Something Like Joy ends 15 September 2026

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Deadline: 15 September 2026. Not the easy kind. Not the posed smile or the perfect moment. We’re talking about the joy that surprises you — that shows up in an ordinary afternoon, in a stranger’s face, in light falling just right on something nobody else noticed.

Something Like Joy invites photographers to submit work that finds delight, warmth, wonder, or beauty in the world as it actually is. Big celebrations and quiet moments are equally welcome. So is the complicated happiness that comes after hardship — the laugh through tears, the small victory, the unexpected gift.

If your photography looks for the good — in people, in places, in everyday life — this call is for you.

Juror: Aline Smithson is an interdisciplinary artist, editor, filmmaker, and educator based in Los Angeles, California. She has exhibited widely including over 50 solo shows at a variety of international institutions and her work has been featured in publications including The New York Times, The New Yorker, and PDN.

Prizes:

First Place: $500 + Solo Exhibition on the Decagon Gallery website

Second Place: $250

Third Place: $150

Two Honorable Mentions: $50 each

Human Presence Nomination: Free entry to a future Decagon open call

Photo Contest Website: https://www.decagongallery.com/something-like-joy-entry