The Asian American Journalists Association (AAJA) is proud to announce the 2018 Dith Pran Photo Shootout Competition to take place at the AAJA National Convention in Houston, Texas, August 8-11. Texans say that “Everything is bigger in Texas,” so we are looking for the photograph that best depicts this slogan. This contest is open to ALL attendees at the AAJA 2018 convention in Houston. The winner will receive a convention registration for next year’s convention.
Instagram Photo Shootout Rules:
- Submit photo entries using the Instagram hashtag #AAJAPhoto. Upload your photo submission(s) with caption information using any Instagram App with that hashtag and it should appear at aajaphoto.org/ig
- Deadline: Photo submission(s) must be uploaded on Instagram by 5 p.m. CT on Friday, August 10, 2018.
- Contestants can start shooting anytime beginning 12:01 a.m. CT Wednesday, August 8 and must be uploaded by the contest deadline stated above.
- A professional grade camera is not required. Images submitted from mobile devices (cellphone or tablet) are acceptable.
- Each entrant can submit up to three (3) images. Judging will be based on a single image and not a series of images.
- Entries should be based on the theme. Photos will be judged on theme interpretation, artistic style, composition and technical execution. This year’s theme is a suggestion and photographs unrelated to the theme are acceptable.
- Entrants also need to email aajaphoto@gmail.com with their entrant’s name, Instagram account name, cell phone number, email address and caption information of 100 words or less. Failure to email this information may disqualify an entry.
- You must be a current registered AAJA 2018 National Convention attendee.
- Only minor burning, dodging and slight color adjustment, sharpening and cropping are acceptable. NO INSTAGRAM FILTERS ALLOWED! Any significantly digitally modified or altered photograph will be disqualified. No special artistic app filters allowed. The only exception is the black and white filter.
There is no cost to enter the competition.
Winners will be posted on www.AAJAPhoto.org. The First Place winner will have their name engraved on the Annual Dith Pran Photo Shootout perpetual award. First, second and third place winners will be announced Saturday, August 11 at the AAJA Gala Scholarship & Awards Banquet. First place prize is the convention fee for next year’s convention, a $250 value.
Questions? Please contact AAJA photographer James Yee (317-640-1873) or Alex Wong (202-438-7050) or email questions to aajaphoto@gmail.com.
The AAJA Photo Shootout was started in 2000 during the annual AAJA National Convention. The competition name was changed in 2008 to honor New York Times photographer Dith Pran, who risked his life in Cambodia during the genocide by the Khmer Rouge to help journalists tell the story of atrocities in his home country. His story inspired the film, “The Killing Fields.” Pran passed away in 2008.