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Composed by PhotoPlace Gallery puts a familiar photographic question at the center of a juried exhibition: what makes a frame hold together? Organized by PhotoPlace Gallery in collaboration with Texas Photographic Society, the call closes on August 3, 2026. Its focus is the role of composition, from framing and perspective to light, color, geometry, gesture, visual rhythm, negative space, and layering. The call is international and open to artists aged 18 or older, with digital, analog, and alternative photographic processes welcomed.
Juror Brian Finke will select up to 35 images for display at PhotoPlace Gallery in Middlebury, Vermont, together with approximately 40 works for an Online Gallery. Every selected artist receives catalog inclusion, permanent placement in the organizers’ online archives, promotional support, and eligibility for the exhibition awards. The awards total $1,000: a $500 Juror’s Award, a $300 Director’s Award, and two $100 Honorable Mentions. For readers browsing photography contests, the combination of physical display, online presentation, publication, and monetary awards is the central feature of this call.
Entry costs $30 for five images for current TPS members or $40 for five images for non-members, with each additional image costing $5. A maximum of 12 images may be submitted. Selections are scheduled for August 18, prints for the physical exhibition are due September 18, and the exhibition runs from October 2 through October 31, 2026. The opening reception is planned for October 2 from 4:00 to 7:00 PM.
Prizes
Selection brings both exhibition and publication outcomes, while four awards provide a combined $1,000 in cash prizes.
- Exhibition Gallery selections: Up to 35 images will be shown at PhotoPlace Gallery in Middlebury, Vermont. These artists are included in the exhibition catalog, permanently archived online by PhotoPlace Gallery and Texas Photographic Society, promoted through both organizations’ marketing channels, and considered for awards.
- Online Gallery selections: Approximately 40 additional images will appear in the Online Gallery. These artists receive the same catalog inclusion, permanent online archive placement, and promotional opportunities as those selected for the physical exhibition.
- Juror’s Award: $500.
- Director’s Award: $300.
- Honorable Mentions: Two awards of $100 each.
Related Photo Contests
Categories or Themes
There are no separate entry categories for this Composed by PhotoPlace Gallery. The central theme is photographic composition and the way visual decisions organize an image within the frame. The call identifies framing, perspective, light, color, geometry, gesture, rhythm, negative space, and layering as possible areas of exploration. Carefully constructed scenes and quickly observed moments are both relevant when composition is fundamental to the image’s effect.
All photographic genres and processes are welcomed, including digital, analog, and alternative methods. The emphasis is therefore not on a particular subject, but on a clear and intentional use of structure.
Dates and Entry Fees
The schedule covers the submission period, jury announcement, print delivery, and month-long exhibition.
| Milestone | Date |
|---|---|
| Call opens | July 1, 2026 |
| Submission deadline | August 3, 2026 |
| Selections announced | August 18, 2026 |
| Print deadline for Exhibition Gallery artists | September 18, 2026 |
| Exhibition | October 2 to October 31, 2026 |
| Opening reception | October 2, 2026, from 4:00 to 7:00 PM |
Entry Fees:
- Current TPS members: $30 for five images.
- Non-members: $40 for five images.
- Additional images: $5 each, up to a maximum of 12 images.
A photographer who joins TPS or renews a membership at the time of entry may use the $30 member rate. Entry and membership fees are non-refundable.
How to Enter
Entries are processed through the CaFÉ platform and must contain five to 12 JPG or JPEG images. Files may be up to 5MB, with approximately 2,100 pixels on the longest side and 300ppi recommended. sRGB is recommended. Watermarks and signatures should be avoided; diptychs and triptychs should be uploaded as one image.
About the Jury
Brian Finke will jury the exhibition. A trained photojournalist and documentary photographer, he has published eight books, and his work has appeared in National Geographic, The New York Times, M Magazine, and The New Yorker. His photographs are also held in museum collections in the United States and abroad.
The jurying process is blind. Artists’ names and file information are withheld during selection, and uploaded files are renamed to preserve anonymity.
Why Enter Composed by PhotoPlace Gallery?
For photographers comparing current photography competitions, this Composed by PhotoPlace Gallery offers several clearly defined outcomes. Selected work may appear in a physical Vermont exhibition or the Online Gallery, while all selected artists receive catalog publication, permanent archive placement, and promotion through two photography organizations. The open international eligibility and acceptance of multiple photographic processes also allow the juror to consider composition across a broad range of visual practices.
The theme is specific enough to support a focused submission without restricting subject matter. Photographers can enter work from any genre, provided that the organization of the frame is central to the image.
Rules and Copyright
This section about the rules and image rights of the Composed by PhotoPlace Gallery has been generated automatically. If you are interested in participating in this contest we suggest you review the complete rules provided by the contest.
Rules
Entrants must be at least 18 years old, and submissions are accepted internationally. Work previously shown in a Texas Photographic Society or PhotoPlace Gallery exhibition is not eligible. Current TPS Board members may enter but cannot receive awards. Entrants must own the image rights, and the work must be substantially their own. Images generated primarily by artificial intelligence are not accepted. Fees are non-refundable.
Copyright and Image Usage
Photographers retain all rights to their images. When work is selected, the artist gives PhotoPlace Gallery permission to display it on the gallery’s website and social media, include it in the exhibition catalog, and use it with credit to promote future exhibitions. The gallery states that images will not be used for other purposes without permission and that personal account information will not be shared.
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For more information and to participate in the contest, visit: the official website.
