Did you take some great photographs this summer? As we head into the fall term, consider capturing those special moments for your submission to the fourth annual Detroit Mercy Photography Contest!
The Detroit Mercy Photography Contest is supported by the Office of Academic Affairs and the Center for Excellence in Teaching & Learning. This contest is open to all students enrolled in fall 2026, as well as UDM employees across all campuses.
Photography offers a mode of creative communication and a lens into the communities we inhabit and visit. Photographs can capture memorable moments and expressions, people, places and events. The Office of Academic Affairs and Center for Excellence in Teaching & Learning invite members of the Detroit Mercy community to submit digital photographs for consideration in this year’s contest.
Participants may submit one photograph per category. First-place winners in each category will receive a cash prize and an enlarged, mounted print of their winning photograph.
Be sure to visit the UDM photo contest page for contest rules, submission and release forms, and to view the previous winners. The deadline for submissions is Dec. 15.
Current categories for submissions include:
- Abstract/Conceptual: Images of unusual patterns, lighting or objects recognized for their design element (i.e., streaking light photos, mechanical structures, reflections in glass or metal, view from a strange angle). Images can be digitally enhanced or altered beyond the minor adjustments to create an entirely different photograph. All images must be produced by the photographer. The finished entry must still appear to be a photograph – not a drawing, illustration, painting or resemble other mixed media.
- People: Photos of people, alone or in a group. Such pictures may be candid, humorous, journalistic or interpretative portraits where an emphasis placed on the person, not the environment. The main focus should be people.*
- Nature/Scenic: Images or scenes of plant life, landscapes, seascapes, underwater, architectural and industrial scenes. Seasonal scenes which display a fundamental design or mood are also acceptable. The main focus should be nature/scenic.*
- Dusk to Dawn: Details the photographic imagery captured after the sun goes down. This includes but is not limited to starry skies, life under neon lights, streaking traffic lights, mother nature at night, scenic landscapes and cityscapes, film noir portraits, creative use of light and shadows.*
- Creatures: Images or scenes of animal life, wild creatures, insects, etc. (i.e., action shots of your pet, giraffes at the zoo, cows on a countryside, banana slugs in the forest). It may be a scenic environment, but the main focus should be the creature(s) or animal(s).*
*Accepted image enhancement in the People, Nature/Scenic, Dusk to Dawn, and Creatures categories must be limited to minor photo adjustments such as contrast, exposure, cropping, HDR, dodge and burn etc.
Call for judges: If you are interested in serving as a judge for the 2026 photo contest, please send an email expressing your interest to photocontest@udmercy.edu for consideration.
You may also direct any questions to photocontest@udmercy.edu.
View full contest details here.
