The Photographic Alliance of Great Britain (PAGB) is the umbrella organisation for the fifteen regional Federations that cover the whole of the United Kingdom, of which the NCPF is one.
Amongst its other activities, the PAGB organises a number of competitions which are designed either as Inter-Federation events, Inter-Club events or individual Member events.
Inter-Federation Competition
The Inter-Federation Competition is held each June, with various Federations hosting the event in their region.
There are three Categories: Monochrome Prints, Colour Prints and Nature Prints and the NCPF chooses images to represent our Federation from our Annual Competition. Trophies are awarded to the winning Federations, while PAGB medals and ribbons are awarded to individual images in each Category.
Anyone may attend the Inter-Fed Competition and tickets are available via the host Federation.
An Exhibition of images is selected from the print categories and displayed in various locations around the Country between July and January. A version of the Exhibition is available via the Recorded Lecture Service.
PAGB Inter-Club Championships
As the name implies, these are competitions between clubs, although entry is made via Federations, and consist of two championships:
- Inter-Club Print Championship
Federations each nominate two of their affiliated Clubs to take part, alongside the Finalists from the previous year. The Inter-Club Print Championship is held each October and the closing date for Federations to nominate their representative Clubs is around the end of August. There is only one Open category.
Trophies and PAGB medals are awarded to the winning Clubs, with Medals also being awarded to individual images.
Anyone may attend, and tickets may be purchased on-line using the PAGB CES portal (you will need a CES account). - Inter-Club Projected Digital Image Championship
Federations each nominate two of their affiliated Clubs to take part, alongside the Finalists from the previous year. The Inter-Club PDI Championship is held each July with Federations nominating their participating Clubs in April. There is only one Open category.
Trophies and PAGB medals are awarded to the winning Clubs, with Medals also awarded to individual images.
Anyone may attend, and tickets may be purchased on-line using the PAGB CES portal (you will need a CES account).
The GP Trophy
The GB Trophy is a Print only competition usually held each year in January. Clubs may enter without pre-qualification and there are two Categories: Open and Nature. Up to 30 prints may be entered in each Category, with no more than 4 prints from any individual photographer in each Category.
The winning Club from each Category is awarded a Trophy and Gold Medal. The Judges and the Chairman each award a Silver Medal to a print of their choice in each Category.
The judging session is closed and tickets are not available.
The GP Cup
The GB Trophy is a Projected Digital Image only competition usually held each year in January. Clubs may enter without pre-qualification and there are three Categories: Open, Nature and Limited Eligibility (restricted to clubs that have not previously won this Category or the previous GP Cup for Small Clubs and which have not been previously nominated to compete at either the PAGB Print Championship or the PAGB PDI Championship).
Up to 24 PDIs may be entered in each Category, with no more than 4 PDIs from any individual photographer in each Category.
The winning Club from each Category is awarded a Trophy and Gold Medal. The Judges and the Chairman each award a Silver Medal to a PDI of their choice in each Category.
The judging session is closed and tickets are not available.
PAGB Masters of Print
The coveted MOP Competition is usually held each December, followed by a public Exhibition which is available to view in various locations around the country. As the name implies, this is a Print only competition and may be entered directly by individual photographers who are members of PAGB affiliated Clubs using the PAGB CES portal, or Clubs may enter collating the work of multiple photographers.
There are 3 categories: Monochrome, Colour and Nature. Prints may be entered to any combination of the Monochrome, Colour and Nature Categories, and awards are made to individual prints and to one or more Clubs. Prints are then selected for the Exhibition. A maximum of 5 prints can be entered per author, divided amongst the three categories in any way. There is a fee for entry.
The selectors are looking for images which are new, have not been widely shown or exhibited, and have not been entered in any national or PAGB competition. Images shown at Club or Federation level are acceptable.
Judges choose images to receive various Medals and there are also prizes given by the Sponsors of the event. Each photographer accepted into the Masters of Print Exhibition receives a special pin badge.
Tickets are not available for the Competition judging.
Northern Counties Photographic Federation 