Publication Rules

PUBLICATIONS COMPETITION RULES
Chair: Dawn Van Hall: last revised April 6, 2010

Download Publication Rules | Download Entry Forms

All submisssions must be received by 5:00 pm Thursday June 18, 2009.

Send your entries to:
Bill Bitzinger
Ferris State University, University Advancement
420 Oak Street, West PRK116
Big Rapids, MI 49307

Publications awards are presented for the best use of photography in university and/or college publications per category. This award is designed to promote the use of excellent photography in publications.

Each school is allowed one entry per category. An entry is up to three publications in each category (other then coffee table books). Multiple publications submitted in each category will be viewed as one entry and judged as a total. The reason for this is that quite often schools will design an ad campaign where a group of publications are produced at the same time. This group of up to three pieces will be looked at as one entry in its category. (Keep in mind that just because there are three pieces in an ad campaign, it doesn’t mean you must submit all three pieces. One poor piece in the group has been known to drag down the rest in the opinions of the judges.) If the pieces were not designed to work together or do not look like they belong together, do not submit them as one entry. Specialty books are individually judged with a maximum of one per year.

The entries must be produced by the school’s graphic artists or public relations department. If a school hires an outside agency to produce its publications and that agency utilizes the member photographer’s work, that is also allowed. Each school is allowed one entry and there is only one $10 fee for each member entered, whether you enter one category or all the categories. The purpose of the publication should be indicated so that the committee can see how well the publication meets its stated purpose.

IMPORTANT… A complete entry form must be securely attached to each piece entered. We seldom have a dedicated working space and items can get misplaced or put into the wrong category or even assigned to the wrong photographer.

We are not responsible for placement of entries if for any reason they have lost their entry form.

Each entry must be judged in one of the following categories:

General Publications (consisting of brochures, catalogs, alumni magazines, etc.)
Poster
Viewbook - A viewbook is a book sent out for general distribution to any or all prospective students or others asking for information about your school and at no cost to them. It remains an integral part of the basic publication category and could be included in either the General Publications Group category if it is part of an overall multi piece presentation or in the Viewbook category or both categories.
Publication Covers - This category is for publication covers that utilize photographs. It can be covers torn off the publication or covers still on the publication and each must be marked as part of this category. Covers do not have to be mounted.
Printed Advertisement - May be a tear sheet from a magazine advertisement or a photographic print of reasonable size of the Ad. A photographic print of a billboard or bus ad is also acceptable.
Specialty Books (commonly called coffee table books) - A specialty book is usually a hardbound book sold or given to interested parties, containing information not normally used primarily to convince prospective students to attend you school. This could include books showing the campus of a particular school, but usually as a documentary view rather than a book used to convince students to attend. This category could also include history, campus scenes or student works that the photographer used his/her skills to illustrate. Because of the limited number of books in the Specialty Books category, the judges will wait until an adequate number have accumulated before judging.

Example: If one book is received for judging this year, we will wait until next year to judge. If only one more arrives in the next year, we will wait another year until there is a minimum number of four books. If the entrant does not want to leave the book with the committee, he or she can resubmit it the following year. A second book can also be submitted the following year, as long as the total is only one per year.

The publications committee previews the entries for eligibility and will usually make award recommendations. The UPAA Executive Board reviews and makes the final selections of the winning publications. The Executive Board may occasionally elect to give a “Publication Photography of the Year” award if there is an exceptional entrant. This award may be for the top overall entry of all categories or for a single publication of exceptional merit.

Members do not need to attend the symposium to enter. Entry forms must be completed and attached to each publication being submitted. The entrant decides the category, but the judges will decide the applicability to the category. Awards will be first, second and third place with two honorable mentions. If, however, there are not enough entrants or the submissions do not meet standards, the board may decide to give fewer awards. The person submitting the entries must be a UPAA member in good standing. Entries must be from the previous year and may not be re-submitted in future years. The exception to this rule is the Specialty Books category as previously noted.

Point of clarification on the Publication competition: It has always been expected that there could be two or more photographers represented in a brochure or publication. That is one reason we give the award to the department or school. Any member can enter any publication that includes the member’s photos. There would be one citation to the school or department, one ribbon awarded, and one entry fee by either member. You should list both/all participating members on the form that is attached to the publication. Remember this categories' purpose is to promote well-designed publications that utilize the UPAA member’s photos.