DEAR NEW YORK: A STUDENT photography SHOW IN GRAND CENTRAL

in partnership with The New York City Public Schools Arts Office

OPEN TO ALL ELEMENTARY, MIDDLE, AND HIGH SCHOOL, STUDENTS:

TAKE A PORTRAIT OF SOMEONE IN YOUR COMMUNITY WHO DESERVES TO BE HONORED. CHOOSE SOMEONE WHO HAS MADE A POSITIVE IMPACT IN YOUR COMMUNITY, OR IN YOUR LIFE. THIS COULD BE SOMEONE IN YOUR SCHOOL, YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD, OR YOUR FAMILY.

ALONG WITH YOUR PORTRAIT, SUBMIT A PARAGRAPH up to 300 WORDS, EXPLAINING THE IMPACT THIS PERSON HAS MADE IN YOUR LIFE and community.

Submissions written with Artificial Intelligence will not be considered. We want to hear your voice! For very young students, one or two sentences will be fine. Be sure to include the name of your honoree!

300 submissions will be chosen to be professionally framed and hung in a two-week art show in Grand Central Terminal. Selected photographers will have their framed portrait mailed back to them along with two $50 gift cards to a local independent bookstore- one for you, and one for the person you chose.

All submissions will be featured on dearnewyork.com in an online art gallery that will be constructed at the conclusion of the event.

GUIDELINES FOR WRITTEN STATEMENT:

When writing your statement, try answering one or more of these questions:

Why do you think this person deserves to be honored?
How would you describe this person to someone who’s never met them?
What difference have they made in your life?
What challenges, if any, have they have helped you through?
What is the most important thing they’ve taught you?

Tip: Often a story illustrates much better than a statement. Instead of just saying: ‘They are kind,’ tell a story that demonstrates their kindness.

Tips & Advice

The PORTRAIT

This can be a digital camera, a phone, or your parents phone. Submissions will not be judged by the quality of the camera. They will be judged by the artistry of the photo and what you write about the person you chose.

Use Whatever Camera You Have Available

Find the Best Light

The most important part of any photo is the light. A great photo can be taken with any camera if light is used correctly. The best time to take a photo is very early in the morning, or late in the afternoon, when the sun is low in the sky.

Work with the light, don’t fight it. Always put the light behind you (the photographer), not behind the person you’re photographing. This way their face is bright and clear instead of dark.

Cloudy days are great too! Sometimes it’s even easier to take a good photo on cloudy days, because the light is more even. But remember: it’s still important for the person to face the sun, even if it’s behind clouds. If you can’t see the sun, have the person face the brightest spot in the sky!

Tip: Make sure the background isn’t way brighter than they are.

Find The Best Spot

Keep it simple. Any sidewalk can be a great place to take a picture but try to choose a spot that does not have a lot of clutter in the background. (Cars, trash cans, signs).You want the focus to be on the person. If the background is too crowded or cluttered, the person will get lost! Parks also work well.

Find The Best Shot

Get close. Fill the frame with your subject. Don’t be afraid to cut out extra space. You don’t want to stand so far away that the subject feels small. Eye level. Hold the camera at the person’s eye level or shoot from below. If you shoot from above, the person might feel small. Composition is important: Take some time to think about how your subject is positioned in the frame. A well-taken portrait is just like a painting.

You may like it best if the subject is in the center of your picture. But many photographers use the Rule of Thirds.
The rule of thirds is a way of making photos more interesting by dividing the frame into nine equal sections with two vertical and two horizontal lines. If you place your subject along these lines—or better yet, at their intersections—your picture usually looks more balanced and eye-catching.

Take Lots of Shots. A lot of times the best pictures don’t come from planning perfectly. They come from trying many times and not being afraid to make mistakes. Try shooting from different angles. Step a little to the left or right. Move closer or farther away Try some center framed portraits. Try some using the rule of thirds. Try some close-ups, some mediums, some full body shots.

Getting a Natural Shot: Try to capture a real moment, not a fake smile. Your job is to help the person relax so their true personality shows—ask about their day, make a joke, or get them thinking about something they love. Often the best shots happen in between poses, when they’re laughing, talking, or just being themselves.

How to enter

If you heard about Dear New York from your art teacher, your art teacher will help submit your entry.

If you are not a public school student, but would like to enter: Email your statement, including your honoree’s full name, to submissions@dearnewyork.com. Along with your statement, please attach ONE VERTICAL PHOTOGRAPH, and ONE HORIZONTAL PHOTOGRAPH.

In the SUBJECT of the email please include your NAME, your GRADE, and the NAME OF YOUR SCHOOL.