NYC4PA Competitions / Calls for Entry
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NYC4PA WATER 2025
WATER:
H2O – one of the first chemical equations we learn.
Water surrounds us as rivers, lakes, oceans, seas. It is also so very central to much of our lives – the rain that makes our flowers grow, the ice cubes that cool our drinks, and on and on
And it is beautiful to photograph. This call is about how you, the photographer, capture water in all its forms. Is it the crest of water hitting a seaside rock? Is it water heated to become steam or frozen like ice? There are the glistening droplets of water from a puppy shaking itself off, tears expressing heartfelt emotion, reflections in a city pond as well as active steam from a geyser. Maybe you used a slow shutter to create the soft image of flowing water in a stream or ventured out on a winter day to watch patterns emerge in the city ice rink. Raindrops, dew drops .... ice floes, waterfalls, rapids and serene lakes. The list goes on. Black and white, color, abstract - all 2D mediums are welcome.
NYC4PA LUMINOSITY 2026
Light meters, backlighting, shadows and glare - photography is all about light – its presence as well as its absence. There is an iconic photograph of Grand Central Station with streams of sunlight filling the airspace as it reflects off dust particles in the air. Whether you are shooting in morning or evening light, sunrise or sunset the time of day an image is captured can be as important as the selection of the subject itself. A snapshot at one time of day, becomes an impactful photograph at another.
This call is about images where the presence, absence, and/or the location of light made the difference. Glare, flare, shadow, fill light all work as do lampshades aglow from an inside bulb, night lights in a city, streaming rays of sunlight. There are examples everywhere. Show us your shots where light is a key element. All 2D photo mediums are welcome.
NYC4PA URBAN SUBURBAN RURAL 2025
Urban, Suburban, and Rural: These are location choices we make for living, working, and vacationing. Each has its own visual characteristics that make it the best option. What was it about these locales caught your eye? Was it the crowded streets, public transport, or skyscraper silhouettes in the Urban Landscape? Or did you capture hamburgers and hot dogs on a family bar-b-q? Maybe, it was the geometry of a street of well-groomed front yards, a strip mall or other images representative of the Suburban Scene. And finally, were you caught up in the imagery of Rural Impressions - the farmhouses, the fields, the animals, the white farm fences, or rusted cars on front lawns.
Send us your interpretations of Rural Impressions, Suburban Scenes and Urban Landscapes. Lots to see, lots to photograph.
NYC4PA ANIMAL KINGDOM 2025
Our world is filled with animals. Whether your first thoughts are about lions, and tigers and bears, elephants working in the Asian lumber industry, or two/four legged pets there are so many options. And don’t forget the fish tank and reptiles.
So, if life takes you on an exotic African safari, traveling in Southeast Asia, visiting a local zoo or aquarium, or just looking around in your own home/neighborhood the animal kingdom offers huge photographic opportunities. Puppies that play joyfully, the migration in the Serengeti, your parakeet pecking at your glasses and dolphins gracefully jumping out of the ocean are just starting points. The finish line at a horse race, mice munching cheese, and a bee or butterfly collecting nectar from a flower – the possibilities go on and on.
As with all our contests send us your best. All 2D photo processes are welcome.
Please Note
- Images awarded an NYC4PA prize within the past 2 years are not eligible. Images submitted that were not selected for a prize may be submitted at any time.
NYC4PA REFLECTIONS 2025
Think of the amazement of a child’s face the first time they see their reflection and know they can make that image move when they do. It is joy, amusement, surprise. But that is only the beginning. As our life experiences mature, reflections become so much more than a copy of our own image. Virtually everything can be placed near a reflective surface and, as if by magic, you get to see two, or three or…. And the possibilities are endless. From a skyline reflected in a park lake, to the flash of sunlight reflected on a steel pipe, pedestrians in a department store window, and waves of sunlight reflected off the ocean that show as playful lines on a child’s face.
This call is about all types of reflections. Images can show both an object/person/animal and its reflection, or it can be one with just the reflection, and that reflection can be a clear copy or distorted with ripples, oil deposits, curved glass….
As with all NYC4PA calls all 2D photographic images are welcome.