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Monday Flash Open Call 2025 by Decagon Gallery lands with a simple yet disarming premise: “A Photo That Changed You”. It invites photographers to pair one meaningful image with a short letter to their past self. The call is international, open to adults worldwide, and free to enter (one of the free photography competitions listed on Deartline). Submissions close on January 15, 2026, making this a compelling option to plan now and finalize over the holiday season. For readers exploring the best photography challenges to participate, Monday Flash stands out for its clarity of theme and its focus on image-plus-text storytelling.
The format is unusual in a good way. Participants submit one photograph that marked a turning point in their life, alongside a note addressed to themselves at that moment. The image and letter are presented together, emphasizing memory and meaning. The selection is led by Decagon Gallery’s team with guest juror Hossein Fardinfard. In short, this is a human-centered open call with a clear brief, no fees, and a tangible narrative angle that suits both emerging and established practitioners.
The Monday Flash Open Call Prizes
Selected entries are presented by Decagon Gallery within the Monday Flash feature, showing the photograph and the accompanying letter side by side. The value here is curatorial recognition and publication on the organizer’s platform.
Other Free Contests
The Categories of the Monday Flash Open Call
The central theme is the personal impact of an image: “the photo that changed you”; paired with a short letter. Photographers across genres can respond, from portrait and documentary to conceptual work, provided the submission aligns with the brief.
Monday Flash Open Call Dates and Entry Fees
Deadline: January 15, 2026.
Entry fee: Free.
How to Enter:
Submit one photograph and one short letter addressed to yourself at the time the image was made. Files must be JPG/JPEG, at least 2100 px on the long edge, under 3 MB, and named “FirstName-LastName_title.jpg”. One image plus one letter constitute a complete entry.
About the Jury
Selection is made by the Decagon Gallery team together with photographer Hossein Fardinfard, known for documentary and environmental portrait work exhibited internationally.
Why Enter Monday Flash Open Call?
There are clear, factual reasons to consider this call. First, it is free to submit, lowering the barrier for thoughtful work-in-progress or personal archives. Second, the format foregrounds authorship and reflection by pairing image and text. Third, the presentation by Decagon Gallery offers visibility within a curated context. For readers comparing photography competitions, this one’s brief rewards authenticity and a concise narrative voice. It also stands out among free photo contests online for its intimate, story-driven approach to image-making.
Rules and Copyright
This section about the rules and image rights of the Monday Flash Open Call 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
- Original work only. Submissions must be created by the entrant.
- Open worldwide to participants aged 18 or older.
- One photograph is required, paired with a brief letter to your past self.
- Technical specs: JPG/JPEG format; minimum 2100 px on the long edge; maximum file size 3 MB; filename format “FirstName-LastName_title.jpg”.
Copyright and Image Usage
- Entrants retain all rights, including copyright, to their photographs.
- The organizer states it will not distribute submitted photos to third parties.
- Selected works are shown as a pairing of image and letter; inclusion is tied to this combined format.
For more information and to participate in the contest, visit: the official website.
