Competition Date: February 21, 2015
Location: Valley Vista High School
Maximum of 10 participants per school
Registration: $25.00 per student
Registration Deadline: January 30, 2015 (http://www.skillsusa-register.org/Login.aspx)
Print Competition
Print Theme:
JUST A DREAM
Requirements/Restrictions:
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The print cannot be larger than 9” x 12”
Not mounted or framed
If the image is a combination of images, all images must be created, from start to finish, by the
competitor. (Please be prepared to provide proof. For example, images saved to a flash drive)
Submit at registration
No names. Contestant number will be assigned to the print for judging.
On-Site Field Competition
Competitors will be allowed one hour to shoot for a given theme. The theme will be given to the competitors
right before shooting. Photographs will need to be shot on manual and competitors will choose one, unedited
image to be judged. These images will need to be straight out of the camera.
Equipment Needed:
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DSLR
Blank memory card
A means of uploading images (i.e. USB cord or card reader)
Any other equipment is optional and up to the contestant.
Photoshop Challenge
Competitors will be given a Photoshop task to complete within about a 45 minute period. Please see notes
below for equipment requirements.
Written Test and Troubleshooting
The test will be 25 multiple choice questions pulled from the Skills USA test bank. For troubleshooting,
students will be shown example images of various problems and asked to identify the issue. Information can be
found at http://www.dpreview.com/learn/glossary.asp. It will be very similar to the trouble shooting test at the
state competition.
Lunch and Guest Speaker
Lunch will be provided. During lunch there will be a guest speaker. I need sponsor input on what topic you
think would be most beneficial. Topics to choose from are:
1. Vision – How to develop YOUR own creative vision
2. Introduction to Lightroom
3. How to use the histogram to improve your photography – in camera and in Photoshop
Optional Portfolio Review (not definite yet)
I am currently trying to arrange enough industry professionals as judges and to use for an optional portfolio
review. This would not factor into the contest scores. It is purely for our students to hear another
photographer’s point of view. I will let you know as soon as I can. For this, students will bring up to 5 prints to
be reviewed, no larger than 9” x 12”.
Schedule
Registration: 7:00am – 8:00am
Introduction and Directions: 8:00am – 8:10am
On-Site Field Shoot: 8:15am – 9:15am
Rotation 1: 9:30am – 10:30am
Group 1 – Upload chosen field shot and complete Photoshop challenge
Group 2 – Written test, Troubleshooting, (Possible Optional Portfolio Review)
Rotation 2: 10:45am – 11:45am
Group 2 - Upload chosen field shot and complete Photoshop challenge
Group 1 - Written test, Troubleshooting, (Possible Optional Portfolio Review)
Lunch and Guest Speaker: 11:45am – 12:45pm
Guest Speaker Topic: To be determined (Sponsors please vote on topic ASAP)
Other Information
Valley Vista has 30 computers available for us to use. They are running CS5 on PC’s. For us to be able to
bring 10 students per school, we need each school to bring a certain number of computers (laptops). Each
school will be split into two groups. Half will go to the lab while the other half is testing. Therefore, the
maximum number of students competing, on a computer, at one time will be 5. It is a bit difficult to explain so
I have included some scenarios below. If you share with me your personal situation, I can adjust accordingly. I
will keep a running count of available, Valley Vista, computers. The maximum number of computers you will
need to bring is 5 and a starting minimum of 3. With 11 schools competing the starting number of available
computers is 2 per school.
Scenarios:
1.
My students have never worked with CS5. They are familiar with CS6. Therefore, they will not be
using the Valley Vista computers. So, my students will bring 5 laptops.
 My two Valley Vista computers are now available for another school to use.
2. My students use CS5 in my program so we will use our 2 Valley Vista computers and bring 3 of our
own.
3. I am a new program so we only have 2 laptops available. I see that one other school is not using their
Valley Vista computers. So, I will bring 2 laptops, use my 2 Valley Vista computers, and use 1 of the
other Valley Vista computers not being used by the other school.
Please let me know if you have any questions. My contact information is listed below. I am best reached
through email.
Tia Bowling
Laurenthia.bowling@guhsdaz.org
602-329-8559 (cell – text or voicemail is fine)
623-915-8500 (Greenway High School – voicemail not reliable)