APA LA - 2026 Off The Clock - Call for Entries

APA LA OFF THE CLOCK 2026

CALL FOR ENTRIES OPENS: March 1, 2026

CALL FOR ENTRIES FINAL DEADLINE: March 31, 2026

APA LA is pleased to announce the fifteenth annual OFF THE CLOCK curated photo competition. OFF THE CLOCK is the pre-eminent opportunity to present your inspired personal photography to the world. Each year APA LA invites a well-respected, influential visionary from the international photo community to contribute their talent towards curating this prestigious exhibition. This year we are honored that Chris Pichler, Founder and Publisher of Nazraeli Press, has accepted our invitation to apply his unique vision in carefully selecting his top one hundred images from all submissions.

Exceptional Exposure

Once our curator has chosen his 100 favorite images, the winners' work begins to gain exceptional exposure through our beautifully printed and PDF catalog which will be sent to each winner as well as key influencers in the advertising, corporate and fine-art sectors. The winners’ images will also gain exposure through our online gallery and artist features on our social media and web platforms. Through the APA global network, your finest personal work will be available for viewing by thousands of potential clients, gallerists and curators throughout the world.

PLUS – All selected work will be matted, framed and featured during the much-anticipated industry-wide gala opening reception celebrating all the winners. Invitations to the gala will be sent to top creatives in the Southern California region

Show Your Finest Personal Work

OFF THE CLOCK is easy to enter with no confusing categories, no image series restrictions, and no creation date restrictions. The most important parameter is that your submitted work should be strong, original, creative and truly personal. Entries may be black and white, duotone, or color, and should be self-commissioned and must represent what you consider to be your finest personal work. Our easy-to-use online submission interface allows you to enter as many images as you like! What are you waiting for? Give it your best shot. Show the world your personal vision.

The curator will limit the number of selects from any one entrant to a maximum of four.

Note: Alternative print processes (copper plate, tin type, etc.) are acceptable with an additional framing fee.

All printing and framing costs will be winners’ responsibility.

Entry Fees

• APA Member Entry Fee: $20 per image
• Non-Member Entry Fees: $40 per image

Not an APA member? Now is a great time to join APA and receive up to a 50% discount on each image submission. Current APA member looking to upgrade your membership contact: membershiprep@apanational.org

Submission Guidelines

1. Only digital images are accepted through our online submission process.
2. Image size no smaller than 800 pixels on the long side and at most 1280 pixels, 72 dpi, sRGB color profile, with no visible identifying text/symbols
3. Image files need no unique title by the entrant. Image files are assigned an arbitrary ID for the "blind" judging.
4. A single entry is one image.
5. Sorry, no panoramas, diptychs or triptychs will be accepted.
6. While there is no limit to the number of single entries submitted, we recommend uploading no more than 10 images at a time (Check out, before submitting additional images).
7. You may not enter an image that has won OFF THE CLOCK in previous years.
8. You may not enter substantially similar images that have won OFF THE CLOCK in previous years.
9. There is no restriction on when the entry image was created.
10. The curator for OFF THE CLOCK may select a maximum of four images by the same artist.
11. You do not need to be an APA member to enter the contest, but members receive a discount on entry fees.
12. 12. Anyone claiming APA membership must be current in their dues at the time of entry and when winners are announced.

Please Note: APA is unable to accept any submission(s) containing significant elements created by Generative AI (Artificial Intelligence) technology.

Questions? Please email: director@apa-la.com

Upload Guidelines

• All files must be jpgs with a file size limit of 2 MB.
• Simple file naming conventions please do not use special characters like @, #. Title name is not seen by judge, so it is ok to use your name in the title.
• Image size no smaller than 800 pixels on the long side and at most 1280 pixels.
• Color profile is sRGB, image resolution 72ppi.
• Images should have no visible identifying text/symbols; entries are assigned an arbitrary ID for the "blind" judging.
• Single image entries only.

Contest Rules

By entering The APA Off The Clock Curated Competition, Entrants:

1. Warrant to APA LA that they have created and own all rights to the work submitted (including all elements of the work) and that nothing within any work has been copied or added from another person’s work.
2. Warrant that the whole copyright and any other form of intellectual property right in the work is vested in them and does not infringe the rights of any other person.
3. Warrant that they have not in any way assigned, licensed, disposed of, or otherwise encumbered any of their intellectual property rights which allow them to deal freely with the work and the copyright therein.
4. Warrant that they have obtained appropriate model or property releases from any persons and/or property owners requiring such, featured in their submitted photographs allowing publication in any and all media forms.
5. Warrant that my submission(s) does (do) not contain significant elements created by Generative AI (Artificial Intelligence) technology.
6. Acknowledge and agree that APA may exhibit or otherwise display their work during APA sponsored events, as well as on any APA website, APA social media and/or on APA promotional materials.
7. Acknowledge and agree that APA may reproduce and may allow reproduction of winning images in APA approved publications and promotional materials. Credit will be given to the photographer for any image(s) used.
8. Acknowledge that APA LA relies fully upon the warranties and license given by Entrants when submitting their entries for consideration to The APA LA OFF THE CLOCK competition. Entrants shall indemnify and hold APA harmless from any claims, actions, proceedings, costs and expenses arising out of or related to any allegation that the relevant Entrant did not own or is not wholly entitled and authorized to allow publication and reproduction of the work by APA LA.
9. Acknowledge and agree that APA LA reserves the right to disqualify any winner not providing the required personal information, headshot, and/or winning image in the requested file format and size within two weeks of APA's request via the contact information supplied by the entrant. Replacement winners will be selected at the curator's discretion.
10. Acknowledge that curating is a blind process. Photographer's names will only be disclosed to the curator after the curating process has been completed. The decision of the curator of the competition shall be final and binding.
11. Acknowledge and agree that winning images from past APA OFF THE CLOCK competitions are not eligible for submission and consideration in subsequent APA OFF THE CLOCK competitions.
12. Acknowledge that entrants retain full copyright to their images and grant no usage to APA other than those granted herein.
13. APA, APA LA, the Sponsors, or Venues showing an exhibition of winners shall not be liable for any loss or damage of any entry.
14. Acknowledge and agree that submission of an entry to the competition automatically constitutes the contestant's acceptance of all terms and conditions set forth in these rules. It also acknowledges and accepts the right of APA to use the photographer's likeness and information, as well as the winning images, in exhibitions and promotions, in any and all forms of print, electronic and digital media, related to APA LA OFF THE CLOCK Curated Exhibit for up to 24 months following the 2025 Competition winners announcement.
15. Acknowledge that the deadline for entries is March 31, 2025. Entry fees cannot be refunded, once submitted.
16. Acknowledge that winners will be announced on/or about June 2026.

About APA

About APA: American Photographic Artists (APA) is celebrating its 44th year as a leading national trade organization run by and for professional photographers. With a culture that promotes a spirit of mutual cooperation, sharing and support, APA offers outstanding benefits, educational programs and essential business resources to help its members achieve their professional and artistic goals. With chapters in Atlanta, Los Angeles, Chicago, New York, San Diego, San Francisco, Charlotte and Washington, DC, APA strives to improve the environment for photographic artists and clear the pathways to success in the industry. Recognized for its broad industry reach, APA continues to expand benefits for its members and works to champion the rights of photographers and image-makers worldwide.

https://la.apanational.org

About The Curator

Chris Pichler founded Nazraeli Press in Munich, Germany in 1989. In 1997, the press moved to the United States and in 2002 opened a subsidiary in the United Kingdom. Nazraeli Press has published over 700 books on the fine and applied arts with an emphasis on contemporary photography. The books are distributed throughout the world. Pichler edits and designs most of the books published by Nazraeli. He is known for his unorthodox use of common materials—such as papers, wood, plastic, metals—and for introducing elements of handiwork into otherwise mass-produced objects. The press’s award-winning books have themselves been the subject of exhibitions and books about books. In 2024, Pichler opened the Daido Moriyama Star Space at The Reef in downtown Los Angeles, and that same year co-founded La Sena Gallery in the same building.

nazraeli.com | Instagram

APA Los Angeles is honored and humbled that Chris Pichler will be joining us to curate OFF THE CLOCK 2026.

Questions? Please email director@apa-la.com.

Categories

• Personal Work