Find answers to common questions about Virginia’s premier photography competition, open to both professional and amateur photographers. Learn about submission guidelines, entry fees, categories, judging process, voting procedures, and prizes. This comprehensive guide covers everything you need to know about participating in the Virginia Living Photography Awards.
FAQ
General Questions
Q: When does the competition run?
A: Below is the competition timeline:
- Submissions open: September 1, 2025 at 9:00 AM EST
- Submissions close: October 31, 2025 at 11:59 PM EST
- Voting period: November 1-30, 2025
- Winners announced: January 2026
Q: Does this competition support a charity?
A: Yes! A portion of voting proceeds will benefit a non-profit. Stay tuned to get to know them!
Entering & Photo Submission
Q: Who can enter?
A: The competition is open to legal residents of the USA who are 18 years or older. Participants under 18 may enter with written parental consent.
Q: Who cannot enter?
A: Employees of Cape Fear Publishing, competition judges, employees of sponsor organizations, and their immediate family members are not eligible.
Q: How much does it cost to enter?
A: Entry fees are as followed:
- Professional Division: $45 per image
- Amateur Division: $35 per image
- Early Bird Discount: 15% off (September 1-14, 2025)
Q: What are the categories?
A: We have 5 categories:
- People & Lifestyle – Portraits, architecture, food, home, lifestyle
- Nature & Wildlife – Landscapes, flora, fauna, natural Virginia
- Documentary – Real stories, social issues, photo essays
- Experimental – Creative techniques, artistic vision
- AI-Generated – AI-created imagery
Virginia Living reserves the right to move an image to a more appropriate category or eliminate an image from consideration if it does not align with the chosen category description.
Q: What’s the difference between Professional and Amateur divisions?
A:
- Professional: Anyone who earns income from photography or has received payment for photography services in the past 24 months
- Amateur: Photography enthusiasts who don’t meet professional criteria. Phone photography is accepted.
You must self-select the appropriate division. Misrepresentation will result in ineligibility to win.
Q: Where & how should I submit my photo?
A: Submission link will be provided on September 1st. Stay tuned!
To submit your entry, first complete the online submission form, providing the required information: credit name, entry title (letters and spaces only, no symbols), and a description. You will also need to select the appropriate category for your submission.
After successfully completing the form, you will be directed to the upload page to upload your photos.
Q: How many images can I submit?
A: You can submit as many images as you want, as long as each image is unique and submitted under a different category.
Q: Can I submit the same image to multiple categories?
A: No. Each image may only be submitted to one category. Duplicate submissions will not be eligible to win. However, you can submit in as many categories as you’d like with different images.
Q: What are the technical requirements?
A: Photo requirements:
- JPEG format
- Minimum 3000 pixels on longest side
- Maximum file size: 20MB
- sRGB color space
- No watermarks or signatures
Q: Can I edit my photos?
A: Yes. Basic adjustments (exposure, contrast, color correction, cropping) are allowed in all categories. Heavy manipulation should be entered in the Experimental category. For all categories except AI-Generated, images must originate from a photographic device.
Rights & Usage
Q: Do I keep the copyright to my images?
A: Yes. You retain copyright ownership. By entering, you grant Virginia Living a non-exclusive, perpetual license to use your images for any business purpose. We will make reasonable efforts to provide photo credit when images are used.
Q: Can I still use my photos elsewhere?
A: Yes. Since you retain copyright and grant us only a non-exclusive license, you can continue to use, sell, or display your images anywhere
Payment & Refunds
Q: How do I pay?
A: All payments are processed by credit card through our secure submission platform at the time of entry.
Q: Can I get a refund?
A: Entry fees are non-refundable once submitted.
Judging & Voting
Q: How are winners selected?
A: We have three ways to win:
- Judges’ Choice: Our panel of 15 expert judges selects
- One winner per category for Professional devision
- 1st, 2nd, and 3rd places per category for Amateurs devision
- Readers’ Choice: Public voting determines 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place per category/division
- Prize Sponsor’s Choice: Our sponsor selects one winner per category
Q: How does voting work?
A: Voting runs November 1-30 in three rounds:
- Round 1 (Qualifiers): Nov 1-14
- Round 2 (Semi-Finals): Nov 17-23
- Round 3 (Grand Finals): Nov 25-30
Everyone gets one free vote per day. Additional votes cost $2.50 for 5 votes. The top vote-getters in each round move forward.
Q: Who are the judges?
A: Our 15-member panel includes Virginia Living photographers, university art professors, museum/gallery curators, advertising creative directors, and Virginia Living leadership.
Judges will be announced soon on the landing page.
Prizes
Q: What can I win?
A: Prizes will be announced soon!
Winners
Q: When will winners be announced?
A: Winners will be announced in January 2026, and featured in the January/February 2026 issue of Virginia Living magazine.
Contact
Q: Who do I contact with questions/support requests?
A: Email our support team at [email protected].
Last updated: August 2025
