Contest Rules

General Rules
These are as simple as I can make them. If you have a question, ask.

1.	No more than three entries per person.
2.	*ANY modification or updating can be done to the kit unless specifically disallowed. Unless allowed by the specific rules, markings must* be historically accurate.**
3.	*No entry can have placed (i.e. 1st, 2nd or 3rd) at any* model contest.**
4.	No entry can have been published in any format, paper or electronic, and this includes a review, gallery item or featured article. This includes being used on kit boxes, published while the contest is on-going, and having won in past contests. Doing so will result in removal from the contest. If you wish to have the article or gallery item removed from a website for the duration of the contest, that is acceptable.
5.	*Entry cannot* be part of a diorama. Only a base is allowed with 2 crew figures max.**
6.	Only one image is allowed per entry and will be reduced if too large. No montages. Small images will not be upsized. All must be in .jpg format. If you send in more than one image of a specific model, I will use the first one. KEEP YOUR FILE SIZES SMALL (around 2-300K or so)
7.	Awards are fully dependent on what is received. Neither Modeling Madness nor the awarding company are responsible for items 'lost at sea'.
8.	Model will stand on its own merits. No description of work done will be included. Only send one image per model.
9.	Send all entries and correspondence for this contest to modelingmadnesscontest@gmail.com. Only e-mails to that address will be considered or get a reply.
10.	Entrant can not have won awards in any of the 3 previous M2 contests. No model entered in any of the 3 previous M2 contests is eligible for this contest. Once your model wins an award, that model is not eligible in any following M2 contests. (This is to give others a chance.)
11.	*The model entered must* have been built solely by the entrant. No group projects.**
12.	The image sent in cannot have been digitally enhanced to add in backgrounds, remove stands, or otherwise altered.

The image of your model is all you have to show it off. That being the case, if you have a great model, but a poor picture, you probably won't do as well as you would like to.

Generally speaking, a digital camera will take the best model photo. There is no quality lost as there is during the conversion from print to digital image through the scanner. If you must scan an image, do so at a relatively high resolution to get the best quality.

If shooting prints, make sure they are in focus and are printed on glossy paper. The matte paper gives a substandard image as the person operating the developer doesn't have to focus the images so sharply.

When taking your own photos, makes sure you use maximum depth of field to keep the image nice and sharp. If you aren't very good at the process, have a friend help you or take the photo for you. If you have no access to a scanner, contact me, and I'll scan your print for you.

In my experience, the best angle for photographing models is from ground level up to about 35 degrees. Anything higher is too much. Most models look good if photographed at about a 45 degree angle in azimuth (as in a compass) from the nose or tail. Side on shots (90 degrees) are not too bad either, but it really depends on the plane. Some practice will show you which is more pleasing.