Critiques
The 2025 Critiques schedule, and “Special Subjects” are listed below. Past Critiques are available through the “All Critiques Menu” at top right of this page.
NOTE: the Submission Rules have again changed substantially – go to the rules.
Critiques offer members the ability to have their images assessed by a professional photographer. These Judges provide insights on composition, exposure, lighting, color management, post-processing, and other techniques to improve our photographic skills.
You do NOT have to submit images to sit-in on a Critique. This is a great way to learn, and to prepare for your first entries.
Critiques are currently held via Zoom. Advance email flyers provide dates, deadlines, submission guidelines, and the specific Zoom link.
The Critique schedule is listed below, with Special Subject definitions. Critiques are also posted on the Club Calendar.
Submission guidelines (PDF), are listed below the schedule.
Archived Critiques – prior 2021.
2025 Scored Digital Critiques Schedule
- Mon. January 27: “Reflections”
View January Critique.
This category includes images that are projected or bounced off of other surfaces. Such surfaces include mirrors, water, glass, metal, etc. Note: Shadows are not considered reflections. - Sat. February 22: “Pets” Non-Scored
Eligible subjects include household animals such as dogs, cats, fish, and birds kept as pets. They may include other animals such as reptiles found in pet stores. . - Mon. March 24: “Minimalism”
View March Critique
Images in this category eliminate all non-essential parts of a photograph to emphasize one component of the image. Most often the main subject takes up a small place in the image, or may even be lacking altogether. - Mon. May 26: “Silhouettes”
Submission Deadline: Tuesday May 20th, 5PM
Images in this category show a solid, dark image of a person, animal, object, or scene that appears against a lighter background. The subject is usually shown in profile, and the silhouette has a featureless interior. - Mon. July 28: “Macro”
Submission Deadline: Tuesday Jul. 22th, 5PM
Macro photography shows extreme close-ups of small subjects to make them appear larger than they are in real life. - Mon. September 29: “Street Photography”
Submission Deadline: Tuesday Sep. 23th, 5PM
Street photography captures scenes of everyday life in public places. As an artistic form, street photography is usually candid and relates a story of life in a scene.
2025 Other Competitions and Events:
- Sat. August 2 – Print Competition (scored)
Clubhouse 4 Education Classroom - Tues. November 11 – Year-End Competition Submission
Email submissions deadline - Mon. December 8 – Year-End Awards Dinner
Results of the Year-End Competition, Clubhouse 7 Main Room
Submission Rules
Please follow these new rules carefully. Send your submissions to the email address in the Rules PDF.
NOTE: the Categories and other guidelines have been updated for 2025. These are not the same rules as 2024.
2025 Digital Critique Submission Rules Rev 2-4-4-25 (PDF, April 4, 2025)
Submit images no later than 5:00 PM the Tuesday before the event.
Judges & Scoring
Scored Critiques are evaluated by one Judge, who provides comments and gives a score for each image. The Judge presents these results “live” (Zoom) at the Critique meeting while the images are displayed by category, with titles, but no photographer names.
The Judges are recognized professional photographers, and are not members of the Club.
Our scoring system is based on points:
- 9 = Excellent
- 8 and 8.5 = Good
- 7 and 7.5 = Average
- 6 and 6.5 = Below Average
All scored photographs are exhibited on the Club web site by category, title, and photographer’s name. Scores are posted, and a YouTube link provided for the Critique recording.
The scoring system:
- Provides immediate evalution and recognition
- Helps participants determine their best images for entry in the Year-End Competiton
Contact the Critiques Committee: critiques@cameraclublwv.org
Other Events
Other Club events for submitting photographs are the Year-End Competition, Annual Print Competition, and Annual Slide / Video Competition.
For details, go to the Events Page.
View the 2022 Year-End Awards.
View the 2023 Year-End Awards.
View the 2024 Year-End Awards.
Completed 2024 & 2023 Critiques
Scored Digital Critiques, with Special Categories:
- January 24: Curves
- March 25: Yellow
- May 27: Flora
- July 22: Portraits
- September 23: Atmospheric
- October 23: Composites
- January 23: Night
- March 27: Macro
- May 22: Minimalism
- July 24: Water
- September 25: Candid
- October 23: Transportation
If you need any assistance, please email cameraclub@cameraclublwv.org