OCCC Open Challenge

This is a yearly competition between all the member clubs within the OCCC. Every year after the competitions the OCCC hosts a Capture and Awards Gala. During this banquet we have Keynote speakers, award winning image videos, printed image on display, the handing out of awards and more. Below are the details on the awards that can be won.

AWARDS

All images are eligible for individual awards by category. Additionally, individual image scores are used to determine
club awards, the Freedman Trophy for the top scoring club, the Diversity Photographer of the Year and Specialist
Photographer of the Year winners.

Accepted Entries

  • Accepted entries represent approximately the top scoring 30% of the entries in each category.
  • Accepted entries will be included in the Awards Night video.

Honourable Mentions

  • Honourable Mentions comprise approximately 10-15% of the accepted entries.

Individual Category Awards

In each of the 12 categories, there will be a maximum of three top awards and a quantity of Honourable Mentions. A
maker can only be awarded one top award per category. In the event of a tie, the judges will identify the winner.
However, a maker will retain all points on images if a subsequent award has to be given to the next entrant with the
next highest scoring entry.

    • The three top awards in each category will be:
      • one first-place
      • one second-place
      • one third-place
      • plus, Honourable Mentions
  • First, Second and Third place award winners will receive a Certificate and a Medal
  • Honourable Mention award winners will receive a Certificate.

Club Category Awards

  • Awarded to the top scoring club in each of the 12 categories. Top scoring clubs are determined by summing the
    highest score, of 6 different makers in each club, for each category. If there is a tie, then the highest score by 7
    different makers determine the winning club, etc., until a clear winner is determined.
  • Club category Awards winners will receive a plaque.

The Freedman Trophy

  • The FREEDMAN TROPHY is awarded to the top scoring club overall in the competition. The summation of the
    highest score by 12 different makers in each club, regardless of category, determines the Freedman Trophy
    winning club. If there is a tie, then the highest score by 13 different makers determines the winning club, etc.,
    until a clear winner is determined.
  • Freedman Trophy winning club receives a plaque.

Photographer(s) of the Year

One maker cannot win both Diversity POTY and Specialist POTY awards. If this happens, they will be awarded the
Diversity POTY award and the Specialist Award would be presented to the next eligible maker.

  • Diversity Photographer of the Year
  • There are 11 digital categories, plus a Print category for a total of 12 categories. To be eligible for the Diversity Photographer of the Year award, the entrant must submit at least two prints, and at least one image in eight of the eleven digital categories. The winner is the entrant scoring the highest total point count for their top scoring 10 submissions (8 digital and 2 prints). If the entrant submits more than 10 images, only their top scoring 8 digital images and the two print images will be considered. Each top scoring digital image must be from a different category. Note: the Print Category has been eliminated until further notice due to the pandemic (requires live judging).
  • If two or more entrants tie for the highest total point count, as per the criteria, multiple entrants can win the title of Diversity Photographer of the Year.
  • Diversity Photographer of the Year winner(s) receives a plaque.
  • Specialist Photographers of the Year
  • Recognizing that there are many outstanding photographers whose excellence lies in a limited sphere of categories; this award recognizes photographers with the highest total score based on their top 6 scoring images within one category.
  • Each of the 12 categories in the Open Challenge can have a Specialist for a total of 12 Specialists
  • If two or more entrants tie for the highest total score, as per the criteria, multiple entrants can win the title of Diversity Photographer of the Year.
  • It is possible for one entrant to win Specialist Photographer of the Year in two separate categories.
  • OCCC reserves the right to withhold awards if there are less than 3 candidates eligible in a category.
  • Specialist Photographer winners will receive Medals

More details can be found on our Open Challenge Page.