The medium of photography has many histories. It’s as personal as a shoebox of Polaroids stuffed beneath the bed, as practical as a Xerox, as historical as war footage and as scientific as an X-ray.
But it’s time for Metro Times’ 25th annual photo contest, and all we’re interested in is artistry. The only requirement to enter is that you’re an amateur — meaning, in this case, that photography makes up less than 50 percent of your annual income.
Consider this a call for entries. First-, second- and third-place winners and honorable mentions will be chosen in each category and published in our special contest edition May 17.
All efforts will be made to exhibit at least one photo per entrant at Contemporary Art Institute of Detroit (CAID) in Detroit, so that metro Detroiters can appreciate the energy, diversity and inventiveness of your photographic vision.
This year, all submitted photos remain with Metro Times. (Why? Facilitating the return of hundreds of submissions has become excessively burdensome as the contest has grown.) The submissions are often used in editorial layouts. Of course, the photographers get full credit, and whatever goes into print also goes up on our Web site, www.metrotimes.com, to be appreciated by readers around the world.
Bring on the exposure.
This year, Metro Times is soliciting works for a special category of personality portraiture. We’re not just asking for a pretty face or hot body, we welcome your best photo of your worst attribute or a striking shot of a stranger on the street. The point is this: Don’t just show us what someone looks like, tell us who they are.
The contest is judged by photo experts from the Detroit area — teachers, curators, photographers — making it the most popular and challenging of its kind in Michigan.
Rules: Deadline for entries is Wednesday, May 3, 4 p.m.
1. Eligibility: All persons are eligible except professional photographers and employees of Metro Times and their immediate families. A professional photographer is someone who earns half or more of his or her annual income from the profession.
2. Entries: Prints must be 8 inches by 10 inches and mounted on white mat board no larger than 11 inches by 14 inches (no framed prints). Photos should not be dry mounted to board, since they may need to be removed for publication.
The front of the mat board should be free of identifying marks.
3. There is a limit of 3 photographs submitted by each entrant. An entry fee of $5 per photo must accompany each submission.
4. Fill out the entry form for each photo and attach it with strong tape to the back of the mat board.
5. Judging decisions are final.
6. Ethics: Entrants to the categories of color, black and white and portraiture may use either traditional or digital cameras, but may only alter their photos as much as could be done in a darkroom; in other words, to change lightness or darkness, but not to add color or to change the composition of the photograph. Photos with additional manipulation now have a special category for experimental and artistically altered photography, such as works that are colored-in or are heavily Photoshopped. Metro Times takes the word of its entrants, but negatives may be requested for examination if questions arise.
7. Awards: Prizes will be awarded to first-, second- and third-place winners in each category. Honorable mentions and judges’ picks will also be named.
8. Winners will be honored at the Metro Times Photo Contest awards presentation and party on the evening of Wednesday, May 17. A selection of winning photos will be published in the May 17 issue of Metro Times.
9. Entrants grant permission for their photographs to be published in Metro Times and used on our Web site. Photographers retain the rights to original negatives. Metro Times and the exhibition gallery are not responsible for damage to or theft of photographs.
Categories: Black and white • Color •Experimental/artistically altered • Personality portraiture
Affix this form to the back of the matted photo, enclose $5 per photo entry fee, and deliver or mail to:
Metro Times Photo Contest
733 St. Antoine, Detroit, MI 48226
Deadline for entries is Wed., April 27, 4 p.m.
Send comments to [email protected]
