Not the easy kind. Not the posed smile or the perfect moment. We're talking about the joy that surprises you - that shows up in an ordinary afternoon, in a stranger's face, in light falling just right on something nobody else noticed.
Something Like Joy invites photographers to submit work that finds delight, warmth, wonder, or beauty in the world as it actually is. Big celebrations and quiet moments are equally welcome. So is the complicated happiness that comes after hardship - the laugh through tears, the small victory, the unexpected gift.
If your photography looks for the good - in people, in places, in everyday life - this call is for you.
Awards - $1,000 Cash Awards
- First Place$500 + Solo Exhibition on the Decagon Gallery website
- Second Place$250
- Third Place$150
- Two Honorable Mentions$50 each
- Human Presence NominationFree entry to a future Decagon open call
Cash awards are limited to one per photographer. Should a photographer's submissions be selected for multiple awards, the photographer will receive the award of greatest value only.
Selected Artists Receive
- Inclusion in the curated exhibition
- A dedicated exhibition page
- Instagram feature
- Inclusion in the printed catalog
How to Submit
- $25 entry fee for up to 4 photographs. $5 each additional photograph.
- Open to photographers worldwide. All photographic processes and styles welcome.
- Submit JPGs sized to 2100 pixels on the long side, without text, watermarks, or borders.
- Preferably under 4 mb.
- Name files: First Name-Last Name_Title.jpg
Meet the Juror
Aline Smithson is an interdisciplinary artist, editor, filmmaker, and educator based in Los Angeles, California. She has exhibited widely including over 50 solo shows at a variety of international institutions and her work has been featured in publications including The New York Times, The New Yorker, and PDN. Smithson is the Founder and Editor- in-Chief of Lenscratch, a daily journal on photography. In 2012, she received the Rising Star Award through the …
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