• Internally (Just between our members, 4 competitions per year)
• Externally (with other clubs) e.g.
• Three Way Competition (StAPS, Cupar and Kinross)
• Four-Way Competition (StAPS, Glenrothes, Perth and Dundee) 
• Inter-Fife Competition (STAPS, Glenrothes, Cupar, Dunfermline and Kirkcaldy)
• Nationally in Scotland and the UK

Being a member of a club does not oblige you to participate.  Competitions are essentially artificial.  However they are usually an enjoyable experience and judges do offer pointers for improvement of your work.  Indeed it is only when you are selecting and preparing your work that you become self-critical and your works improves because of this.

There is another reason for participating, which I will mention later.

Club competitions allow entries as:

• Monochrome Prints
• Colour Prints
• Digital Projected Images

Usually at club and inter-club level a single judge marks images with up to 20 marks (generally starting at about 12 as lowest score)

National competitions usually have a panel of three judges - each marking an image out of 5 marks (so a top score is 15).  There are sometimes specific sections in national and international competitions.

For example:

• Open Sections
• Creative Sections
• Travel Section
• Nature Section
• Other special sections (e.g. the Nude, Children, Landscape etc.)

Nationally St Andrews Photographic Society is affiliated to the

• Scottish Photographic Federation (SPF)

Which is affilated to the

• Photographic Alliance of Great Britain (PAGB)

Which in turn is affiliated to the

• Federation Internationale de l'Art Photographique (FIAP)

• SPF Print Championship
• SPF Print Portfolio
• SPF Digital Championship
• SPF Digital Image Portfolio

The SPF also collates entries for UK and International Inter-Federation competitions.  Occasionally it also organises a Scottish International Salon of Photography, which attracts entries from across the world.

The Photographic Alliance of Great Britain organises a variety of competitions such as:

PAGB Great British Cup (Projected images, any club may enter)

PAGB Club Print Championship (Normally only two clubs from Scotland qualify to compete in this.  StAPS qualified for this competition for the first time when it was held in Connah's Quay in Wales on the 27 Oct 2012)

The PAGB also offers photographic honours at three levels for those who would like some formal recognition of their photographic ability:

• Credit (CPAGB) - Standard: Good Club Photography (Panel of 10 images)
• Distinction (DPAGB) - Standard: Open Exhibition Photography (Panel of 15 images)
• Master (MPAGB) Standard: Highest Standard of UK Amateur Photography (Panel of 20 images)

Federation Internationale de l'Art Photographique (FIAP)

This is the parent body for international photographic organisations across the world.  It organises a few biennial International competitions such as:

• 30 e Biennale Noire et Blanc
• 23 eme Biennale Couleur Papier

It sponsors a large number of International Photographic Exhibitions and Salons across the world.  FIAP endorsement is a mark that they are organised well, and so these FIAP competitions attract the very best photography.  FIAP also sponsors the medals and awards that the winning entries receive.  Often these Exhibitions and Salons have very attractive catalogues of entries.

FIAP also gives photographic awards for those achieving success in International Exhibitions, again giving formal recognition of photographic ability.  Currently these awards are:

• Artist (AFIAP)
• Excellence (EFIAP)
• Master (MFIAP)

Requirements are changing, but currently are:

• AFIAP: 40 acceptances / 15 different photographs / 15 different exhibitions / 8 different countries.
• EFIAP: 250 acceptances / 50 different photographs / 30 different exhibitions / 20 different countries.

Conclusion:

So why are competitions important to you?

• Firstly they let you have feedback on your work, and help you improve your photography
• Secondly you can see a range of other people's work.  This is always enjoyable, but this can also set a standard for you to aspire to.
• Thirdly they provide a series of graded steps from club to inter-club, to national, and then to international competitions.  Each one will mark your progression and help you improve even further.
• Fourthly, if your work scores highly, is commended, or even wins a medal there is a great feeling of having achieved something.
• Fifthly, the national and international competitions can be a step towards recognition of your photographic prowess through awards such as CPAGB, DPAGB, AFIAP and EFIAP