Monthly Contests

Introduction to N4C contests


The N4C

The Iowa City Camera Club is a member of the North Central Camera Club Council, or N4C.  We are one of over 30 clubs in several midwestern states in the N4C. As a member club, our individual Iowa City Club members can submit their photos to the monthly contests held by N4C.


Member Codes

To enter one of these contests, you need to be assigned a member code. All our club’s member codes begin with “JA”, which is followed by a three-digit number. My member code, for instance, is JA032. I assign members a code when they express an interest in entering a competition. Your request for a member code should be submitted to me (Mark Gromko: my email address is mgromko@bgsu.edu), ideally a month before the contest in which you first wish to compete. I will then forward your code to the N4C rep (currently Ken Johnson) who will enter your information and code into the N4C data base.


Competition Categories

There are six digital contests, in the following categories: Journalism (DJ), Travel (DT), Nature (DN), Pictorial (DP), B&W (DB), and Altered Reality (DA). There are six print competitions, too, in the same six categories (but without the “D” for digital). Descriptions of the categories are in the N4C Handbook on pages F-8 and F-9. Other rules (e.g., file size limits and pixel dimensions, and naming conventions for images that you enter) follow on pages F-9 and F-10. See https://n4c.us/N4C_Contest_Rules_2023-2024_v11-21-2023.pdf and scroll down to F-8. Please read these descriptions and rules before entering!


In addition to reading the category descriptions, it is very helpful to look at the winners of past digital competitions. These are posted in the Winner Galleries on the N4C web page at https://n4c.us/Winner_Galleries.htm


Judging

Clubs take turns acting as judges of all the competitions. In a month when they judge, a club may not enter the competition in which they judge. In compensation, they are allowed double entries in the following month. The Iowa City Camera Club is assigned to judge four digital competitions and one print competition in the 2023-2024 year.


Questions

Any of the club members listed as “Mentors” on the Iowa City Camera Club web site would be available and gratified to help with any questions or problems you might have about the N4C competitions. See https://www.iowacitycameraclub.com/mentoring


Mark Gromko

March 2024

September through May – Digital and Print

N4C contests are held monthly from September through May (but not December). 

Our club Prints are collected for submission by the 4th of the month by:

Altered Reality Prints    CY       Mark Gromko

Color Prints                         CP        Mark Gromko

Nature Prints                      NP        Mark Gromko

Travel Prints                        TP        Randy Moyer 

Journalism Prints             JP        Randy Moyer

B&W Prints                          BW      Mark Gromko

Our club Digital Images are collected for submission before the 10th of the judging month to:

Digital Pictorial                    DP     Mark Gromko

Digital Nature                       DN    Jan Waterhouse

Digital Altered Reality     DA     Bob Rude

Digital Travel                          DT     Randy Moyer

Digital Journalism               DJ     Mark Gromko

Digital Black & White        DB    Jan Waterhouse