imagined

A Smith Gallery is a Texas Hill Country photography gallery in Johnson City, Texas (P.O. Box 175, Johnson City, TX 78636). "imagined" is the gallery's themed call exploring the imaginative — work described as visionary, poetic, fanciful, capricious, curious, dreamlike, fictional, fairy-tale, illusory, mythical, or make-believe.

Up to 47 images are selected for the online exhibition; 27 of those are featured in a hardbound exhibition book. The exhibition runs June 19 through July 30, 2026, with online presentation across the gallery's social media plus a recorded Gallery Talk discussion by the directors.

The juror is Susan Burnstine, a fine art and commercial photographer known for building homemade cameras and lenses — her practice itself sits in the imaginative register the call invites.

Awards: the Juror's Award includes a solo online exhibition, hardbound book, and blog feature. The Directors' Award includes a hardbound book and blog feature. The Visitors' Award is $100 cash for the most Instagram likes during the exhibition. Photographers submitting 13 or more images receive a complimentary 30-minute portfolio review.

Selected work is included in the online store with sales facilitated by the gallery. Eligibility is open globally to professional and amateur photographers in all mediums and styles. Prior A Smith Gallery competition work is ineligible. AI-generated images are not currently accepted. Entry fee is $40 for the first 5 images, $5 per additional image, with no submission limit. The 2026 deadline is May 25; results announced June 5.