Awards guide · Vancouver Island
CARE Awards Photo Guide: VRBA Image Specs, Counts and File Naming
For VRBA members entering the Victoria Residential Builders Association’s CARE Awards. Checked against the 2026 Call for Entry Guidelines on November 1, 2026.
The CARE Awards are run by the Victoria Residential Builders Association (VRBA) for projects on Vancouver Island, the Gulf Islands and region. Unlike most programmes, judges see small files: JPGs 1024 pixels on the long side at 72 ppi, 500 KB to 1 MB each, plus one 300 dpi copy under 10 MB per entry for promotion. Files are named by project, category and sequence, with B and A for before and after on renovations. Images must be anonymous, must not show people, and may not be altered beyond “standard optimization”. There are no site visits. In 2026 the fee was $395 + GST per project and the deadline was 4:00 pm on Monday, June 8. The 2027 call has not been published.
The 2026 cycle at a glance
| Item | 2026 CARE Awards |
|---|---|
| Who can enter | VRBA members in good standing; a VRBA builder or renovator must be the primary entrant in most building categories |
| Eligible projects | Built, renovated, developed or marketed May 1, 2024 – June 7, 2026, and not entered in other residential awards in the region before |
| Deadline | 4:00 pm, Monday June 8, 2026, with fees. “There will be no extensions.” |
| Fee | $395 + GST per project (one project can go into several categories for one fee; Project of the Year is separate) |
| How to submit | Online form at vrba.ca with a zipped folder, or by file transfer or USB; one printed colour photo per entry for the gallery |
| Judging | From the entry materials only. “No site visits will be made.” |
| 2027 cycle | Not published as of November 1, 2026 |
Image specs and file naming
- Judging images: .jpg, 1024 pixels on the long side, 72 ppi, 500 KB to 1 MB each. Horizontal or vertical.
- One hi-res image per entry: a 300 dpi copy of one judged image, ideally 2–5 MB and never over 10 MB, named like
hilltop-kitchen-hires.jpg. It is used for promotion, not judging. - Names: project name + short category name + sequence, e.g.
hilltop-home-1.jpg. Judges see them in that order, matched to your project statement. - Renovations: pair before and after with B and A, e.g.
hilltop-kitchen-1B.jpgandhilltop-kitchen-1A.jpg, then continue with plain numbers (hilltop-kitchen-5.jpg). Before photos may be scanned from prints. - Anonymous: no company or personal names, addresses or logos, and no people unless the category needs them.
- Editing: photos altered beyond standard optimization (dust removal, cropping, reasonable exposure, perspective, colour and contrast) “will be disqualified”.
How many images each category takes
| Category (2026) | Images |
|---|---|
| New single-family homes | 8: front and rear exterior + 6 interiors of different rooms |
| Whole-home renovations | 10, including 4 before |
| Kitchens / primary suite / interiors | 6 (renovations may add 4 before) |
| Bathroom | 4 (renovations may add 4 before) |
| Condo / mixed-use | 8 (+4 before for renovations) |
| Heritage | 12: 4 before + 8 after |
Eight images for a whole house is tight. Each one has to show a different room or a different criterion, and the before and after pairs should be shot from the same angle.
How I photograph awards entries
I’m an architectural and interior photographer based in Richmond, working across Metro Vancouver and, with published travel fees, the rest of BC. For an awards entry the brief comes from the rules:
- A shot list built from the categories you are entering, with an image for each thing the judges score.
- Real spaces, no virtual staging, and edits limited to normal correction of exposure, colour and verticals.
- Files delivered to the programme’s spec: 1024-pixel judging JPGs and the 300 dpi promo file, already named in VRBA’s project-category-number format with B/A pairs. Victoria is covered by my published day-trip travel fee.
- A ready credit line (“Photography: Travis Zhang”) and a licence that covers the organiser’s promotional use of winning images.
- Published prices: CA$1,100 for a half day with 12 finished images, or CA$2,000 for a full day with 20 images including twilight, plus 5% GST. Details are in the cost guide.
Frequently asked questions
What image size do the CARE Awards require?
Judging images are JPGs 1024 pixels on the long side at 72 ppi, 500 KB to 1 MB each, plus one 300 dpi copy of one image per entry, no more than 10 MB, for promotion.
Who runs the CARE Awards?
The Victoria Residential Builders Association (VRBA). Entrants must be VRBA members, and projects are on Vancouver Island, the Gulf Islands and region.
How should CARE Award photos be named?
Project name, short category name and sequence number, such as hilltop-home-1.jpg. For renovations, add B and A to pair before and after images (hilltop-kitchen-1B.jpg, hilltop-kitchen-1A.jpg).
This guide summarises the VRBA’s 2026 Call for Entry Guidelines and is not affiliated with the VRBA. The official CARE Awards documents take precedence; questions go to [email protected].