The Paula Riff Award 2026

The Paula Riff Award honors the legacy of Los Angeles-based artist Paula Riff, who specialized in camera-less photographic works using cyanotype and gum bichromate processes — her practice emphasized bold colors, form, and design, often abstract or drawn from the natural world. The award was created in 2021 by the Center for Photographic Art (Carmel, California) and Lenscratch as an annual prize.

The award celebrates artists whose work "reflects the artist's hand" — challenging conventional photography through lensless processes, historical or alternative photographic processes, or physical intervention such as cutting, sewing, layering, and collage. The criteria favor work where the photograph is materially altered or constructed rather than only captured.

The winner receives $1,000 in cash plus featured presentation on the Lenscratch website and the Center for Photographic Art website. The 2026 cycle includes potential inclusion in a group exhibition titled "Changing the Narrative: the First 5 Years of Paula Riff Award Winners," opening June 20 at CPA in Carmel.

The 2026 cycle is juried by Tarrah von Lintel, founder of Von Lintel Gallery in Los Angeles. There is no application fee. Submissions are made as a single PDF (5–10 images, image list with medium and process details, artist bio, and statement) via Dropbox. Open internationally to artists at any career stage. The 2026 deadline is June 1; results announced in July.