NAPCP’s Print Competition & Gallery Event

ANYONE COULD WIN. COULD IT BE YOU?

The NAPCP Inspired Gallery Event is an exclusive event dedicated to the art of photography.

Since its founding, the National Association of Portrait and Child Photographers (NAPCP) has promoted and supported the artistry and integrity of professional portrait and child photographers. NAPCP has continued to grow and bring together a community of passionate artists committed to advancing their skills, their artistry, and their businesses.

Prizes, Prints, Recognition and MORE!

The purpose of this event is to inspire the creativity of NAPCP members and photographers around the world, while also providing an environment of collaboration and education. Entering your work into the NAPCP Inspired Print Competition & Gallery Event provides you with the freedom to express your most creative self and elevate your craft.

The NAPCP Inspired Print Competition & Gallery Event is the only competition of it’s kind. Artists from around the globe submit their work each year to this exclusive competition. Only the Top 100 images advance on to be displayed in a beautiful gallery event at NAPCP headquarters (Park Studios) in Atlanta, GA where there is LIVE judging. 9 winners are then announced in-person and are given awards in an intimate setting where we celebrate them as artists. Will you be one of them?

Along with being featured in print at the Inspired by NAPCP Gallery Event, the Top 100 images and artists will also receive a feature in Inspired magazine, a Top 100 Artist badge for business use, digital gallery placement and blog features on the NAPCP website, and credited features on NAPCP social media and in marketing collateral. Our 3 first place winners will also receive over $1500 in cash and prizes!

JUDGING CRITERIA

The 100 Finalist Entries shall be displayed in a gallery setting with only the title visible (no names). Three Judges, selected by NAPCP, will view them in person and score each image. Final scores will not be published or distributed to Entrants. The Inspired Gallery Event & Print Competition will be scored as follows:

  1. Each image will receive a score from each of three judges in a range of 1 through 5. Total score possible for any image is 15.
  2. A score of 1 would be defined as: No Impact, Seen Before, Technically Poor. A score of 5 would be considered Best in Show and defined as Highly Impactful/Creative, Never Seen Before, Technically Perfect.

Rules and Regulations

An unlimited number of entries will be accepted by NAPCP for consideration in the final gallery. Please note: this is NOT a digital competition. Should an entry be accepted into the final 100 gallery images, entrant must send a matted print meeting the guidelines and deadlines listed below to be scored by our judges the day of the Inspired Gallery Event. You do not have to be present to win. Please see information below regarding the option of using our partner, Musea Lab, for fulfillment and shipping.

Entry Guidelines:

  1. An unlimited amount of entries will be accepted by NAPCP for consideration in this exclusive Gallery Event, however, only 100 images will be included in the Final Round for live viewing and judging at the Gallery Event in Atlanta, Georgia. All entrants may submit an unlimited amount of entries, provided that each entry is different than the other (see guidelines below). The entrant has sole discretion to choose the the creative category that best suits the image being entered. Each entry will be judged based on the category in which it is submitted.
  2. Entries must be the complete and original photographic work of the entrant. This includes overall concept, posing, capture, exposure, and all post processing. Third party presets and actions may be used by entrant to enhance the quality of an image (color, contrast, skin tone, etc) as long as they do not add elements that did not exist in the original image. Purchased texture screens are allowed as long as entering the image in the competition doesn’t violate the copyright of the artist who created the texture. Images that are a result of a workshop, seminar, or under the guidance of an instructor are not eligible for competition. Any eligible image may be entered with the exception of images that have previously placed or merited in any previous NAPCP Image Competition.
  3. If any entry submitted is a result of multiple images to create a final composite image, all images used must be the original work of the entrant. No purchased elements or stock images that are not of the entrant’s original creation (including skies, trees, buildings, or other objects) should be used by the entrant to create the final image (refer to #2 for additional details). All original image layers used for composite may be requested by NAPCP. Failure to submit all original images in a timely manner will result in immediate disqualification of the entrant’s submission. No refunds will be given.
  4. All entries must be unique compared to your other submissions. No two entries should resemble each other (with the same subject or scene, with a similar pose, location, lighting).
  5. Images that violate copyright, trademark, or other applicable laws will be disqualified.
  6. Entrant must have a model release for any recognizable person in submitted entries and submit said release to NAPCP upon request.
  7. Mat Size Guidelines: Final print submissions must be presented in a mat measuring 16×20 inches (measured on the outside edge of the mat). The mat should be bright white or similar in color. The outer edge of the Mat must fit the 16×20 inch guidelines, no exceptions.
  8. Print Size Guidelines: The final size of all entries must be 16×20 inches INCLUDING the mat. All prints should measure AT LEAST 8 inches on the shortest side. For example, an 8×12 print in a 16×20 mat would be acceptable, but 7×9 image would not. Also, an 8×8 printed image in a 16×20 mat would fit the guidelines, but a 5×10 image would not. Prints may be displayed in the mat however an entrant would like to creatively display them, as long as the mat fits the measurement guidelines (#8 above) and all layers of the mat are white in color. The depth of the final submission including all materials, should not exceed one half inch. Frames are not allowed.
  9. Submissions should be saved in JPEG format. The longest side of your image may not exceed 3000 pixels and the shortest side must be a minimum of 2000 pixels. Maximum size is 4 MB and resolution should be set to 72 DPI. Any size image in this range will qualify. If selected for the inclusion in the top 100 Final Images in the Inspired Gallery Event, it is the entrant’s responsibility to submit the MATCHING matted print to NAPCP by the print deadline. No refunds will be given if a submission is paid for online, and the subsequent matted print does not arrive by the deadline given for the event.
  10. Initial Digital Submissions should be titled: CATEGORY_CurrentYear_Title_YourName. For example: BLUE_2024_SimpleThings_AlicePark.jpg.  Judges WILL NOT see the artist names when judging.

Deadlines & Fees

  1. Digital Submissions will be due no later than 11:59pm EST on Monday, April 15, 2024.
  2. Submission pricing is $10 USD per entry April 1st, 2024 thru April 8th, 2024 for MEMBERS ONLY. Fees increase to $25 April 9, 2024 thru April 15th, 2024 and submissions are OPEN TO ALL. Entry fees must be paid in full at time of submission. If selected for the final 100 images in the judged Gallery Event and Print Competition, the Matting and printing of the image(s) is the responsibility of the entrant and is not included in the submission price above. NAPCP will not be printing or matting images. Please see below for information about our partner, Musea Lab, for your matting and printing service. Entrants will also have the option to have their physical images shipped back to them for a fee (domestic only). Entrants that attend the event may take their printed submissions home after the gallery event is complete.
  3. Deadline for entries shall be published on the NAPCP website and listed above. Late entries will not be accepted.
  4. The 100 Finalist Images will be displayed in the Inspired Gallery and scored by our judges in person prior to the Gallery Reception and announcement of winners. Judging is not open to the public and scores will not be published.

Print Submission Dates & Deadlines

  1. Entries open for submission for MEMBERS ONLY April 1, 2024 through April 8, 2024 for $10/entry
  2. Entries open to ALL on April 9, 2024 for $25/entry and close at 11:59pm EST on April 15, 2024
  3. Top 100 finalists will be announced the week of May 6th
  4. All Musea Lab orders must be submitted by June 28, 2024 for on-time arrival to NAPCP (see below for more info)
  5. For entrants printing, matting, shipping his/her own prints, these must arrive to NAPCP by July 11, 2024
  6. Inspired Gallery Event and announcement of winners – July 18, 2024

Matting & Printing Gallery Event Submissions

If chosen as a Top 100 finalist, it is the responsibility of the entrant to print, mat and ship entries to NAPCP for this event. As a benefit and convenience to our members (International and Domestic), Musea Lab is offering a 20% discount on matting and printing services for the NAPCP Inspired Gallery Event (use the code GALLERY2024 at checkout). If your image is submitted to Musea Lab by June 28, 2024 and payment is made in full to Musea, it will be produced and shipped for on-time arrival to NAPCP for this event. The cost of printing, matting, and shipping gallery entries is NOT included with the entry fee.

Matting with Musea

Musea Lab is offering a generous 20% discount (use the code GALLERY2024 at checkout) for the 2024 Inspired Gallery Event Printing. Please refer to the guidelines above regarding print and matte requirements.

2024 Submission Categories are ENVIRONMENTAL PORTRAITURE, BLUE, & REAL LIFE. This is a creative competition, and the subject matter is at the sole discretion of the entrant.

First, Second, and Third place will be awarded for each category based on the highest scoring image for each category above. Honorable mentions may be awarded for up to three images in each category. Winners will be revealed and announced at the Inspired Gallery Reception. In the event of a tie, scores of all placed images in that category will be weighted for recalculation. Score of 5 will be weighted more than 4 (etc) for a new total calculation to determine the top three winners for each category. Any further tie will be decided at the sole discretion of the judges and NAPCP.

Winners will be featured in NAPCP’s Inspired Magazine; winners will also receive a digital Winning Badge for their website, blog posts and additional social media promotion by NAPCP and sponsors. Our three first place winners will also receive over $1500 in cash and prizes!

Prizes and Awards

Each 1st place winner will receive a $500 Visa Gift Card along with prizes from Musea and our other partners and sponsors. NAPCP Members will also earn points towards Photographer of the Year for each image that places or merits in this competition. Our 2024 Photographer of the Year will receive an additional prize package along with a $1500 award.

Photographer of the Year (NAPCP Members only)

This prestigious designation will be awarded based on a point system that is cumulative from both the International Digital Image Competition and the Inspired Gallery Event & Print Competition. Entrants are awarded points based on the following criteria. All scoring for Photographer of the Year is done by NAPCP and awarded at its sole discretion.

Criteria Below is listed in order of scoring importance to be considered for Photographer of the Year:

  1. (75%) Weighted points for all placed images and merit images (First place is weighted more than second place, etc). Points are also given for images that are awarded entry into the Inspired Gallery Event & Print Competition (more points are awarded for placed and honorable mention images).
  2. Sharing Knowledge with NAPCP Community (Marketing Monday, Video Interviews, Blog Contributions)
  3. NAPCP community involvement (includes Member Facebook Group, Ambassador Program, Survey Participation, etc).
  4. Consistent portfolio of work and professional online presence. This includes Entrant’s professional website and updated NAPCP Member Directory Profile.

Additional Details and Information

The 2024 Finalist Print Submission Deadline is JULY 11, 2024. 

Shipping via FedEx or United States Postal Service (USPS):
Park Studios / NAPCP
690 Miami Circle NE
Suite #600
Atlanta, GA 30324

Shipping via UPS:
NAPCP
1119 Reeder Circle NE
Atlanta, GA 30306

Late print entries will not be accepted and no refunds will be given for entries not received in print by the entrant by the published deadline. NAPCP will not print or mat images for this event. NAPCP will not be responsible for lost, stolen, or damaged prints during shipping. It is recommended to use a trackable shipping service or our partner, Musea Lab..

Image Release and Use

Legal Disclaimer: Entrants agree that any entered photograph may be used by the National Association of Portrait and Child Photographers (NAPCP), in any of its publications, printed materials or electronic media, such as but not limited to, any of its websites or its affiliates’ websites. Model releases must be available for all recognizable individuals in submitted photos. Do not submit these releases unless requested.

Winning entries may be used in connection with the Gallery Event and by NAPCP for promotion in the future. Thus, winners grant a non-exclusive, royalty-free, perpetual, limited license to use, publish, reproduce, display, distribute, use for promotional purposes and cross-promotional purposes. Photographer retains all copyright for the images.

Our 2024 Judges

Kristen Montgomery

Kristen Montgomery is an International award-winning newborn photographer and renowned expert and educator based in Charlotte, North Carolina. With a successful career in finance, she transitioned her passion for photography into a thriving family and newborn photography business in 2008. Kristen’s expertise in capturing the precious moments of a baby’s early days has earned her recognition, including accolades from NAPCP’s International Image Competitions, master certifications and more. She excels at creating candid, natural images that embody the pure joy of childhood.

Ashley McBroom

Ashley is an award-winning Atlanta-area photographer, specializing in families and children with an occasional commercial project on the side. A mom of four, her love for photography was born alongside the birth of her first child, and grew into her business, Ashley McBroom Photography, years later. She is most known for her underwater portrait work, where she loves to use color, movement, and soft light to create fine art for her clients’ walls. She mentors other underwater photographers, coaching them on everything from gear to settings to editing. Ashley was honored to be named NAPCP’s 2019 Photographer of the Year and had one of her favorite underwater images displayed in Times Square.

Karen Clouse

Karen Clouse is the Director of Customer Advocacy at ShootProof, a leading online gallery provider for photographers. As a former family and newborn photographer, she’s spent the last eight years in customer-facing roles at ShootProof, bringing photography and business education to thousands of photographers at all stages of their entrepreneurial journey.

From leading weekly webinars to presenting educational seminars at trade shows like Imaging USA, WPPI, and The Society of Wedding & Portrait Photographers in London, Karen is passionate about empowering photographers to succeed.

When she isn’t educating the photography community, she picks up her camera for personal projects, and volunteers for nonprofits such as the Ronald McDonald House, Habitat for Humanity, and local schools in her hometown of Atlanta, Georgia.