How are judges selected?
We will select qualified judges with at least 3 years of judging experience at the WPPI annual competition. Continued judging training will still be mandatory for all judges. A new generation of diverse judges with expertise in various genres will continuously be nurtured and trained for future years.
When will judges be selected?
Potential judges who have also entered the competition will not be permitted to judge a category they've entered. Once the competition has closed for entries, we will evaluate which potential judges are eligible and for what categories. We will announce the judging lineup soon after the competition closes for entries.
How are digital entries scored?
Five experienced judges will score each entry based on The Ten Steps to an Award-Winning Entry. Scores and definitions are outlined here. The minimum score for every entry is 60 and the maximum score is 100. The judges' scores are then averaged to determine the final score. Awards and accreditation points will be determined based upon this final score.
Is it possible for a judge to single-handedly manipulate the final score?
No. For an entry to receive an award, a majority of the 5 judges (so at least 3 judges) must score that entry within the award range (with a score of 80-100). This means that a single judge can never affect the final score either adversely or positively. This type of judging is mathematically calculated with a process called "majority rise" and "majority fall" (explained in more detail below). This system protects every entrant and their respective entries from an unlikely attempt to manipulate the final score.
Majority Rise
The final score of an entry will be automatically elevated to the next higher award category when a majority of the judges have given it a score in that award category.
Example: There is a panel of 5 judges. Three judges score an entry at 80, and two score it at 78. The computed average of these scores is 79. However, because a majority of the judges have given the entry a Silver award, the entry will be given a Silver award, and the final score will be recorded as an 80.
Majority Fall
The final score of an entry will be automatically reduced to the next lower award level when a majority of the judges have given it a score in that award category.
Example: There is a panel of 5 judges. Three judges score an entry at 79, and two score it at 82. The computed average of these scores is 80. However, because a majority of the judges have scored the entry below a silver award, then a silver award cannot be given to that entry. The final score will be recorded as a 79.
Platinum awards
Platinum awards are rare in the competition. For an entry to receive a Platinum award, a majority of the judging panel needs to have scored it at 100. For example if a panel has 5 judges, then at least 3 of the judges must have scored it as a platinum.
How are finalists chosen to enter the annual print competition?
Each category's top ten scoring entries from the digital competition will be invited to enter the Icon International Print of the Year Awards.
How are winners chosen for the Icon Print of the Year competition?
Each category's top ten scoring entries from the digital competition will be invited to enter the Icon International Print of the Year awards. During this live event (to be held at the WPPI convention), a panel of 5 judges will discuss each print, comment on its impact and strengths, and offer suggestions for improvement. A chairperson will manage the entire process and ensure each image receives appropriate feedback. Judges will then be asked to rank the prints from 1 through 10. A judge will give the entry they believe should win first place a "1", the second place entry will receive a "2", etc. The first, second and third place winners will therefore be chosen by a majority decision. This entire process will be done in front of a live audience (including a live online audience) for the first time. At the end of the judge day(s), all entries that won first place in a division will be eligible to win a Grand Award for that division. The judging for Grand Awards will be done behind closed doors and without an audience to preserve the surprise for eligible entrants. The winners will be announced at the annual awards night gala.
