Open Call #12, The Color of Noise, marks a deliberate departure from our previous monochrome project, plunging headfirst into the endless emotional frequencies of the visible spectrum. To fully explore this, we are exclusively seeking color photography for this volume.

For this volume, we are completely redefining the concept of "noise." We are not talking about digital grain, high ISOs, or technical flaws. We are talking about the psychological impact of color. This "noise" we are pertaining to is the visual frequency of a photograph—the way a specific palette hums, screams, or whispers in your memory long after you have looked away.

We want to see colors you can almost hear. A blinding light leak on a roll of film, an intensely pushed digital capture, a jarring clash of complementary tones, or even a hauntingly loud pastel—there is endless room to interpret this. Regardless of your medium, we want to see how you use color to strike a chord and create an unforgettable visual footprint.

By submitting to this call, your work is considered for three major opportunities:

1. The Group Publication

Submit your work for the chance to be featured in a highly specialized, intensely curated photobook. With around 10 successful group publications already under our belt, Ephemere is incredibly proud to bring this next physical vision to life. The final thickness of the book—and whether we feature a single image or a sequence of multiple images per selected artist—will dynamically depend on the volume of submissions, the narrative flow, and the total funds raised. However, every selected artist is guaranteed a dedicated feature! Design-wise, we are building a uniquely elongated, claustrophobic layout to trap your visual static and force it right to the edges... but the rest of the book's physical details will remain a carefully guarded surprise!

2. The Book Launch

The publication will be officially launched and showcased during our Spring Event in Kyoto, Japan, in the first week of May 2026! We warmly welcome selected artists to join us in person for this milestone. (More details to be revealed in mid-April).

3. Global Exposure

Standout submissions may be highlighted on our Instagram feed and Online Journal during and after the open call. Post-launch, the book becomes a permanent part of our online catalog and will travel with our group publications to international photobook festivals and art fairs.

At Ephemere, we strive to maintain a healthy balance of free opportunities and funded projects. While we are currently running two major 100% free opportunities (our Photobook Grant and our Printed Journal, both ending March 31), this highly specialized Spring release operates entirely as a community production fund. Therefore, Open Call #12 is a Paid-Only submission.

Up to 5 Images: $25 USD Flat Fee

📌 Payment Link

— The Production Fund —

First and foremost, by investing in a submission fee, you cease to be just an entrant and become a vital Contributor. 100% of your submission fee directly fuels the complete lifecycle of this project—from curation and management to design, printing, and the photobook launch. As an independent publisher, we scale our projects based on community support—meaning the total funds raised will directly influence the final page count, the scale of the production, and the physical quality of the book in Japan.

— Curatorial Options —

By submitting up to 5 images, you provide the curator with options. Sometimes, an image is selected not just because it is the loudest, but because it perfectly connects the visual sequence of the book. A larger submission gives us the best opportunity to find that fit.

— The Contributor Discount —

As a thank you for your vital support in bringing this project to life, ALL submitters (whether selected or not) will receive a guaranteed 25% one-time discount code valid for any item in the Ephemere online shop. (※ Discount codes will be distributed via email after the review period.)

— Multiple Submissions —

You are more than welcome to submit as many times as you like! If you have more than 5 images you'd like us to consider, simply process a new $25 entry fee and fill out a new form for each additional batch.

The Color of Noise will be curated on a rolling basis by Ephemere Founder and Director, Anne Murayama, with assistance from Sarah Mae Bombay.

As a photographer, Anne has spent over a decade shooting almost exclusively in black and white—not out of a distaste for color, but out of a profound respect for a visual language she feels she cannot naturally speak. Yet, as a curator, this personal boundary translates into a deep, magnetic admiration for color photography. She is drawn to vivid, unapologetic palettes precisely because she cannot mimic them. After immersing Ephemere in the monochrome world of the Anarchy trilogy, her curatorial eyes are incredibly fresh and absolutely hungry for the loud, chaotic colors she loves but cannot create.

We are looking for images with an undeniable frequency:

1. The Calming Chaos of Color

We want to see how you wield the spectrum. Whether you use soothing analogous tones that hum with a quiet intensity, or opposing, complementary colors that clash and demand attention, the color itself must be the driving voice of the image.

2. The Lingering Resonance

We are not looking for a messy, disorganized visual overload; we are looking for the masterful balance of that intensity. An image should be so visually compelling that it reverberates in the viewer's head. The "noise" is the unforgettable, lingering echo the image leaves behind.

3. The Unseen Narrative:

A vivid image still needs a soul. Beyond the visual impact of the palette, what is the story? We are looking for work where the background narrative—the tension, the context, and the things we don't immediately see—anchors the color with real emotional weight.

📌 Because we are aiming for a concentrated Spring production schedule, high-resolution files are required at the time of submission. We will not have time to request them later.

— Specs: CMYK color profile preferred. PNG, TIFF, or High-Quality JPEG. Minimum 3000px on the longest edge, 300 dpi.

— Naming: Files must be named FirstName_LastName_##.tif (e.g., Jane_Doe_01.tif).

— Post-Processing & Print Safety: Edits to heighten saturation, contrast, and grain are absolutely allowed and encouraged. However, please ensure your final exported file remains high-quality enough for professional physical printing. Pushing an image too far can result in unintentional digital banding or file corruption that makes it unusable for print. The core photographic integrity must hold up.

— Prohibited: Strictly no black and white photography. No watermarks, borders, or signatures. No AI-generated content or heavy composite manipulation.

— Open Call Duration: March 1 to March 22, 2026 (23:59 JST)

— Selected Artists’ Announcement: First or second week of April 2026

— Publication Launch in Kyoto, Japan: First week of May 2026

Note: Detailed venue and event information to be revealed in mid-April. Selected artists are highly encouraged to attend!

By submitting to this Open Call, you acknowledge and agree to the following:

1. Copyright, Publication & Usage Rights

You retain full copyright of your work. By submitting, you grant Ephemere non-exclusive permission to use, print, and display your images (with proper credit) across all media platforms, including the website, social media, and the printed publication. Additionally, you understand that images may be cropped or adjusted slightly to fit online templates or the uniquely elongated layout of the book to ensure visual cohesion.

2. Fees & Notifications

You acknowledge that all submission fees act as a production fund to cover immediate design and printing costs, and are therefore non-refundable regardless of selection status. All submitters will be contacted via email regarding their status after the review period, and the selected artists will be publicly announced via social media and the newsletter.

3. Compliance & Project Changes

Ephemere reserves the right to disqualify submissions that do not adhere to the guidelines (e.g., incorrect naming, watermarks, AI content, poor print resolution) without notice. Furthermore, Ephemere reserves the right to make changes to any aspect of this project, including the timeline or launch details, if necessary due to unforeseen circumstances.