2024 QCG Photobook Competition
Photobooks are a great way to honour your images in print form as well as create a legacy for yourself and your images.
To celebrate the medium and encourage members to extend their creative skills in curating, pairing, and sequencing a series of images, the Queensland Camera Group hosts a biennial photobook competition (in the off year to our public exhibition).
The competition aims to celebrate excellence, originality, and fitness-for-purpose in photo book creation, and gives entrants the opportunity to practice their layout and design skills as well as providing an opportunity for enhanced storytelling.
WIN OVER $300 IN PRIZES
Entry Period
Now: Entries are open
Thursday 2 May: Focus Presentation on photo books; what to do, when and how!
Thursday 4 July: Critique of your draft photo book in either pdf or digital version.
PDF feedback provided prior to Focus meeting on Thursday 4 July.
Digital versions can receive Zoomed or over the phone feedback.
Thursday 8 August: Competition closes
Saturday 17 August: Winners announced at a late afternoon cocktail party at ‘Scrumptious Reads’ Gallery, Red Hill.
All QCG members and their guests are invited to attend.
Categories
Open Category
The Open category is for any photo book where the subject matter is unrestricted, with the author free to choose any theme, subject or topic.
Judging criteria will include excellence and fitness for purpose in photography; selection and sequencing of images; design, layout and typography; and originality of concept and design. The images in the book should provide an engaging visual narrative and should work together to deliver an overall visual impact that is “greater than the sum of the parts.” Text supporting the visual narrative may be included but is not a compulsory element.
Travel Category
The Travel category is designed to encourage members to prepare and enter photo books that capture their travel stories. The subject matter should relate in some way to travel, for example a photo-journal of a particular journey, or a photo essay depicting the landscapes, people or lifestyles of a particular country or region.
Prizes
Open: $150 Albumworks voucher
Travel: $150 Albumworks voucher
Peoples’ Choice: gift voucher
How to enter
Entry is free
Submit a physical book and completed Entry Form to the competitions officer before the deadline, or to Anne Pappalardo.
There is a limit of one book per category.
There is no limit on the book's subject, length, size, or format.
Books can be either handmade or produced by a commercial printer. There is no obligation to use Albumworks.
There is no limit on the date the photographs were taken or the date the book was designed.
Entries must not have been entered in the previous QCG photobook competition.
Entrants must be members of the Queensland Camera Group.
Judging criteria
Books will be assessed for excellence and fitness-for-purpose in:
Photography
Selection, pairing and sequencing of images
Design, layout and typography
Paper choice, size, cover material and finishes
Originality of concept and design
Engaging visual narrative
Two judges will be appointed to this competition. Details to be advised in Prism.
2022 Judges John Doody (left) and Warren Veivers (right) with Roger Bartlett second from left, holding Phil Lawrence’s book (featuring Phil on its righthand page) and competition organiser Anne Pappalardo
Focus Meeting and other Resources
The process of planning and creating a photobook requires careful thought and planning. On Thursday 2 May, the club will be providing a special Focus meeting on how to get started on a successful photobook. We’ll also investigate other learning opportunities that will help you on your photobook journey including the opportunity to have your draft book (either PDF or digital copy) reviewed before its publication (currently planned for 4 July). For inspiration see the winners of the 2023 Australian Photographic Society's Book Competition as well as the entrants in QCG’s 2022 Photobook Competition.
Winner Announcement
– Saturday 17 August at ‘Scrumptious Reads’ Gallery, Red Hill
A special afternoon get-together at the gallery of local Bookstore, Scrumptious Reads, for all QCG members and their partners is planned so that we can all view the 2024 photobook entries and enjoy some hospitality together. The winners will be announced at this event at this event.
Submission Address
Submit a physical book and completed Entry Form to either of these addresses before the deadline:
Postal:
Queensland Camera Group Photobook Competition
c/o Anne Pappalardo
20 Hawthorne Ave, Ashgrove, Qld 4060
Hand Delivered:
Hand to Anne Pappalardo at any QCG face-to-face event at SPACE hall, Cnr Branton Street & Paley Street, Kenmore Hills, Brisbane, Qld, or to Competitions Officer, Elizabeth Riley.
Book Returns
All books will be returned after the winner announcement. Please indicate on the Entry Form whether you have included a prepaid self addressed envelope with your submission or you will physically collect your book(s) from:
the awards ceremony, at its conclusion. or
SPACE Hall, or
.Anne Pappalardo, 20 Hawthorne Ave, Ashgrove.
Albumworks book printing discounts
We are grateful for the support of Australian photo book maker, Albumworks, who have kindly agreed to provide vouchers for the winners of each category of our competition. Whilst you are not obliged to use Albumworks, they offer a 40% discount off your first book when you download their software.
Australian Photographic Society Book Competition
The Australian Photographic Society also hosts an annual photo book competition. Queensland Camera Group plans its own photo book competition so that members can subsequently enter the APS’s competition at the close of the QCG competition. Entry to the APS competition is free and open to anyone.
Important dates for that competition are:
Entries open Monday 1 July;
Entries close Monday 30 September;
Judging Sunday 6 October;
Results announcement (Zoom) probably Thursday 10 October.
Award Coordinator
Contact us with any queries.
Anne Pappalardo
0407 081 098