Summer is bold. It doesn’t ease in – it shows up in saturated reds and electric blues, in the sharp contrast of shade and light, in colors you can almost feel. This season, we’re challenging you to see summer through the lens of color itself. Find the primaries blazing in plain sight, hunt down the complementary pairs that make your eye snap to attention, or strip it all away and let form and light do the talking.
Whether your subject is natural or constructed, candid or composed, taken on digital or film – if color (or the absence of it) is the story, we want to see it. Ready to show us your summer? Submit your most creative images for a chance to win in Chroma, our 2026 summer photo contest!
This contest is just a little bit different – we’ve got three categories this time, meaning there’s three times the chances of winning! Three winners will be selected from each category, and participants can enter up to three images per category. If your image fits more than one category, feel free to enter it in both. If you do choose to enter more than one category, please note that you can only place in one—we want to make sure more photographers have the chance to shine!
Categories & Submission Limits:
You may submit up to three photos per category – up to nine images total across all three categories.
Primary Colors
Red, yellow, and blue. Your photo can spotlight one, two, or all three. Bold, graphic, organic – wherever you find them!
Complementary Pairs
Red + green, blue + orange, yellow + purple. The pairings that pop. Find them in the wild or set the scene yourself!
Black & White
No color, no problem. This one’s all about contrast, texture, light, and shadow!
Enter up to three of your best photographs per category for your chance to win a National Camera prize package:
Grand Prize – $100 NCE gift card + Photofinishing Prize Pack
Second Place – $50 NCE gift card + Photofinishing Prize Pack
Third Place – $25 NCE gift card + Photofinishing Prize Pack
(Each Photofinishing Prize Pack includes vouchers for one free 8×10 metal print and 50 free 4×6 prints.)
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Contest ends Sunday, August 23, 2026, at 11:59pm Central Time.
Photos must be taken during 2024-2026, be at least 1500×2100 and no larger than 10MB. There is a limit of three (3) images per person per category, and photos with watermarks will not be considered. Photofinishing Prize Packs include vouchers for a free 8×10 metal print and 50 free 4×6/4×4 prints. Winners will be announced the following week via our social media channels, and we will reach out to each winner via the email submitted in the form below.
Please read before submitting your entry: Registration and submissions are accepted via National Camera Exchange’s website. Nine (9) winners in total (three for each category) will be selected by representatives of National Camera Exchange. Images will be judged on basic photography principles, including composition and focus. Our Photo Experts will also be looking at the uniqueness of the subject/image, so try to think creatively to help your image stand out! Odds of winning will vary based on the number of eligible entries received. Participants must be residents of Minnesota, Wisconsin, or Iowa. No cash redemption or substitution of prizes is permitted. If you are unable to upload your images using the form above, please email your images to contests@natcam.com.
National Camera Exchange is not responsible for any lost, misdirected, or damaged entries, computer errors, glitches, or acts of nature. Due to uncontrollable circumstances and computer errors, this contest may end at any time. If there are not enough submissions, the contest may be cancelled. By entering this contest, and completing the form, you acknowledge that you have a signed consent(s) from every person(s) shown in the photo submission. Your children are the only exception to this rule.
All winners may be displayed on our social media sites, website, and/or in-store. By completing the online form, you agree to hold National Camera Exchange harmless against all liability for any injury suffered from contest participation. Furthermore, you give consent to have ANY of the photos submitted for this contest (even if your photo does not place in the finalists) to be used by National Camera Exchange for marketing and advertising materials, including display of winners on National Camera Exchange’s website, social media and/or for future contests, promotions and advertising. There will be no compensation aside from the prizes given to the winning entries. This consent may be cancelled in writing at any time. The completion of this form signifies your acceptance of this consent.
