2027 Looking Back – Looking Forward
Contest Entry Info
Submissions accepted thru October 31, 2026
Following on the popularity and acclaim of our broad-based Single Image and Portfolio contests, we created this reader-inspired competition comprised of four tightly focused sub-contests that feature traditional and contemporary processes—both analog and digital—and imagery that spans the past, the present and the future. The categories are:
Vintage Images
Pinhole/Plastic Camera Imagery
Digital Manipulation
Alternative Darkroom Processes
The specific focus of each contest narrows the competitive field and thereby increases the chance that your image will be chosen. The winners are not featured in a standalone Special Issue. They instead receive prominent representation in one of the four regular issues of Black & White in self-contained 16-page contest sections. The added pages provide valuable exposure for your award-winning images, as well as an added bonus for our readers.
VINTAGE IMAGES: To celebrate and help preserve work created back in the (predominantly) analog-only era, we created this contest. Do you have an archive of vintage images waiting to be discovered? Here’s your opportunity to get some valuable exposure for your (or your relatives’) classic decisive moments.
Entry Specifications: Open to all photographic genres and film formats (35mm, medium and large format). Image submissions are limited to those made in 1985 or earlier.
PINHOLE/PLASTIC CAMERA IMAGERY: There’s nothing quite like shooting with pinhole and plastic cameras like a Holga, Diana or Lomo. The unique and original visual qualities of these cameras open up numerous creative possibilities for
the adventurous photographer—blur, vignetting, distortion, light leaks and many other organic, unpredictable, one-of-a-kind lo-fi effects. Submit your most creative pinhole or plastic camera photo and share your unique vision in this popular contest.
Entry Specifications: Open to black-and-white images made with any type or brand of plastic or pinhole camera.
DIGITAL MANIPULATION: Digital photographers have a wide array of tools, techniques and filters available to create extraordinary effects: photo manipulation, photomontage, pinhole and vintage effects, double-exposure, reverse-tones, digital tintypes and daguerreotypes, photograms, infrared, and more.
Entry Specifications: Open to all alternative digital photography techniques. Please state digital process or processes used with submissions.
ALTERNATIVE DARKROOM PROCESSES: Alternative developing and printing processes—some over 100 years old—remain popular among photographers seeking different modes of creative expression: wet plate and wet-collodion process, gumoil printing, daguerreotypes, tintypes, carbon prints, platinum-palladium, photograms, chemigrams, liquid photographic emulsion, Mordançage, and more. This contest honors the vision of photographers who invest time and energy to produce unique and organic analog imagery realized through film, paper, chemistry.
Entry Specifications: Open to all imagery derived from alternative processes. (Hybrid digital/analog submissions acceptable.) Please state specific darkroom process or processes used for submissions.
CONTEST GUIDELINES:
- PREPARING YOUR IMAGES:
Save images at 300 ppi (lower resolution files cannot be used), 8 bits, in grayscale, as jpeg files only.
WIDTH must be 7 inches – Width is measured from left to right and will total 2100 pixels. Enter 7” in WIDTH option when resizing and allow HEIGHT to proportion itself naturally (pixel count will adjust accordingly) Use MEDIUM for Quality option. If prepared correctly the image file size will be approximately 1MB. - SUBMITTING IMAGES WITH OUR EASY ONLINE ENTRY SYSTEM
- Your entire entry can be completed online with entry fee paid by credit card. See ENTER button at the bottom of this page. The online entry tool will walk you through the process in three easy steps.
- ENTRY FEES: The entry fee of $30 includes submission of two photos. Additional images can be submitted for $10 each. There is no limit to the number of images that can be submitted. Payment may be made by credit card. Entry fees are non-refundable.
- ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: Winners will be advised of the cover date and publication date of the issue which will include their photos. PHOTO RELEASES must be available and furnished upon request for all individuals prominently featured in an entered image. This rule is not generally applicable to street photography. By entering this contest, you give permission to send you emails.
- COPYRIGHTS AND THE WEBSITE GALLERY: By entering this contest you give your permission for Black & White to print your images in our magazine or on our website for one-time use. Images entered in this contest will be posted on our website gallery with a link to your website.
- NOTIFICATION: Judging will be completed by March 31, 2027 and you will receive an email communication of the results.