Fall Photo Contest

With 31 different categories, divided into K-8/beginning, advanced and faculty, there is something for everyone.

Entry Fee

  • $1 per entry for ATPI members
  • $2 per entry for non-ATPI members

Divisions

  • K-8/Beginning
  • Advanced
  • Faculty

Deadline

  • Deadline is November 17, 2023 at 6:00 PM Central

Student Categories

Digital:

  • Thematic – Transformed
  • Architecture / Cityscape
  • Landscape
  • Nature
  • Fine Art / Environmental Portrait
  • Studio Portrait
  • Advertising
  • Animal
  • Time Exposure
  • Sports Action
  • Sports Reaction
  • Food

Digital:

  • Still Life
  • Student Life
  • Travel
  • Fashion
  • Open
  • Documentary / Street Photography
  • Photo Story (see below)
  • Portfolio (see below)
  • Digitally Constructed / Original Work (see below)
  • Digitally Constructed / AI Assisted (see below)

Print:

  • B&W Darkroom Print

Video/Multimedia:

  • News (3-minute max)
  • Advertisement/PSA (1-minute max)
  • Dramatic Short Film (7-minute max)
  • Comedic Short Film (7-minute max)
  • Thematic – Transformed (7-minute max)
  • Documentary (unlimited)
  • Cell/Smartphone Video (1 min max)
  • Multimedia Projects (see below)

Rules and Submission Guidelines

  • All entries, except portfolio entries, must have been taken or created after Aug. 1, 2022.
  • All Digital entries must be submitted through the ATPI online contest site. All video/multimedia entries must provide a URL through the online contest site. Do not wait until the last minute to upload entries.
  • Students may not enter more than three images into any category and should edit entries carefully.
  • Images that have been entered in previous ATPI social media contests are not eligible for this contest unless they are part of the student’s portfolio entry. Student images from the prior year Spring school portfolio contests are eligible for the Fall Contest.
  • Students must be currently enrolled in the 2023-24 school year to compete. Images must be entered in the advanced division if the high school student was enrolled in a high school photography class prior to this school year. Black-and-white and color images will be judged together.
  • Students are encouraged to not enter the same image in multiple categories. The judges tend to judge these photos more harshly.
  • Print category should be matted or mounted on 11×14 black or white mount board. No poster board. Students entering this category MUST BE included in the online contest system. Prints must be postmarked by the deadline and mailed to the address on the rules form.
  • Digital entries must be submitted through ATPI’s Online Contest system. Division, Category, Student name, school name, school city, and teacher name must be typed into the metadata caption/description field in the File Info window in Photoshop. All images should be in JPEG format, saved at maximum quality, with a maximum dimension (width or height) of 4500 pixels. Full instructions for image size and file info found here. We encourage students to upload the maximum size image.
  • DIGITALLY CONSTRUCTED / ORIGINAL WORK — Only original images created from work captured by the photographer can be used to create the Digitally Constructed / Original Work entry. Entries that utilize multiple photos from the same photographer to create a composite single image should be entered in this category. An explanation of the elements and processes used must be included in the metadata description field. Any entries that do not contain this explanation will be disqualified. These entries should be uploaded as a set containing the final entry as Image 1 and each of the separate components as images 2 to 5. If the entry contains more than four separate images then just submit the first four.
  • DIGITALLY CONSTRUCTED / AI ASSISTED — Entries in Digitally Constructed / AI Assisted must start with an original image from the photographer but may utilize AI prompts and generative fill to create a new photographic image. The final result must be a photograph and not an illustration which does not contain any recognizable photographic elements. An explanation of the elements and processes/prompts used must be included in the metadata description field. Entries that do not contain this explanation will be disqualified. Upload this entry as a set containing the final entry as Image 1 and any of the pieces created by the photographer as images 2 to 5.
  • PHOTOJOURNALISM — Entries in any of the photojournalism categories — documentary/street photography, sports action, sports reaction, student life and photo story — may only utilize basic editing techniques (exposure, contrast, color correction, cropping, etc.). The entry should reflect the truth, reality, what the photographer saw in the original scene.
  • Entries that utilize camera or computer software to enhance a photograph through stacking, HDR, multiple exposure or special filters (Instagram / Hipstamatic / VSCO / etc) can be entered in the subject matter category, except the photojournalism categories. Cellphone images can be entered into any category, as long as they adhere to the other rules stated.
  • Multimedia projects can include electronic portfolios, video podcasts, animation sequences, multimedia, web sites, etc and will be submitted by URL on the entry form.
  • The Portfolio category is a five-image portfolio. These entries count as a single entry.
  • The Photo Story category should consist of five photos. Each photo must include a full caption in the Description field in the metadata along with the other required information.
  • Instructor entries are single images that compete in one category. Instructors may enter as many entries as they wish. There is also an instructor portfolio category that should contain five images and count as a single entry. Instructors can also enter videos using the instructions for student entries. All instructor videos will be judged together – no categories. All instructor videos should be under 10 minutes in length.
  • Video entries can utilize any online site. All entries must be submitted through the ATPI online contest site and a specific URL provided for each video entry. Judges will be provided this list of URLs to judge with.
  • For the 2023 Fall Contest, no copyrighted music can be used in multimedia and video entries. All other music should have attribution in the video.
  • Video entries should include credits at the end showing all students involved in the production of the entry. These end credits do not count as part of the running time.
  • Entry forms and shipping information for prints and fees form available at the top of the page.
  • Results are considered final 30 days after winners are announced on social media and the ATPI website. Questions or concerns about the winners should be submitted in writing to vpcontests@atpi.org.
  • QUESTIONS — Questions about any of these guidelines or categories can be emailed to vpcontests@atpi.org.
  • BOARD — The board will review these changes after the contest to consider updates for future contests.

Winners Lists

2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001

Winners Galleries

2023 Fall Contest Winners 2022 Fall Contest Winners 2021 Fall Contest Winners 2020 Fall Contest Winners 2019 Fall Contest Winners 2018 Fall Contest Winners 2017 Fall Contest Winners 2016 Fall Contest Winners 2015 Fall Contest Winners 2014 Fall Contest Winners 2013 Fall Contest Winners 2012 Fall Contest Winners

Contest Statistics


2007 Contest totals:

  • 2988 entries
  • 59 schools
  • 206 winners