Who says billboard photography is dead? Not VSCO, the photography-social media hybrid platform, which is running a competition for 50 photographers to feature on billboards across each US state.
Like a blast from the past, the lucky winners – who must be older than 18 and reside in the US – will see their work blown up in large format on a billboard.
Not only that, each winner will feature on a billboard in their home state – which, for me, makes it an extra cool opportunity. How great would it be to go and stand by that billboard and get a picture?
According to the company, the judges are looking for “impactful images” with strong narratives that encourage people to stop and ponder the scene. VSCO recommends submitting three to five images, especially if they're part of the same series.
There are no limits as to the genre of image you can submit, so if you’re a wildlife, portrait or documentary photographer, you’re eligible to enter. Whatever images you submit, if they include people, just be sure to secure a model release (as per the competition rules).
VSCO hasn’t stated for how long images will be displayed on the billboard, but it has said that your image could also be chosen for editorial features, curation and licensing opportunities.
The company says that this is all with a view of boosting your artistic prospects, which I think is a solid move in light of the growing challenges photographers face from AI and the shift to short-form video consumption.
You need to submit your images by September 10, and VSCO will then notify selected photographers on a rolling basis, also announcing it on the platform’s official blog. If your image is chosen, be sure to provide a high-resolution version for large-format printing.
That’s it for this amazing revival of billboard photography. Best of luck to all entrants and head to the event webpage for more information on entering.
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