Not the easy kind. Not the posed smile or the perfect moment. We're talking about the joy that surprises you — that shows up in an ordinary afternoon, in a stranger's face, in light falling just right on something nobody else noticed.
Something Like Joy invites photographers to submit work that finds delight, warmth, wonder or beauty in the world as it actually is. Big celebrations and quiet moments are equally welcome. So is the complicated happiness that comes after hardship — the laugh through tears, the small victory, the unexpected gift.
If your photography looks for the good — in people, in places, in everyday life — this call is for you.
Awards — $1,000 total cash
- First$500 + solo exhibition feature
- Second$250
- Third$150
- Two Honorable Mentions$50 each
- Human PresenceFree future entry
Selected Artists Receive
- Inclusion in the curated online exhibition
- A dedicated exhibition page
- Instagram feature
- Inclusion in the printed catalog
How to Submit
- Open to all photographers over 18, regardless of experience level or location.
- The submitted work must be your own, and must not violate any other person's copyright.
- Images in JPEG format, at least 2100 pixels on the longest side.
- No text, watermarks, borders or frames. Preferably under 4–5 MB per image.
- File names in this format: First Name-Last Name_Title.jpg
- You retain all rights, including copyright, to your photographs.
Meet the Juror
Aline Smithson is an interdisciplinary artist, editor, filmmaker and educator based in Los Angeles. She has exhibited widely, with over 50 solo shows internationally, and her work has appeared in The New York Times, The New Yorker and PDN. Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Lenscratch, she received the Rising Star Award from the Griffin Museum and the Excellence in Teaching Award from CENTER, and was twice selected for the Critical Mass Top 50. Her monographs …
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