Virtual 46th Annual Juried Photographic Exhibition
Submit up to 3 original digital photographs taken at Selby Gardens within the past year, in one of five categories (Living Art, Make a Splash, Plant Portraits, The Birds and the Bees, or Black + White).
Does this fit your work? 5 questions score every call to your medium, location and budget. Free.
Get matched →- Deadline
- 12 days left
- Entry fee
- $30
- Award
- $5,000
- Location
- Florida
- Exhibition window
- Aug 27, 2026 → Sep 30, 2026
- Applicants notified
- Aug 27, 2026
About
Overview
Selby Gardens' 46th Annual Juried Photographic Exhibition, hosted in partnership with Observer Media Group. This virtual exhibition will introduce the Richard and Ellen Sandor Photography Prize, a new $5,000 annual award for a photograph that artistically captures the beauty of an orchid species.
Categories
- A – Living Art: Express creativity and artfully interpret nature through light, color, and composition
- B – Make a Splash: Showcase scenic beauty of aquatic environments at Selby Gardens' two bayfront sanctuaries
- C – Plant Portraits: Capture the character of plants at Selby Gardens
- D – The Birds and the Bees: Highlight wildlife at Downtown Sarasota and Historic Spanish Point campuses
- E – Black + White: Convey nature's beauty through black and white photography
Key dates
- Submission: August 3–10, 2026 (10 a.m. Monday, August 3 through 5 p.m. Monday, August 10)
- Awards announced online: August 27, 2026
- Exhibition: August 27–September 30, 2026
Eligibility
Open to anyone, including Selby Gardens volunteers. Photos must be original, taken within the past year on the grounds of Selby Gardens (either Downtown Sarasota campus or Historic Spanish Point campus), and owned by the entrant. Photos taken in the capacity of volunteer service and owned by Selby Gardens may not be submitted.
Entry requirements
- Photographs must follow the theme of one of the five categories
- Submit up to 3 photos per person (maximum)
- Photos must be submitted digitally; in-person submissions not accepted
- No watermarks, words, or graphics on images
- Photos with clearly visible faces of people will not be accepted
- Entered photographs should not have been previously published for monetary compensation
- All entries must be accompanied by proper entry form and fee
Fees
- Selby Gardens Members: First entry $30, $10 for each additional (up to three entries total)
- Non-members: First entry $45, $15 for each additional (up to three entries total)
Awards
$5,000 prize will be awarded to the best representation of orchids in one of the five categories. Winning images will be selected by a distinguished juried panel based on artistic merit, creativity, and visual impact. Juried awards are final and not negotiable.
How to enter
- Register and pay entry fees
- Upon payment, submit your photos by category (up to three submissions per user)
- Edit or update entries in your profile through 12 p.m. on August 10, 2026
- Photos will be reviewed for compliance with entry rules and eligibility
- Winners selected by jury and announced August 27, 2026 on selby.org and yourobserver.com
- Award
- $5,000 prize for best representation of orchids; winning images selected by juried panel
- Entry fee
- $30.00 - 45.00
- Entries per artist
- Up to 3
- Theme
- Photographs celebrating the beauty of nature, orchids, plants, wildlife, and aquatic environments at Selby Gardens through five themed categories.
- Eligibility
- National
- Audience
- Open to anyone, including Selby Gardens volunteers
Every listing links to the organizer's official page. Always confirm deadlines, fees, and entry rules there before you apply.