It's taken me a while to get round to entering the monthly SWPP photographic competition, where members submit their work within a number of specific categories. (The SWPP is a global organisation for photgraphy professionals).
The SWPP awards its marks as follows:

• Gold: Awards will go forward to the annual judging and are deemed to be images of the highest standard and will be published in Professional Imagemaker
• Highly Commended: Above standard. These images will be reviewed every three months and have the potential of being reclassified as Gold.
• Not Awarded: Unfortunately these images fall below the standard required to be given an award.
  For August and September entries I received 3 x Commended and 1 x Gold, as follows:

Once upon a time...

Edinburgh Castle - Highly Commended in Digital Art (August 2012)

Water Nymph

Forest Nymph - Highly Commended in Boudoir & Beauty (August 2012)

Eilean Donan castle on a dreich Highland day

Eilean Donan Castle - Highly Commended in Fine Art & Pictorial

Goddess of the Cosmos

Goddess of the Cosmos - Gold in Boudoir & Beauty