Black Box Gallery - Black and White Photography Contest 2026
• Black Box Gallery
• Deadline: September 10th, 2026
• Category: B&W Photography
• Prize: Exhibition in Portland (USA) + Sales
• Entry Fees: Yes
• REGISTRATION: CLICK HERE
Black Box Gallery is excited to present a new juried group photography exhibition devoted to the rich visual language of black and white photography. For generations, photographers have turned to black and white to create images that are powerful, atmospheric, sophisticated, and emotionally resonant. The distinctive relationship between light and shadow, along with the emphasis on texture, detail, contrast, and form, gives black and white photography an expressive quality that continues to inspire artists today.
Black and white photography carries a unique combination of history and immediacy. Its aesthetic can recall the classic photographs of earlier generations while simultaneously providing contemporary artists with an open space for experimentation and innovation. Without color, the photographer's attention is directed toward the fundamental structure and emotional character of the image, allowing moments, subjects, and ideas to take on new visual meaning.
For this exhibition, Black Box Gallery is interested in photographs that explore this broad spectrum of possibilities. The gallery welcomes work that embraces traditional approaches as well as contemporary, unconventional, and experimental interpretations of the medium. Selected photographers may work across portraiture, documentary photography, landscapes, architecture, street photography, conceptual practices, abstraction, still life, or other photographic genres.
The exhibition will particularly celebrate diversity in photographic vision. Black Box Gallery is looking for compelling images and thoughtful ideas that demonstrate how photographers today are continuing the conversation surrounding the history and traditions of black and white photography. Whether through subtle tonal relationships, dramatic contrasts, unusual perspectives, intimate observations, or inventive techniques, artists are encouraged to present work that reflects their own distinctive voice.
Juror: Todd Johnson
Todd Johnson, founder and director of Black Box Gallery, will serve as juror for the exhibition. He received his MFA in Photography from the San Francisco Art Institute and has more than 25 years of experience working across photography, arts education, curation, and arts administration.
Johnson has reviewed photography portfolios for leading photography platforms and organizations, including Photolucida, Critical Mass, Dodho Magazine in Barcelona, and Blue Sky Gallery in Portland. His curatorial experience includes independent exhibitions at Linfield College, Gallery Homeland, Mile Post 5, The Waiting Room Gallery, 4X Gallery, and The Gorilla Art Gallery.
Alongside his curatorial and educational work, Johnson has maintained an active photographic practice. His work has been exhibited at numerous venues in Oregon, including the University of Oregon’s White Box Gallery, Marylhurst University’s The Art Gym, Pacific Northwest College of Art, Reed College, Linfield College, FalseFront Gallery, and Augen Gallery.
His photographic work has also been presented in national exhibitions at Bushwick Open Studios in Brooklyn, Carroll Square Gallery in Washington, DC, Hi Lo Gallery in Olympia, Washington, Davis and Cline Gallery in Ashland, Oregon, Midway Gallery in Bloomington, Illinois, and The Diego Rivera Gallery in San Francisco, California.
With his extensive background in contemporary photography and exhibition development, Johnson will bring a broad and experienced perspective to the selection process. Black Box Gallery looks forward to presenting an exhibition that honors the enduring traditions of black and white photography while showcasing the fresh perspectives and innovative approaches of today's photographers.