by Bright Ewuru | Sep 3, 2025 | Articles
Running a photo contest should be exciting, not overwhelming. But if you’ve ever managed one manually, you know the process can become stressful quickly: submissions piling up in your inbox, judges wrestling with inconsistent formats and endless spreadsheets struggling to keep track of scores. The right photo judging software can make all the difference, helping you stay organised, save time and deliver a fair experience for participants and judges alike.
Not all platforms are created equal, though. Before you launch your next contest, it’s worth knowing what to look for so you don’t end up with more headaches than solutions. Here are five features you should look for in photo judging software to ensure you make the right pick.
A vital feature to look for in your photo competition judging software is customisable submission forms. Different photo contests have different objectives and requirements, and flexibility in your entry form can ensure that you get exactly what you need.
Customisable submission forms reflect positively on your contest by enhancing participant experience. Clear, structured requirements drive entrants to provide the right details from the get-go, while the forms can be designed to match your brand and the tone of the competition.
It’s worth mentioning that customisability shouldn’t be a stand-alone feature; strong attachment control also matters. Pictures come in different sizes and formats, so your photo contest judging software should offer broad file-type, size and count support. When necessary, it should ensure that only the specified file size and type can be uploaded.
Award Force checks these boxes and takes it further by supporting linked media, allowing entrants to submit videos viewable within the software instead of uploading large files.
In photography contests, bias can creep in through familiarity or unspoken affinity. Even if your judges make perfectly fair decisions on named entries, there can be accusations of partiality. But when names are hidden, images can speak for themselves, making the judges’ verdicts unquestionable.
Protecting the credibility of your photo competition is paramount. The right photo contest judging software offers blind judging and anonymity control functionalities to minimise subjectivity.
Award Force offers the option to anonymise judge feedback. Entrants can receive valuable comments without knowing who provided them, shielding judges from undue pressure.
Photo competitions often aim to assess various criteria, such as creativity, originality, emotional impact, technical excellence and storytelling. Depending on the nature of the contest, a simple rating system may suffice, or there might be a need for detailed rubrics and weighted scoring. To meet the purpose and needs of each photo competition, it’s imperative to use software with adaptable scoring tools.
Our software is just what you need. In the words of Jeffrey Roberts, publisher at American Illustration and American Photography, organisers of the American Photography Open contest, “Award Force immediately stood out for its judging modes…”.
Award Force enables flexible scoring by offering contest managers different scoring tools and judging methods, such as:
This allows contest managers and judges to define their scoring criteria and assign weightings to emphasise what matters most, facilitating alignment with the photo competition’s purpose. These features can guarantee a balanced assessment of submissions and provide value to judges by enhancing their experience.
The presentation of pictures is of utmost importance in a photo contest. Images should be clear and sharp, just as submitted and intended by entrants, with neither compression nor distortion. This will ensure they appear as they should to judges.
Look for photo contest management software that has high-impact galleries and allows judges to zoom in and out to examine each picture in detail. Seamless navigation and responsive design are important features. Judges should be able to scroll through image galleries quickly and view the images clearly on any device.
Data is key in every competition; it reveals trends and insights that can be used to refine the contest over time. Score tabulation ensures the result is calculated and compiled accurately. But executing these processes manually can be stressful and time-consuming.
Ensure your photo contest management software supports automated reporting and result tabulation. It should compile scores based on your scoring method, enable real-time progress monitoring and generate and export reports.
Your software of choice can make or break your photo competition. Look for these essential features to function as a lighthouse, helping you run a successful photo contest.
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