COMPETITIONS
OPEN FOR ENTRIES
The award is made up of 12 monthly competitions – each judged by an industry leader with a wealth of experience and expertise.
CLOSING SOON
BLACK & WHITE
Judge: Hengki Koentjoro
Deadline: 30 November 2024
THE BRIEF:
“I see more in black and white – I like the abstraction of it.” – Mary Ellen Mark
Color photography may dominate in today’s world, but there remains a special place for black and white. Purity, simplicity, profundity… It is said that constraints fuel creativity, and stripping away color can bring focus to contrast, texture, shape and form. The best black and white photography allows us to see more sharply and feel more deeply.
From the great masters to you – the history of black and white photography is long, but it continues to be written. New or from your archives, of any style and genre, and taken with any camera. This month we want to see images where black and white makes them magical.
BLACK & WHITE INSPIRATIONAL GALLERY
OPEN CALL INSPIRATIONAL IMAGES (CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT) © MARKETA ZVELEBIL, JAMES MUNK, PETER FRANCK, BROOKE BOUSQUET, ARGUS PAUL ESTABROOK, BONGANI TSHABALALA, MAISHA QURAISHI, TANJA WILLEKENS.
OPEN CALL INSPIRATIONAL IMAGES (CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT) © MARKETA ZVELEBIL, JAMES MUNK, MAISHA QURAISHI, BROOKE BOUSQUET, ARGUS PAUL ESTABROOK, BONGANI TSHABALALA, PETER FRANCK, TANJA WILLEKENS.
COMPETITION JUDGED BY HENGKI KOENTJORO
Hengki Koentjoro is an Indonesian fine art photographer whose work explores “the spectral domain that lies amidst the shades of black and white”. His tranquil, minimalist landscapes are borne from a meticulous approach in which he searches for the spiritual in the physical. In his recent series, In the Garden of Summits and Air, he captures the mountains of Java in expansive and dramatic compositions, that are spacious, dreamlike and endlessly beautiful.
He has won countless awards from institutions such as PX3, Black and White Magazine, IPA and Hasselblad, the latter for which he has been an ambassador for several years. He is represented by galleries in Japan, the US, the Netherlands and Germany,
IMAGES © HENGKI KOENTJORO
URBAN LIFE
Judge: Angela Connor
Deadline: 31 December 2024
THE BRIEF:
“A city is more than a place in space. It is a drama in time.” – Patrick Geddes
More than half of us now live in cities – surviving and thriving in a complex, manmade space. Show us urban life and the revelations of the modern world, from New York to Nairobi, São Paulo to Shanghai…
We’re interested in urban explorations and the insights they can uncover: architecture and cityscapes, urban decay, street encounters, suburban stories… New or from your archives, of any style and genre, and taken with any camera.
URBAN LIFE INSPIRATIONAL GALLERY
IMAGES (CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT) © MARGAUX BLACK, JOEL SAMES, LENG UNG, ROB PAYNE, SINE ZHENG, RYAN KOST, FRANCOIS AUBRET, DAN FENSTERMACHER.
IMAGES (CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT) © MARGAUX BLACK, JOEL SAMES, RYAN KOST, ROB PAYNE, DAN FENSTERMACHER, FRANCOIS AUBRET, LENG UNG, SINE ZHENG.
COMPETITION JUDGED BY ANGELA CONNOR
Angela Connor is Senior Curator at the Museum of Australian Photography in Melbourne, where she delivers an ambitious exhibition programme and selects from an extensive archived collection focused on Australian image making.
She has a Master of Fine Arts, and has worked in the industry for the last fifteen years, as both manager of a contemporary art gallery and as a studio manager for renowned painter and sculptor Robert Owen, before curating shows for some of Australia’s most celebrated photographers at MAPh. From 2019-2022, she has been on the board of the Kyneton Contemporary Art Triennial, commissioning artists to make context sensitive work that explores place and community. This rich experience and her passion for the art world give her a valuable perspective for photographers both experienced and emerging.
IMAGES © ANGELA CONNOR / MAPh
FOUR SEASONS
Judge: Quentin Nardi
Deadline: 31 January 2025
THE BRIEF:
“Winter is an etching, spring a watercolor, summer an oil painting, and autumn a mosaic of them all.” – Stanley Horowitz
Each season has its own character, shaping how we live, work, and play. From the warmth of summer beach trips to the crisp air of autumn hikes; the fresh start of spring blossoms to the icy excitement of winter sports. This month, we want you to capture the essence of any season—whether it’s a rainy spring afternoon, a sun-drenched summer day, the colors of fall, or winter’s frosty embrace. Dramatic weather, seasonal activities, nature in transition.
All genres are welcome: landscapes, street photography, documentary, sports, wildlife, portraiture, or something more conceptual. Images new or old from all types of photographer. Show us how you experience the four seasons!
FOUR SEASONS INSPIRATIONAL GALLERY
FOUR SEASONS INSPIRATIONAL IMAGES (CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT) © MATT PAYNE, MARK BOWEN, KUBA ŚWIETLIK, CHAD CREWS, JACK KENYON, JUAN CARLO CALINGO, ANAIS STUPKA, TIM BORROW.
FOUR SEASONS INSPIRATIONAL IMAGES (CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT) © MATT PAYNE, MARK BOWEN, ANAIS STUPKA, CHAD CREWS, JACK KENYON, JUAN CARLO CALINGO, KUBA ŚWIETLIK, TIM BORROW.
COMPETITION JUDGED BY QUENTIN NARDI
Quentin Nardi is Chief Photo Editor at Smithsonian Magazine, where she plays a pivotal role in shaping the visual storytelling for the publication. With a background in both photography and journalism, Nardi works closely with photographers from around the world to curate compelling photo essays and features. Her work spans a wide range of subjects, from science and history to culture and the environment, and she is known for her ability to select images that resonate with both depth and immediacy.
Prior to that role, she spent nine years as a photo editor for Outside Magazine and Ski Magazine and as director of photography for AARP. She holds a BFA in Photography, and so as a practitioner as well as an editor, she brings an experienced, rounded perspective to her editorial work and wider contributions to the discourse on contemporary photography.
IMAGES © QUENTIN NARDI / SMITHSONIAN MAGAZINE
PRIZES &
BENEFITS
Win cash prizes, global exposure and professional feedback
|
Monthly |
Monthly |
Other |
All |
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|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2,000 monthly cash prize | ||||
| Your image exhibited in three global exhibitions | ||||
| Your image in the Life Framer Photobook | ||||
| Online exposure | ||||
| Personal feedback | ||||
| Submission to The Collection | ||||
| Submission to #lifeframerstories |
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UPCOMING COMPETITIONS
BLACK & WHITE – November 2024
URBAN LIFE – December 2024
WINNERS EXHIBITIONS
FOUR SEASONS – January 2025
ANIMAL KINGDOM – February 2025
COLORS – March 2025
BLACK & WHITE – April 2025
YOUTH – May 2025
PLANET EARTH – June 2025
OPEN CALL – July 2025
COLORS – August 2025
PORTRAITS – September 2025
BLACK & WHITE – October 2025
