Some photographs reveal. Others withhold.

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Seen / Unseen invites work that engages with what is visible and what remains hidden—within the frame, within the subject, or within the photograph itself. This may take the form of portraiture, or images where meaning is suggested rather than stated.

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We are interested in photographs that hold tension: between presence and absence, clarity and ambiguity, exposure and concealment. What is shown is only part of the image. What is implied, obscured, or left unresolved carries equal weight.

This theme is intentionally open. It may be approached through people, environments, or constructed images. The strongest work will not illustrate the idea, but embody it—allowing the photograph itself to carry complexity without explanation.

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Literal interpretations will be considered, but preference will be given to work that moves beyond the obvious.

 

Juror: Ann M. Jastrab

Ann M. Jastrab, MFA, is the Executive Director at the Center for Photographic Art (CPA) in Carmel, California. CPA strives to advance photography through education, exhibition and publication. These regional traditions—including mastery of craft, the concept of mentorship, and dedication to the photographic arts—evolved out of CPA's predecessor, the renowned Friends of Photography established in 1967. While respecting these West Coast traditions, CPA is also at the vanguard of the future of photographic imagery.

 

Before coming onboard at CPA, Ann worked as the gallery director at RayKo Photo Center in San Francisco for 10 years until their closure in 2017. While being a champion of artists, she created a thriving artist-in-residence program at RayKo where multiple residents received Guggenheim Fellowships. Ann was also the gallery manager at Scott Nichols Gallery in San Francisco where she incorporated contemporary artists with the legends photography.

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During her tenure at the Center for Photographic Art, Ann has created important artist grant and scholarship programs to support creatives and students. She has also taken the organization from a regional arts center to one with members on 6 continents. She most recently launched a photography festival called PhotoCarmel that celebrates the medium on the central coast of California. Ann is a juror and reviewer for numerous organizations and institutions. She also taught for more than a decade at the Maine Photographic Workshops (now Maine Media Workshops) in Rockport, Maine.

 

Selection

All entries will be reviewed by the juror.
Approximately 60 submissions will be selected for exhibition.

This level of selectivity is central to Decagon’s program. Inclusion is intended to represent a meaningful level of recognition within a highly competitive pool.

 

Awards

• First Place: $500 plus a solo exhibition on the gallery's website

• Second Place: $300

• Third Place: $200

Selected works will be presented in a curated online exhibition on the Decagon Gallery website.

Each selected photographer will receive:

• Individual image presentation with full credit

• Inclusion in the permanent online exhibition archive

• Newsletter and social media promotion

• ALL submissions will receive a discount on a future opportunity.

• First Place will be offered a solo exhibition on the gallery website.

A limited number of works may be recognized as Juror Selections, noted within the exhibition.

 

Eligibility

Open to photographers worldwide, 18 and older. All photographic styles and approaches are welcome.

 

Entry Details

• $25 for up to 8 images

• JPG or JPEG format

• Minimum 2100 pixels on the long side

• No watermarks or borders

 

Important Notes

• Artists retain full rights to their images

• Decagon Gallery may use submitted images for exhibition-related promotion with full credit

• Submission implies agreement with all terms

 

A photograph does not need to explain itself.
But it must hold something back.

We look forward to seeing how your work navigates what is seen—and what remains just beyond it.

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Decagon Gallery