Open Call #8 –

Ephemerality

• Open Call #8 – Ephemerality •

Guidelines

At the heart of Ephemere lies a fascination with the fleeting – the transient nature of life, beauty, and memory. Here in our eighth Open Call, we invite you to interpret "Everything is ephemeral." through the art of the photo essay. We seek compelling visual narratives, between 20 and 25 images, that explore this concept and capture life’s temporary moments, the passage of time, and the enduring power of impermanence in our world.
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Free Submissions:
- As with all our open calls, we provide a free option for everyone to take part.
- Free submissions will have an opportunity to be featured through Instagram Highlights and/or our Online Journal.
Paid Submissions:
- Paid submissions help fuel all our projects and support Ephemere's initiatives.
- These submissions will have a chance to be featured through Instagram Highlights and/or our Online Journal plus additional chances of being featured in an upcoming printed publication and group exhibition.
Paid Option A: $50
- Chance to be featured in the printed publication only
- Only 3 photo essays will be selected
- In the printed publication, around 10 images per photo essay will be included
- Selected photographers will have 5 free copies of the printed publication
Paid Option B: $100
- Chance to be featured in the printed publication (same as above)
- For the group exhibition, this fee includes (1) A2 or A1 sized photo print that best represents your series
Photo Essays Only:
This open call only accepts photo essays, which are visual narratives consisting of 20-25 images that convey a meaningful story. Images should be submitted in their proper sequence, in the order they are intended to be viewed.
Accepted Submissions:
- Black and white or color images.
- Digital or film photography.
- Previously published or new work.
Prohibited Submissions:
- Images with borders.
- Collages.
- Heavily edited images (basic adjustments are allowed).
- Watermarked images.
- Inappropriate or offensive content.
- AI-generated images.
Image Format:
- File Type: JPEG
- File Size: Maximum 20MB per image
- Image Size: Resize each individual image to 3000 pixels on the long side and set the resolution to 300 dpi. This ensures high quality when printed.
- Color Space: sRGB for color images, Grayscale for black and white photos.
Description:
File Naming:
- The first and last names you use in the "Name" field of the submission form must match the name you use in your file names.
- Strictly observe the following file naming convention:
  - FirstName_LastName_01.jpg, FirstName_LastName_02.jpg, FirstName_LastName_03.jpg, and so on.
- Failure to follow this convention may result in your submission being disqualified.
All photo essays will be reviewed by Anne Murayama, Curator & Publisher of Ephemere, based on the following:
1. Visual Storytelling Impact – effectiveness of the narrative.
2. Description Strength – clarity and power of accompanying text.
3. Emotional Resonance – ability to evoke feelings.
By submitting your images to Open Call #8, you retain full copyright and ownership of your work. Ephemere will always provide proper credit when using your images for the printed publication, online platforms, and marketing materials. Please note that images may be cropped to fit our templates or publication layout.
Submission Period: June 13th – July 13th, 2025
Announcement of Selected Photographers: August 2025
Publication Release: October 1st – 12th, 2025
*These are tentative and may be subject to change due to unforeseen circumstances in the publishing process.

Key Contributors

Anne Murayama

Curator, Publisher
Andrei Barbos

Assistant

REMINDER

Before submitting your work, please ensure that you have carefully read all the information outlined above. We recommend using the web version of the form (on your computer) instead of your phone to ensure you can view and complete all sections correctly. The deadline for submissions is July 13th, 2025, at 11:59 PM JST. Entries received after this will be automatically discarded.

NAME

This will appear on all online and printed materials. Please limit your name to a maximum of two words (e.g., first name and last name, or a two-word pseudonym). This helps us maintain consistency in our printed publications and ensures that all names are presented clearly.

First Name

Last Name

We review all submissions manually, so it may take up to 7 days for us to send an acknowledgment email. Please check your spam/junk folder if you don't see our reply in your inbox within this timeframe.

CITY, COUNTRY

Please provide the city and country where you are currently based or where you are originally from. This information may or may not be included in the publication. Please choose only one location.

INSTAGRAM

We will share Submission Highlights on Instagram and tag you when we feature your work. This does not guarantee inclusion in the publication or exhibition.

PORTFOLIO

If you'd like to be considered for a feature in our Online Journal, please provide a link to your online portfolio. We recommend using website or Google Drive folder links. We will not open file-sharing download links (such as WeTransfer).

http://

IMAGE SUBMISSIONS

Before uploading your image submissions, please ensure your images meet the Technical Guidelines outlined above. 1. Using your own Google Drive, create a new folder and name it "Ephemere_OpenCall-8_YourName". 2. Upload all your prepared image files to this folder. Make sure that the file names and naming convention are properly followed. IMPORTANT: Do not delete this folder, change the sharing permissions, or modify the uploaded images until the project is completed (including the publication of the book). We may need to access the original files again during the process, and any changes to the images will be visible in the upload history. 3. Share your Google Drive folder publicly by choosing the option "Anyone with the link can view". Then, copy the link and paste it in the field below. To double-check that the link is working, you can open an incognito window in your browser and paste the link there.

http://

TITLE & DESCRIPTION

While optional, we highly encourage you to provide titles and descriptions for each diptych you submit. Strong titles and descriptions can significantly enhance the impact of your work, provide valuable context for the curators, and strengthen your visual storytelling. Titles: If you choose to include titles, please use the format "Blank & Blank" (e.g., "Light & Shadow"). Descriptions: For each diptych, please provide a short description (1-3 sentences) that tells the story or concept behind the images. Note: Titles and descriptions may be included in the printed publication, so we highly recommend taking the time to craft them thoughtfully.

FEES

Select the tier you're submitting to:

Free Submission ($0)

Paid Submission Option A: Publication Only ($50)

Paid Submission Option B: Publication & Exhibition ($100)

PAYMENT

For Paid Submissions, settle your payment before completing this form. Copy the payment link below to your browser: 【 https://www.ephemere.tokyo/miscellaneous/p/open-call-8 】 Once your submission is confirmed, you will not be able to refund your payment.

I am submitting for free.

I confirm my payment and acknowledge the non-refund policy.

AGREEMENT

1. Copyright and Image Use: You grant Ephemere permission to use your images (with credit) across all media platforms, including our website, social media, and printed publications. You understand that your images may be cropped. 2. Disqualification: You acknowledge that Ephemere reserves the right to disqualify submissions that do not adhere to the guidelines, regardless of the submission tier (free or paid). 3. Project Changes: You understand and agree that Ephemere reserves the right to make changes to any aspect of this project if necessary, including but not limited to the guidelines.

I agree to all of the above.

FREE BOX

Any questions or messages for Ephemere?

Open Call #8 –

Ephemerality

•

Open Call #8 – Ephemerality • Open Call #8 – Ephemerality •

Guidelines

▪️ Overview

▪️ Submission Tiers

▪️ Technical Guidelines

▪️ Selection Critera

▪️ Copyright and Permissions

▪️ Timeline

Anne Murayama

Andrei Barbos

Submission Form

OC7

Special Open Call for Photography Books & Zines

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Open Call #8 – Ephemerality •