(i) Seeing (visual awareness)
Composition: Judges will be looking for images that demonstrate skills and knowledge of composition (using form, pattern, texture, colour, lighting, cropping)?
Visual creativity – Do the images show some imagination and creativity with good use of light and colour in sympathy with the subject?
View point – Have suitable or interesting view points been chosen?
Decisive moment – If the images include live action or photojournalism-type grab shots, do the images reveal skilled choice of shutter release moment?
Variety in use of camera/image editing - Do the images communicate different moods, ideas, narratives (for example different lighting conditions or digital darkroom techniques)?
(ii) Technical quality
Exposure - Is the exposure appropriate (are highlights burnt out or do shadows lack detail?)
Colour and tone – Do images display appropriate control of colours or colour casts?
Focus and sharpness – Is the main subject sufficiently or correctly in focus? If there is movement in the frame is this handled correctly for the intent? Does the image suffer from camera shake?
Depth of field – Is the control of depth of field appropriate for the subject or intention?
Digital artefacts - Is there evidence of over-sharpening or poor cloning or any other digital artefact (ie evidence of any image editing)?
Technical creativity – Is there creativity in the use of basic photographic techniques?
Not every image entered will have all of these elements, but you should use these as a framework for deciding your best images to include in the competition