The Exposed DC Photography Show is a celebration of our nation's capital as seen through the perspectives of photographers who live, work, and love here. Show us your best images of all things local: art, sports, food, culture, architecture, street. We want to see your amazing Washington, D.C. experiences, from the epic to the everyday moments that catch your eye.

Special Requirements

• You must be a resident of the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area.
• You must be at least 18 years of age.
• Images submitted have to be taken in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area.
• Please review the Terms & Conditions at the bottom of this page for the full set of requirements.

Note about uploading images

The cost is $10 per image, and there is no minimum or maximum amount of photos that can be submitted. Make sure to add all images before clicking submit on the final step of the process.

This application can only be submitted once, so you need to make sure it includes everything you'd like to enter before you submit.

What winners receive

Winning images will be included in the 2022 Exposed DC Photography Show and in the exhibition magazine made available in print and online. Winners receive one copy of the magazine featuring their photo. The exhibition will be held during Spring or Summer 2022. Winning images will be presented in a virtual exhibition as well as at an in-person event adhering to any COVID-related rules and regulations. Five photographers featured in the show will receive a Best in Show award with a $100 prize, selected by distinguished photographers who serve as independent guest judges.

About the organization

Exposed DC documents and celebrates life and culture in the Washington, D.C. area through the perspectives of photographers who live, work, and love here. We partner with organizations to strengthen and cultivate the local photography community. Since 2006 we have produced the annual Exposed DC Photography Show to highlight local photographers’ work that captures the last year or so through images.

What subject matter is suitable for this contest?

The Exposed DC Photography Show is a celebration of our nation's capital as seen through the eyes of people who live, work, and love here. Show us your best images of local art, sports, food, culture and street photography and yes, even the occasional monument, but make sure it blows us away! We want to see your amazing, everyday Washington, D.C. experiences from the ordinary to the epic. Regarding dated and altered images, our rule is simply to be reasonable. If your photo is obviously ten years old, it's unlikely we'll choose it to represent the city we live in today. Basic image adjustments are fine, but if it's obviously Photoshopped to some place outside of reality (added text, extreme filters, gratuitous use of HDR, etc.), it's very unlikely we'll choose it. Please remove watermarks as we use blind judging to review entries.

How many photos can I enter?

As many as you like! The cost to submit is $10 per image, and each image will be reviewed separately. You can submit up to 99 images per project. There is no limit to the number of projects/images allowed per entrant.

Can I edit my submission?

You can edit your submission before the deadline, but you must contact Picter support to request a refund in order to do so. We strongly advise waiting to submit until you have everything finalized. You can save your submission as a draft and return later to submit when you're ready.

Do I have to live in Washington, D.C. to enter the contest?

You must live in and enter photos taken in the general geographical area. The contest is a celebration of photography in the D.C. metro area. This includes the nearby commuting suburbs of Virginia and Maryland.

Do photos need to be taken with specific devices?

Nope! We welcome film, phone, digital, etc. However the image was made, you will need to provide a digital file when submitting to the contest (e.g., scans of film) and ensure that the image is at least 1500 pixels on the long side, JPG preferred. Winners will be contacted at a later date to submit high res files.

How and when will winners be notified?

Winners will be notified via email on or around February 25, 2022. Later that day, we will share an announcement with the winning images on our website and via our newsletter and social media. Please note that if you submit to the contest and your image is not selected, you will not be contacted directly when this announcement is made.

When and where will the exhibit be?

We are taking particular caution with the ongoing coronavirus pandemic and its impact on social gatherings. We plan to kick off the celebration by announcing more details in early April. We can tell you the exhibit and events will be outdoors and/or with measures in place for social distancing to ensure people can gather safely. Stay tuned for updates and feel free to get in touch with any suggestions as well. You can see photos from last year's events here and here.

How will winning photos be displayed?

Winning images will be included in a virtual gallery. In addition, they will be printed and/or projected at in-person events during Spring/Summer 2022. Exposed DC will work with featured photographers and the venue(s) to present the images for optimal viewing. Framed prints will be available for purchase during the exhibit run and can also be included in our online marketplace after the show closes. These will follow the Exposed DC standard with images near but no larger than 8"x12" in a black metal 16"x20" frame with a white acid free mat and foam core backing. Exposed DC keeps 30% of all sales in your edition during the exhibit to help us pay for the event. Winning images will also be shared on our website as well as in an exhibition magazine available in both print and digital formats.