2025 THEME: Seasonal Narratives
STATEMENT OF WHY THEME IS CHOSEN: The focus of TAMIU’s photography program is on a blending of artistic and narrative storytelling styles. Seasons allow us to change and refocus our vision of the world around us. Weather and time of year tells us a lot about our past and our present; seasons and their lighting create moods that add to the visual feel of those images. They can remind us of the stories of our youth or even reveal the hopes of the future. While the show will be displayed during the Spring 2025 semester, starting in early February, entries certainly do not have to fit that season … any season will work. Sometimes the warmer tones of summer are welcoming in the winter and vice versa.
JUDGE: Hector Hernandez with workshop
OPEN CALL: Texas A&M International University, located on the border in Laredo, invites Texas photographers, ages 18 and up, to submit their best artistic and narrative work in the theme of “Seasonal Narratives” for its inaugural Borderlands Photography Show. We welcome submissions that explore the concepts of visual narrative storytelling as it relates to seasons, which can include weather, holiday, sports or other types of seasons. These images may be posed, still art, digitally manipulated, mixed media, or candid documentary work, including photojournalism. No AI-generated submissions. The show takes place during the Spring 2025 semester in the TAMIU Art Gallery in the Center for the Fine and Performing Arts. There is no fee to submit. You may submit up to three works; a series counts as one work. Submissions will be judged by Laredo native and professional Austin photographer Hector Hernandez who is also offering a photography workshop on Friday, Feb. 7, 2025, following the show’s opening on Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2025. The show is hosted by TAMIU Instructional Associate Professor and longtime photojournalist T. Rob Brown. For more information, please email thomas.brown at tamiu.edu. Entries must be sent to borderlandsphotography at tamiu.edu.
SUBMISSION GUIDELINES: Initial applications must include an emailed high-resolution JPG, no larger than 10 inches on the longest dimension at 300dpi, and no larger than 4MB in size to borderlandsphotography at tamiu.edu. Only one entry per email. You may submit up to three entries total (a series counts as one entry). Please include a notation of what size print you would submit later, if your work is selected. No AI-generated images. Images may be created on film, digital, instant prints, or mixed media. Deadline to apply: Nov. 15, 2024. If your submission is selected, you will be notified by Dec. 15, 2024. Your selected submission must be received at TAMIU no later than Jan. 15, 2025. Submissions should be at least 8x10 enlargements up to gallery prints no larger than 40x60. Submissions must include full paid postage and return paid postage label (not responsible for shipping damages; insurance for shipping covered by artist). Submissions should be mounted, preferably on either plain white or black matte or foamboard for display. If framed, plexi only. Professional presentation is required. Work needs to be ready to hang with hardware to install, also include your instructions. Submissions must include an artist’s statement, which includes the name of the artist, location of the artist, basic information about the creation of the work (film, silver gelatin print, digital, digital manipulation, mixed media, technical camera settings, etc.), date or year of creation, why you believe this image fits into the theme of the show, and a selling price if you would like to offer your work for sale in the gallery (NFS if “not for sale”).