Contents
Some photographic stories need more than one frame. The diptych/triptych/multiples/collage by A Smith Gallery explores what happens when images are placed in conversation: two photographs can create tension, three can develop a sequence, and larger arrangements can build layered visual narratives. Entries are open internationally until October 5, 2026, with an online exhibition scheduled from November 1 through December 31.
Photographers may submit diptychs, triptychs, extended multiples or collage-based work in any photographic medium or style. Entry costs $40 for the first five images and $5 for each additional image, with no overall submission limit. Juror Manuela Thames will select up to 47 works for the exhibition. From that group, 27 images will also appear in “The 27”, a hardbound fine-art exhibition book. For readers reviewing current photography contests, this call offers a focused opportunity to present connected-image work within a gallery-led editorial context.
The awards extend beyond the main online show. The Juror Award and Directors Award each include a month-long online solo exhibition, a copy of “The 27” and a feature on the gallery blog. A Visitors Award of $100 will be determined by Instagram likes. Every selected image will also be promoted through the gallery’s social channels, discussed during a recorded GalleryTalk, listed for sale in the online store and included in the exhibition catalogue.
Prizes
The selected exhibition brings together publication, online presentation, sales opportunities and individual awards. Up to 47 photographs will be chosen for the final show.
- Juror Award: A one-month online solo exhibition scheduled at a mutually agreed time, a copy of “The 27” hardbound exhibition book and a feature story on the A Smith Gallery blog.
- Directors Award: A one-month online solo exhibition, a copy of “The 27” and a feature story on the gallery blog.
- Visitors Award: $100 for the selected image receiving the highest number of likes on Instagram.
- Up to 47 selected works: Inclusion in the online exhibition, exhibition catalogue, gallery store, social media promotion and the recorded GalleryTalk.
- Twenty-seven selected images: Publication in “The 27”, a hardbound fine-art book dedicated to the exhibition.
The online exhibition and GalleryTalk will remain permanently archived after the official exhibition period. The catalogue and hardbound book will be available for purchase.
Related Photo Contests
Categories or Themes
There are no separate categories. The theme is defined by the relationship between multiple photographs: diptychs, triptychs, arrangements containing more than three images and photographic collages are all eligible.
The brief is intentionally open regarding subject matter and style. A sequence may unfold as a narrative, compare different viewpoints, reveal contrasts or build meaning through repetition and association. This makes the call relevant to work connected with conceptual photography contests, as well as projects using montage, sequencing or mixed visual structures.
All photographic mediums and approaches are accepted. The central consideration is how the component images function together rather than whether they belong to a particular genre.
Dates and Entry Fees
The diptych/triptych/multiples/collage by A Smith Gallery follows a clearly defined selection and exhibition calendar:
| Stage | Date |
|---|---|
| Submission deadline | October 5, 2026 |
| Results emailed | October 16, 2026 |
| Online exhibition | November 1–December 31, 2026 |
| Reception and GalleryTalk video | November 28, 2026, at 2:00 p.m. CT |
Entry fee: $40 for the first five images and $5 for each additional image.
Photographers entering 13 or more images receive a complimentary 30-minute review with the gallery directors. Those submitting fewer than 13 images may add a review for $20. Reviews are generally scheduled about one week after the exhibition results are announced.
How to Enter
Applications are completed through the gallery’s online form. Digital files should be JPEGs measuring no more than 1,800 pixels on the longest side at 72 ppi. Images must not contain watermarks.
Each filename should begin with a consecutive number matching its position on the application form, followed by the photographer’s first and last name. Payment may be made through PayPal during the online process. Entrants may alternatively submit the online application and mail the confirmation with a check to the gallery.
About the Jury
Manuela Thames will jury the diptych/triptych/multiples/collage by A Smith Gallery 2026 edition. Based in Saint Paul and originally from Germany, she is a photographic artist whose practice examines grief, generational trauma, belonging, resilience, connection and the search for healing.
Her work frequently takes the form of black-and-white conceptual self-portraiture, although her recent practice has expanded into multiple exposures, diptychs, collage and combinations of text and image. Thames has exhibited internationally and has been published in outlets including Black and White Magazine, AAP Magazine, The Sun, Dodho Magazine and Shots Magazine. She also teaches workshops and mentors photographers.
The selection process is blind. Submitted files are renamed and assigned entry numbers, so the juror does not see the photographer’s identity. Each entrant’s images are viewed together as a group and in the order in which they were submitted.
Why Enter diptych/triptych/multiples/collage by A Smith Gallery 2026?
The diptych/triptych/multiples/collage by A Smith Gallery is structured for photographers whose work gains meaning through sequence, juxtaposition or accumulation. Rather than treating each frame as an isolated object, it allows entrants to present connected images as a single visual statement.
Selected photographers receive several forms of presentation: an archived online exhibition, catalogue publication, social media features, a recorded discussion of the work and placement in the gallery’s online store. Twenty-seven images gain an additional print context through the hardbound exhibition book, while two award recipients receive dedicated solo exhibitions and editorial profiles.
Among the best photography competitions to enter for photographers working with sequences or composite forms, this opportunity is distinguished by its emphasis on how images interact. It may also suit artists following experimental photography competitions that accept unconventional visual structures.
Rules and Copyright
If you are interested in participating in the diptych/triptych/multiples/collage by A Smith Gallery we suggest you review the complete rules provided by the contest.
Rules
The call is open internationally to photographers working at any level and in any photographic medium or style. Work previously exhibited in an A Smith Gallery competition is not eligible. The gallery currently prefers not to accept images created with artificial intelligence because of unresolved copyright questions.
Files must be submitted as JPEG images measuring up to 1,800 pixels on the longest side at 72 ppi. Watermarks are not permitted, and filenames must follow the gallery’s numbering and identification instructions.
Selected photographs will be listed for sale in the gallery’s online store. A Smith Gallery retains a 30% commission from each sale. When a work sells, the photographer may either send a signed print directly to the buyer or arrange for the gallery to produce the print through its printing service.
Copyright and Image Usage
Photographers retain full rights to their submitted images. The gallery may use selected photographs for publicity and in connection with the online exhibition, online store, exhibition catalogue and “The 27” hardbound book.
Entrants should ensure that they hold the rights required to submit and sell the work. The published terms do not transfer ownership of the photographs to the gallery.
—
For more information and to participate in the contest, visit: the official website.
