Something Like Joy: The Happiness That Catches You Off Guard. Online photography contest and exhibition. Submission Deadline: September 15, 2026. Notification: September 30, 2026. Exhibition Dates: October 7 – December 7, 2026. Juror: Aline Smithson. Awards: $1,000 Total Cash Awards. Entry Fee: $25 for up to 4 entries / $5 each additional entry. The Exhibition: 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.
