District Photographic Competitions

PPA > Competitions > District Competitions > District Photographic Competitions

As with everything, practice makes perfect. The more you compete, the better you'll get it at it! So why not try out your PPA District Photographic Competition? Wow them here, and you could earn a Seal of Approval. (That's a big deal…look it up.)

The districts are your last chance to gather critiques on your entries and advice before the big daddy of competitions, the International Photographic Competition (IPC). And trust us on this one…you'll want those critiques and advice. Even if the idea of criticism scares you, it is oh so worth it. You'll be surprised at how much your image making can improve!

Scoring at District Competitions

Images at the PPA District Photographic Competitions can receive scores up to 100 points, dependent on how they meet the 12 Elements of a Merit Image. See what the scores mean:

100 - 95	Exceptional
94 - 90	Superior
89 - 85	Excellent
84 - 80	Deserving of a Merit
79 - 75	Above Average
74 - 70	Average
69 - 65	Below Exhibition Standards

Seals of Approval & Merit Images

Earn a score of 80 or above at a district competition, and you will receive a Seal of Approval. A "sealed image" is often referred to like a "merit image," but it requires an extra step to get that merit. You will earn one merit when your sealed image is entered in the next International Photographic Competition. (It will also automatically be accepted as part of the General Collection.) Remember: You must enter that sealed image in the next International Photographic Competition BEFORE you can earn the merit.

Find Your District & Wow Them!

As a PPA member, you're assigned a district based on where you live (Southwest, Northcentral, Western, Northeast, Southeast and Asia Pacific). Don’t know yours? Check out this handy map.