Texas Through Your Lens Project Details

Photography standards, judging criteria, and moderation and fine print

Photography Standards for Competitions

Photographs must be in digital format and submitted through the online form. No print or film submissions will be accepted; however, photographs do not need to be taken with a digital camera. Due to print and media display requirements, photography must be in landscape format (horizontal images) at least 1,600 pixels wide and 900 pixels tall at 300 dpi (or the highest possible resolution) in JPEG or TIFF format. Maximum file size is 10 megabytes.

Current Submission Details

The Texas Freedom Colonies Storyteller Project: This initiative aims to preserve the legacies of black settlements in Texas. Your family’s heritage is part of that legacy and you have invaluable objects at home that can help tell your family and community story. Multiple submissions are encouraged by submitting each photo as a separate entry. What makes a good image? Photographs of artifacts should be close and in focus on a plain background. Flat submissions such as newspaper clippings and photographs should be photographed without shadows or scanned if possible. Submissions of historical photographs that depict memories and stories of Texas freedom colonies may be submitted only if they are in the possession of the submitter and persons in the photograph younger than thirteen (13), are now over the age of thirteen (13). Historical photographs must be owned by the submitter and cannot be taken from an institution or archive. Submitters must be prepared to provide, within seven (7) calendar days of the Bullock Museum’s request, a signed release from all living persons who appear in the photograph authorizing the Bullock Museum to use the photograph in which they appear. Questions related to what constitutes a historical photograph can be directed to digitalmedia@thestoryoftexas.com. Submissions will be accepted from February 12, 2021 - November 28, 2021. 

Past Submission Details

Big Bend National Park: Original Big Bend National Park photographs were judged based on creativity and artistry, where the photograph was taken in the park (diversity of locations in the park), photograph quality, suitability for the exhibition Journey Into Big Bend, and how the photograph represented a unique aspect (for example, wildlife, vistas, plant life, people) of Big Bend National Park.

Moderation and Fine Print

Submissions will be moderated by Museum staff. By submitting your photograph to this project, the Bullock Texas State History Museum may exhibit your photograph for public view in the Museum galleries and on the Museum’s website. The Bullock Museum has the right to display, print, publish, broadcast, reproduce, distribute, manipulate, create derivative works, and use, in any form of media, your photograph with photography credits, and any other details submitted to the contest without compensation.

Submissions must be made by persons eighteen (18) years of age or older, and submissions may not contain images of or likenesses to persons younger than thirteen without explicit permission by a parent or legal guardian. Texas Through Your Lens participants must own the copyright of the submitted photograph(s). Photographs must be original and taken by the submitter. If a photograph contains any materials or elements that are not owned by the submitter and/or which are subject to the rights of third parties, the submitter is responsible for obtaining, prior to submission, all releases and consents necessary to permit the use of the photograph in Bullock Museum exhibitions and online. Submitters must be prepared to provide, within seven (7) calendar days of the Bullock Museum’s request, a signed release from all persons who appear in the photograph authorizing the Bullock Museum to use the photograph in which they appear. Please review the Bullock Museum’s website policies for more information.

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