About

This call for submissions is open to visual storytellers, photojournalists, documentary and street photographers, professionals, and amateurs from around the world who are interested in sharing their work to an international audience.

If selected, your image will be published on our website, Instagram feed, and will be considered to be part of a traveling exhibition and a “best of” book. The curatorial team will award $500 to one photographer for “Best of Show.”

We follow the principle that photographers are artists, and photography comes with great responsibility, as images can have a profound impact on society. This project honors “resilience during dire circumstances.” It is intended to show only work that truthfully and faithfully represents reality, and that does not affect or put anyone’s dignity at risk.

Submissions are free, with no additional cost if selected for the exhibition. Images may be taken with analog, digital, and cellphone cameras. Images from your archives are welcome. Minor adjustments of color, conversion to grayscale, removal of dust, dodging and burning, sharpening, contrast, are accepted. No people or objects may be added, rearranged, or removed from a scene.

Photographers can submit up to five images. The long side of the images should be between 1600 and 3000 pixels. Please be sure to provide a description for each image, including the location where it was taken, the date of the photo, and what is happening in the photo. The context of a picture will play a role in the selection process. Why does this image represent hope?

By submitting your images, you certify that you have read and accept the terms and conditions listed below. The deadline to submit is July 31, 2020. Due to the ongoing pandemic and the mass protests for racial justice that have started since we created this project, we are moving the submission deadline to November 2, 2020.

To submit your images, email them to info@focusonthestory.org and put “#ImagineHope” in the subject line.

[Note: We updated our submission process on April 7. All images previously submitted remain in the submission pool. If you submitted through the old process, you may submit additional images through the LensCulture portal, as well.]

1. By submitting an image(s), you attest that you have full authorization to enter the submitted images i.e. you took the image and own the copyright.
2. You attest that you are 18 or older.
3. Submissions with watermarks will not be considered.
4. Entrants remain the owner of all rights to submitted images, including all copyrights.
5. By submitting your image(s), you agree that Focus on the Story and Iris Photo Collective (known collectively as Imagine:Visions of Hope) may promote your work on their respective websites and social media networks, and you grant Imagine: Visions of Hope the right to use your submitted image(s) in promotional materials related to the Imagine: Visions of Hope campaign. All images used in this way will, whenever possible, be duly credited to you.
6. If your image(s) is selected for the traveling exhibition or publication in the “Best of” book, such offer is contingent upon you submitting a higher resolution image(s) at the specifications that will be provided by Imagine: Visions of Hope. Failure to provide the file in a timely manner may result in rescinding of the offer to exhibit or publish.
7. If your image(s) is selected for the traveling exhibition, you agree to allow Imagine: Visions of Hope to print your image and display it in a public exhibition. You also agree to allow Imagine: Visions of Hope to offer your printed work for sale, with proceeds split between you and Imagine: Visions of Hope, according to the terms of an artist’s agreement that must be signed prior to the exhibit.
8. If your image(s) is selected to appear in a “best of” book, you grant Imagine: Visions of Hope an irrevocable, royalty-free license to publish your image in the book, which may be either a soft or hardcover book published and potentially sold by Imagine: Visions of Hope. If your image(s) appear in a “best of” book, Imagine Visions of Hope will provide you one copy of the published book.
9. You waive any right to bring any claim against Imagine: Visions of Hope, Focus on the Story or Iris Photo Collective on the ground that their use of your images constitutes an infringing or otherwise unauthorized use under the laws of any jurisdiction in which your photographs are published under this license.
10. By submitting images to this open call, you acknowledge that you have read and understand the terms and conditions of this call for submissions.