Welcome To The Tacoma Photographic Society!

We focus on promoting fellowship among our members, improving our skills, participating in PSA & NWCCC competitions, and stimulating interest in all branches of photography through:   

  • Bi-monthly competition meetings: in-person & Zoom hybrid
  • Competitions: print, projection, theme with optional critiques
  • Photography outings & presentations
  • Educational resources pages to help improve your skills
  • TPS Spring Fair Photo contest open to PNW photographers
  • TPS Annual Competition & Award Banquet, & Holiday Party

Membership has its benefits. To join the TPS and read more about memberships, click here

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


To see more competition results, log in and then go to Competitions > Competition Results or click here   A special "Thank You!" to Steve Russell, Judi Kubes, and Dorinda Wills for contributing their photos to the top header of this page.

 

Mark Your Calendar For These Important Competitions & Events

  • February 23-April 8 - Submit Images to the Annual Division Digital Competition at the Emerald Queen Casino on Saturday, May 20.
  • February 23-April 20/23 - Submit Images to the Annual Division Print Competition at the Emerald Queen Casino on Saturday, May 20.
  • March 18-March 25 - Submit Images to the Wednesday, April 5 Projection Competition (Zoom only).
  • March 20 - Field Trip To Foss Waterway Seaport Museum 10 am to 2 pm. Open to Society and Division members.
  • April 5 – Monthly Projection Division & Theme Competition - Zoom only.
  • April 12 - Submit images to the Lakewood Gallery Exhibit of NWCCC images.
  • April 20 – Monthly Print Division & Theme Competition.
  • April 13-16 & 20-23 - TPS Annual Spring Fair Competition displayed at the WA State Fairgrounds. March 23 deadline
  • May 20, 2023 - TPS Annual Division Competition & Award Ceremony at the Emerald Queen Casino - April 8 digital & April 20/23 print deadlines.

Please read more about these competitions in the articles below which include the entry requirements and other details.

 

 

 

 

Field Trip To Foss Waterway Seaport Museum
Monday, March 20, 10:00 am to 2:00 pm

The Foss Waterway Seaport is a maritime museum that occupies a 100-year old building on Tacoma’s historic Foss Waterway. There are full-size boats, boat models, and many pieces of nautical equipment. The Seaport includes a working boat shop.

In exchange for free admission, the Seaport has requested that you share some images (edited) for their use, with credit, in their promotional materials. They are planning to create a calendar and need your images to help them.

Address: 705 Dock Street, Tacoma, WA 98402

The museum is waiving the entrance fee for this event only during the times listed above. Yeahhhh free admission!!  The museum will be closed to the public. This event is open to Society and Division members. You may bring a tripod.

For more information, see their website at:  https://www.fosswaterwayseaport.org/

RSVP: Joe Tieger through the TPS website email system.


 

 

 

PSA Zoom Webinar "Making Competitive Nature Images"
March 30, 2023, 6:00 pm Eastern Time/3:00 pm PST

Webinar Speaker: Rick Cloran, HonFPSA, GMPSA, HonNEC

Rick is a well-known judge and lecturer having served in those capacities extensively in New England as well as throughout the US and Canada. He has been a member of the Greater Lynn Photographic Association since 1975. For his service to photography both in New England and at a national level he has been awarded the Honor of HonFPSA by the Photographic Society of America (PSA) and HonNEC by the New England Camera Club Council (NECCC). His success in exhibitions has earned him the GMPSA distinction.

Register in advance for this webinar: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_srq5Ge3oR5WXU4lSNev0bg.  After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.  PSA Webinars are a benefit to PSA members at no cost, you will be required to enter your member number at registration.

PSA provides education, information, inspiration, and opportunity to all persons interested in photography.  To Join PSA https://psa-photo.org/page/membership 

If interested, or if you need more info, contact Bob Will, PSA Representative, through the TPS email system.

 

 

 

2023 Tacoma Photographic Society
Annual Spring Fair Photo Competition
- 20th Anniversary
April 13-16 & 20-23, 2023

All Pacific Northwest photographers who derive less than 50% of their income from photos are invited to enter the Tacoma Photographic Society Annual Spring Fair Photo Competition.  All images are displayed at the Washington State Spring Fair in Puyallup, WA.  All subjects are accepted that are appropriate for a family fair.  All prints must be received by Thursday, March 23, 2023.

 $595 IN PRIZE MONEY:
 Best Of Show
 $150
 First Place
 $100
 Second Place
 $75
 Third Place  $50
 11 Awards of Excellence
 $20 ea.
 6 Judges' Choice Awards
 10 Honorable Mention Awards
 1 Daily People's Choice Award (8 total)
All Winners Will Receive A Ribbon!


To read more about the rules, how, and where to submit your photos, click here to go to the Spring Fair Photo Competition page of our website.  Download the Entry/Registration brochure in a PDF file format.

Your personal check or a PayPal receipt must be included with your entries. Please note:  There is a 5-print per-person limit.

  

This competition is sponsored by the Tacoma Photographic Society--a local non-profit photography club since 1956. Special thanks to Dorinda Wills for her background photo "Flowering Pear Tree"!

 

 

 

2023 Tacoma Photographic Society
Annual Spring Fair Photo Competition - 20th Anniversary
April 13-16 & 20-23, 2023

Walk Through The Photo Exhibit With One Of The Judges

Learn all about what the judges look for in award-winning photos. The judges will critique several of the photos entered into the contest and will answer your questions. If time allows, they will be happy to give you advice about your photo.

Tod Wolf - April 14 @ 11 am-1 pm
Ray Pfortner - April 16 @ 12-2 pm
Eric Bastin - April 22 @ 2-4 pm
Alan Caddey - April 23 @ 3-5 pm

Location:  Photo Salon on the 2nd floor of the Showplex Building. No appointment is required!

Special thanks to Dorinda Wills for her background photo "Tulips"!


 

 

 

TPS Annual Division Competition & Awards Ceremony

Saturday, May 20, 2023

The TPS Annual Division Competition and Awards Ceremony will be held on Saturday, May 20, 2023 from 1 pm to 4:30 pm at the Emerald Queen Casino to recognize outstanding TPS photographs and member achievements. Light refreshments will be served. Members may bring one guest each. Please RSVP by Sunday, May 7 to Debbie Koslowski and indicate if you will be bringing a guest.  This event is free to members and their guests. This event is not open to the public.

Address: 2920 East R Street, Tacoma, WA 98404

Please review the March 2nd email sent to all members…but here are the main points:

Eligible Images:

Any photographs previously submitted in DIVISION/OPEN competitions (no Theme images allowed) from the following competition years:

  • May 2019 to April 2020 - A Scorecard/Excel report has been emailed to all members
  • May 2020 to April 2021 - This competition year's images will not be allowed in the 2023 multi-year Annual Division Competition.
  • May 2021 to April 2022 - A Scorecard/Excel report has been emailed to all members
  • May 2022 to April 2023 - No Scorecard/Excel report will be emailed to you - check your records, the website competition results, your private Image History and Image Library.

If you did not receive a Scorecard/Excel Report for two of the competition years listed above, contact Dick Knudson through the website email system

Your images do not have to have won a Popular Vote Award/Placement in order to be eligible for entry to the Multi-year Annual Divison Competition scheduled to be held in May or June of 2023 (dates are being negotiated at this time).

Images from the competition year of May 2020 to April 2021 are not eligible to be submitted to this multi-year Division Competition due to the fact that the majority of them were not judged during COVID.  Those images may be re-submitted into any future monthly competitions without substantial changes. The May 2020 to April 2021 competition year is the only exception to the otherwise strict re-submit rule.

Check your email for reports on the first two years; however, it is your responsibility to review your entries for May 2022-April 2023.  See My Account > My Image History or My Account > My Image Library if you registered your images online.  A list of the Print Competition images will be emailed to each member for May 2022-April 2023.

Submissions

  • Maximum 15 digital images for the digital competition and 15 photographs for the print competition per person.
  • All entries (print and digital) must be submitted online.
  • If you need assistance, we are happy to help!
  • Use the original title combined with the original month and year it was submitted.
  • For example: Bird Bath - September 2021.
  • No watermarks or identifying information on the image.
  • Entries originally entered into Projection must stay in Projection; likewise, for Prints.
  • The same image size and file format we use at the Monthly Print and Projection Competitions applies to the Annual Division Competition for digital images:  1920 px wide X 1080, px high in JPEG, sRGB & no larger than 16” x 20” including the mat for Print and no smaller than 8" x 10". 

Deadlines:

  • Digital images must be entered online by Saturday, April 8.
  • Print images (photograph and required info) must be registered online by Sunday, April 23.

    Please Note:
    Besides submitting print images online, the physical prints are due by Thursday, April 20 at the Print meeting unless they are being exhibited at the TPS Annual Spring Fair Competition. You are responsible for notifying the Awards Committee and Print Chair, Bruce Severeid if those prints are to be included in the Annual Division Competition.

All Prints must have a label on the back stating:

  • Original Title, including the Month and Year it was originally submitted 
  • Photographer’s First & Last Name
  • Arrow indicating which way is up.  

Please note:  We use outside judges for this competition.  If your image did not win a placement in a past Print or Projection competition, that does NOT mean you won’t do well at the Annual Division Competition.  Different judges like different subjects and choose different images.

For more info, click here and watch your email for updates!

 

 

 

Lakeshore Gallery Exhibit of NWCCC Prints - Call For Art

The NWCCC Board has approved club participation in a Lakeshore Gallery Exhibit of juried NWCCC prints.  TPS needs to provide NWCCC with a list of members who plan to participate in this event.  Participants must be a TPS member and have captured the image.  Participants will initially enter digital images of up to 3 prints which, if selected by a jury, will then submit their framed prints.  There is no entry fee.

March 14:  If you would like your prints to be considered for this gallery exhibit, please send Maggie Tieger your name, email, how many prints (up to 3 max), and phone number.

April 12: Submission of digital images for jury consideration.  The digital submission may be a photo of your framed work or a digital image of the captured image.

April 26:  Notification of accepted art. If enough people show interest, NWCCC will consider holding a workshop on how to cut, mount, and frame prints inexpensively in time to support this event.

June 4:  Art drop.  Images that you may have already framed, with or without glass are acceptable but they MUST have wire hangers.  They can be for sale or not for sale.

June 4-October 1: Exhibit

June 10: Saturday Reception at 1:30-3:30 pm

Location: The Lakeshore, 11448 Rainier Ave S. Seattle, WA 98178

 

 

 
Traffic Light Control Box Art Project

Congratulations to Dorinda Wills for having one of her photographs chosen to decorate a local traffic light control box thus helping to beautify our streets! 

Several months ago, the Pierce County Traffic Box Art Commission, accepted an image submitted by TPS member, Dorinda Wills. You may have noticed traffic light control boxes around the county, wrapped in various artworks.  Dorinda's photo art is located on a box at Milwaukie Valley East and Valley Avenue East in Puyallup. Her image was taken at Mount Saint Helens and then processed to give it a more painterly quality.

You can learn more about the Pierce County Traffic Box Art project by googling Pierce County Traffic Box Art Project or click here.  This is the second year Pierce County has solicited artwork for this project.  The goal is to enhance the community through art as well as to discourage graffiti. 

Artists are paid for their artwork.  Eligible are 2-dimensional artworks that can be enlarged enough to fit the boxes. Any medium is acceptable (photos, painting, collage, etc.). The art is submitted digitally by the artist. The art is transferred to weather and graffiti-resistant high gloss vinyl and attached to all four sides of the traffic control box.  Other neighboring communities have similar projects.  Rules vary so read them carefully. Help beautify Pierce County by submitting your artwork!

 

 

 

 

April 5, 2023 Projection Competition (Zoom only) - The Theme for April Is "Minimalism"

Meetings are open to the public; however, you must be a club member to compete in all monthly print and projection competitions.

In an effort to accommodate everyone's individual needs, the TPS Projection Team has put considerable effort into creating new Hybrid meeting options. We are pleased to offer two ways to attend the  Projection Competition meetings--either in person or via zoom! The Zoom link will be emailed to everyone prior to the meeting date.  We are looking forward to seeing all of you in person!

Submit Images - Saturday, March 18 at 12 am - Saturday, March 25 until 11:59 pm

Judging & Voting - Sunday, March 26 -  Saturday, April 1 until 11:59 pm

Review Meeting - The April 5 meeting will NOT be an in-person meeting.  This will be a Zoom meeting only.

Location - Curtis High School - 8425 40th Street, University Place, WA 98466   Google Map

Directions Turn into the small parking lot (by the reader board sign and the Big Rock).  There are also flagpoles by the main entrance.  Go to the outside door marked “Staff Development Room” which is where the meeting will occur.

Submission Requirements:

  • Export/Save your images in JPEG, sRGB, 80% quality, no larger than 1920 px wide x 1080 px high, and a 1.5 MB file size limit
  • Submit your mages on this website at: Competitions > Submit Images For Print or Projection  OR  click here
  • Please use initial caps on your image titles and use proper word spacing.  Please check your spelling! The public will see your mistakes which we can't correct for you.
  • DO NOT include your name, the word "copy", or numbers in the image titles.  The automated features of the website will automatically insert your name into the proper place.
  • Your images will be placed into your private Image Library for future reference and use! You will also be able to read all of the helpful critiques from our members.

Winning images will be placed in the Home Page slideshow with permission of the owner.  If you do NOT want your images placed in the slideshow, please contact Cheryl Thielhorn through the website email message system.  For more projection information and competition rules, click here.

If you are not a member of the TPS and would like to start competing in Print & Projection Competitions, join the TPS by clicking here.

 

 

 

 

March 16, 2023 Print Competition - The Theme For March Is "Rain"

Meetings are open to the public; however, you must be a club member to compete in monthly print and projection competitions.

Submit Images - Tuesday, March 7, 2023. Please submit your images online prior to the meeting.  This speeds up the meeting and creates less work for all of our volunteers.

Judge & Vote - Judging and Popular Voting are done in person at the meeting.

Review Meeting - Thursday, March 16 - The meeting is from 7-9 pm with a social time, judging, voting, and an image review with optional critiques.

Location - Waller Road Grange, 2708 East 64th Street, Tacoma  Google map

Submission Requirements:

  • Commercially made color prints shall be accepted in the Print Division competition.
  • As stated in the Bylaws, Print Division entries shall be a minimum of 35 sq. in. (e.g., 5″ x 7″) not including mounting. Maximum combined print and mount size shall be no larger than 320 sq. in. (e.g., 16″ x 20″).
  • Submit your mages on this website at: Competitions > Submit Images For Print or Projection  OR  click here.
  • Please use initial caps on your image titles and use proper word spacing. Please check your spelling! The public will see your mistakes which we can't correct for you.
  • DO NOT include your name, the word "copy", or numbers in the image titles.  The automated features of the website will automatically insert your name into the proper place.
  • Your images will be placed into your private Image Library for future reference and use! You will also be able to read all of the helpful critiques from our members.

Winning images will be placed in the Home Page slideshow with permission of the owner.  If you do NOT want your images placed in the slideshow, please contact Cheryl Thielhorn through the website email message system.  For more print information and competition rules, click here.

If you are not a member of the TPS and would like to start competing in Print & Projection Competitions, join the TPS by clicking here.

 

 

Copyright © 2022 Tacoma Photographic Society

All photos on this website are the property of club members and are copy-protected. By law, they can NOT be copied, saved, reproduced, distributed, or shared in any form or for any reason without written permission from the photographer who created the image.  Photography is protected under the same copyright laws as fine art, books, poetry, and music.

The Tacoma Photography Society is a proud member of these two exceptional photography organizations.

   

The TPS extends our sincere thanks to these local companies for helping us make our TPS Annual Spring Fair Photo Competition (displayed at the Washington State Fairgrounds in Puyallup each April) a great success for us, and especially for all of the PNW photographer entrants!


   

 

 

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