred format for video submissions is on DVD.

Submit far enough ahead of the closing time for submissions for the judges to transfer your images and check that they will open on the judging computer, and wait for them to check before you leave, in case there are any problems.

Environmental Guidelines

The judges will screen all submissions of images to see if it exhibits any of the following behaviors. If these behaviors are found in the images or while the images were being captured the image and the individual will be disqualified.

• Gear dragging or visibly damaging the environment
• Excessively kicking up sand
• Animals showing signs of stress
• Animals viewed in an unnatural state or location
• Animals being fed
• Marine life being touched
• Exhibiting poor buoyancy control
• Exhibiting behavior that could be considered detrimental to the environment.

Photo Judging Criteria:

All submissions will be judged on four criteria:

1. Technical Quality (lighting, exposure, focus)
2. Difficulty
3. Composition
4. Visual Impact

Special Note:

1. The Kona Classic will not be providing any photo editing equipment. All participants should plan to bring their own personal notebook computer with image editing software. The Kona Classic staff will provide seminar instruction on image editing.
2. Kona no longer has 1 hour E6 film processing available. All photo image submissions must be in digital format. If participants wish to use film, they are responsible for their own E-6 processing, and scanning the images to convert them to a suitable digital format.

Video Submissions and Guidelines

One submission per person is permitted.
Maximum length of submission: 3 minutes of which 2 minutes must be underwater.

Video Judging Criteria:

All video submissions will be judged on five criteria:

1. Technical quality (focus, lighting, color, etc)
2. Difficulty
3. Composition
4. Impact
5. Editing
6. Story or message

Editing is permitted and encouraged.

Special Note:

1. The Kona Classic will not be providing any video editing equipment. Each participant is responsible for his or her own editing method.

Special Reef Check Open Photo Category

Reef Check Invited Kona Classic Participants to "Take Your Best Shot"

In an effort to raise participant's awareness of the coral reef crisis and emphasize the importance of reef stewardship and conservation among the dive community. Reef Check Hawaii would like to offer the following two categories, open to all participants whether they are beginner or advanced.

Winning entries may be used in Reef Check Hawaii's educational and outreach materials.

Category:

1. "The Reef in Balance" Best image illustrating a behavioral or symbiotic relationship on the reef that illustrates a healthy balanced ecosystem, or conversely, an image that portrays an ecological imbalance or anthropogenic impact.
2. "Best Reef Etiquette" Best image demonstrating conscientious and responsible dive behavior while photographing marine life.

Photo Judging Criteria:

All submissions will be judged on four criteria:

• Technical Quality (lighting, exposure, focus)
• Difficulty
• Composition
• Visual Impact

Eligibility
Open – All eligible photographers of the Kona Classic

Image Submissions and Guidelines

Participants may enter only one submission in each category.

1. Participants may enter one submission in each category.
2. Only images taken during the actual date and time of the event are eligible for the competition.
3. Digital images may be entered that have NOT been manipulated by Photoshop or other manipulation software, or they can be manipulated as follows: Images taken in RAW format may be manipulated using all sliders and tabs in the entrant's RAW converter (for example Adobe Camera RAW)
   • An image (once an image is converted from RAW these same constraints apply) may be manipulated by software for Contrast, Brightness, Levels, Color (selective color and color balance), Shadow and Highlights, and Curves only.
   • Sharpening to compensate for digital sensor artifacts may be used. Unsharp Mask is recommended. Over sharpening will detract from the final submission.
   • No image can be manipulated to remove backscatter.
   • No image can be cropped.
   • Images entered into the Best Creative Image category may be manipulated in any way so long as all the source material comes from images collected during the competition time frame.
4. Judges will have the final say as to whether an image or video was taken during the competition.
5. Any individual submitting images dishonestly will be disqualified from the competition.

Environmental Guidelines

The judges will screen all submissions of images to see if it exhibits any of the following behaviors. If these behaviors are found in the images or while the images were being captured the image and the individual will be disqualified.

• Gear dragging or visibly damaging the environment
• Excessively kicking up sand
• Animals showing signs of stress
• Animals viewed in an unnatural state or location
• Animals being fed
• Marine life being touched
• Exhibiting poor buoyancy control
• Exhibiting behavior that could be considered detrimental to the environment.