Off The Clock 2026 Call for Entries - March 1st thru March 31st

Image by Kelly Fogel Off The Clock 2025 winner

APA LA OFF THE CLOCK 2026

CALL FOR ENTRIES OPENS: March 1, 2026

CALL FOR ENTRIES 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 Fee: $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. 

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

Ready to ENTER?  Here is what you need to know ...

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. 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.

UPLOAD GUIDELINES

• All files must be jpgs with a file size limit of 10mb.
• 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

PLEASE READ CONTEST RULES

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. apa-la.org

About The Curator:

Photo by Kharen Hill

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    @nazraeli.press

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

ENTER OFF THE CLOCK 2026

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

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