BCG conducts monthly and annual internal competitions as well as submitting Club entries in several external competitions. In order to participate in these competitions, members must be graded into either A, AB or B grade.

Grading

All new members are automatically placed into "B" Grade to enter monthly and other club competitions unless they have previously competed in another camera club at a higher grade. If this were to be the case the case, or they felt they had sufficient photographic experience to warrant a higher grade, they need to apply for their work to be reviewed by supplying the required sample images to be appraised. (refer below "Appraisal")

Appraisal

New members may have their work appraised if they believe they have sufficient photography experience to warrant achieving a higher grade.

To be graded, a new member is required to submit up to TEN images as prints or digital projected images (DPI) for appraisal. These should represent a good sample of the member’s best work.

Send your digital projected images to  image-assessment@brisbanecameragroup.org.au for appraisal.

Use "Competition appraisal" in the subject.

If submitting prints for grading purposes, bring the prints to a Club meeting and deliver them to the Gradings Coordinator, the President, or a Committee member.

Image formats for Appraisal

Digital Images

The maximum allowable dimensions for digital images are 1920 pixels wide x 1080 pixels high, with a maximum file size of 2 MB (2048 kilobytes).  Image files should be in sRGB colour space and be .jpg files.

Prints

Prints submitted for appraisal can be un-matted or mounted in mats. There is no minimum mat or print size, but mats must not exceed 40.6 x 50.8 cm (16 x 20 inches).  Labels are to be attached to the back of the print or mat. Each label requires … Member Number, and Image Title. An arrow on the label is to indicate the top of the image.

Upgrading

AB and B grade members who meet the required criteria are offered upgrades at the end of each calendar year.

Recommendations for upgrading are made by the Scorer to the Committee at the conclusion of each year's Monthly Competitions.  The formula for upgrading is Total Place Points in Monthly Competitions in Prints plus Digital Projected Images during the year divided by the total Number of Entries submitted during the year. (See Competitions > Competition Points for the definition of Place Points).

• If a B Grade Member, after a year's competition in which they have entered at least 15 images and their average Place Point score is 6.0 or above, then upgrading to AB Grade will be recommended. If an AB Grade Member, after a year's competition in which they have entered at least 15 images and their average Place Point score is 6.5 or above, then upgrading to A Grade will be recommended.
  
  
• The Member will then be invited by the Committee to accept upgrading.  This upgrading can be deferred for 1 year. However, upgrading is compulsory for that member after deferring one year.
  
  
• Members who wish to have their current grading reviewed may apply, in writing, to the Committee for consideration of their grade.
  
  
• Re-grading will take effect before the beginning of each competition year.