photo challenge 05: home

  • home is...

    "What does "Home" look like to you?”

    Do you look back in time, searching…

    -for a sense-
    of belonging, safety, comfort, refuge?

    -for a physical place-
    a house, apartment, specific city?

    -for a connection-
    to a community, family or group of close friends?

    -for a symbol-
    of warmth, connection, memory?

    Or do you look forward, yearning…

    -for identity, fulfilment, love, peace?

    Our 5th photo challenge encourages you to simultaneously dive inward and look outward in search of ways to visualise a simple yet complex theme in unique ways.

  • challenge basics

    SUBMISSIONS
    Every artist can submit up to 10 images, either as a Photo Series or as single images for consideration.

    Your images can be Black & White, Color, selectively colored, or color-graded.
    -
    DEADLINE:
    submit by
    23:59 Feb 09, 2025
    -
    ELIGIBILITY
    -current students and alumni of ReFOCUS can submit images

    -alumni and active members of the Rough Cut & MakeShiftPhilly communities can submit images
    -
    FORMAT
    Remember, the “best camera is the one you have”, so you can submit images taken with mobile, digital or film cameras.
    -
    WINNERS
    announced
    17 FEB 2025

    SUBMISSION RULES

  • winners

    All recognized photographers will benefit from:

    MENTORSHIP
    -extended mentorship and special Master Classes hosted by your judge- HAILEY SADLER- National Geographic Explorer and Photojournalist

    EXHIBITION
    -all images will be included in our upcoming ReFOCUS European Month of Photography: Berlin exhibition (March 2025)

    FEATURED WORK
    all selected images will be featured

    -on our website, social media, and original podcast "Fractured”
    (YouTube/Spotify)

    EARN INCOME
    -ReFOCUS will help you sell your images by distributing in a limited series by “print to order” on our site, and at exhibitions.

    -ReFOCUS Designers will include your images in new graphic designs for merchandise on our online shop.

    SUBMIT PHOTOS

MEET Your judge:
haileY sadler

Hailey Sadler is a National Geographic Explorer, research fellow, and award-winning photojournalist based out of Washington, DC who has worked across the Middle East, Africa, Southeast Asia, and the U.S. 

Her work explores themes of trauma, memory, and identity through the psychological and emotional experiences of conflict and forced displacement. Hailey specializes in long-form, research-based projects but is also available for news assignments and commissions.

Hailey is also a cofounder of  The Home Collective, a global collaborative of academics, scientists, community leaders, and new generation storytellers  creating multidisciplinary research and visual projects exploring the intersection of home with geopolitical issues from conflict to climate. She also serves as a Global Fellow at the Geneva Centre for Security Policy.

Check out Hailey’s photojournalism on her site below, her work with The Home Collective, watch her special episode on our Fractured podcast, and follow her on Instagram- @haileycsadler

-DEADLINE-

23:59 09 feb 2025

pc: (in order)
Yasin Moradi,
Marianna Gudz,
Atifa Akbari,
Natalia Kudinova,
Nazanin Foroghi