Hope in Action Photography Contest
Closed as of November 1st 2024
PROMPT: Can you take a photograph that encapsulates the essence of hope in action for yourself or others? Whether it’s capturing acts of kindness, grassroots activism, community engagement, symbols of hope, or inspiring leadership, your photo could ignite the spark of change and motivate others to contribute to a better world. You can enter the contest as many times as you would like!
Inspiration
We are all agents of change, capable of making a significant impact, even in the face of seemingly insurmountable challenges. While the world’s problems can feel overwhelmingly large, it’s important to remember that micro-goals and small acts of altruism play a crucial role in driving progress. Each kind gesture or minor achievement is a step towards a better world, reminding us that our collective small actions can lead to substantial positive change.
At its core, The Hope Circuit aims to activate hope by highlighting moments where individuals or communities take proactive steps to improve their surroundings or their own lives. This initiative is grounded in the understanding that seeing others succeed in making meaningful changes can significantly uplift our spirits and broaden our belief in the possible. The Hope Circuit seeks to foster a more hopeful perspective, encouraging participants to engage in actions that not only benefit themselves but also contribute positively to the world around them.
Leading up to the Hope Circuit, the “Hope in Action” primal photo contest serves as a visual testament to the transformative power of hope, linked intricately with the primal world belief, “Improvable”. This contest seeks to gather powerful images that visually narrate the journey of hope and human progress, encouraging a deeper reflection on how our primal views of the world can evolve towards optimism and action.
The primal “Improvable”— is the conviction that the world and its situations are responsive to our efforts to make them better, rather than being rigid and unresponsive. The belief that the world is improvable challenges us to see potential and opportunity for change everywhere. This photography contest seeks to capture images that embody this primal belief, showcasing moments or scenes where the possibility of improvement and positive change is evident. The winning photograph will not only inspire viewers but will also serve as a visual representation of the “Improvable” primal in educational materials, helping to spread awareness about how our core beliefs can influence our perspective and actions. As a speaker at the upcoming Hope Circuit conference, Dr. Clifton will further explore the profound impact primal beliefs have on our lives and our collective future.
Behind the Collaboration
Since May of 2021, SeeingHappy has been on a mission to showcase how even in the darkest times, there is still room for happiness and hope. Through thousands of photographs capturing these moments of joy, we’ve demonstrated that paying attention to the little things can ignite a spiral of optimism, fostering everyday happiness, resilience, and hope.
The Hope Circuit, an international event created by Arlen Solodkin at Instituto de Bienestar Integral, is designed to inspire a global shift from helplessness to hope through action. This immersive conference encourages engagement with leading thinkers across various domains, aiming to catalyze significant global impacts and promote optimism, imagination, and self-efficacy in everyday life.
The Primals Project at the University of Pennsylvania’s Positive Psychology Center plays a pivotal role in deepening our understanding of primal world beliefs, or “primals.” The project, led by Jer Clifton, is at the forefront of empirical research exploring the origins and psychological impacts of primals and is committed to disseminating crucial findings to the public.
Together, these initiatives—through visual art and scientific inquiry—aim to harness the collective power of imagery and research to inspire a hopeful, engaged, and flourishing global community.
Selection Criteria
The panel of judges will sift submissions against eligibility criteria (see below) and the following themes:
Technical skill: What are the technical qualities of the image, including clarity, lighting and framing?
Impact: Does the image capture the imagination of the viewer? Is it likely to inspire?
Communication: Does the photo and caption offer an opportunity to become more hopeful either through watching someone else doing something good for the world and humanity or it is a reflection of your own capacity to effect change or hope? Does your photo communicate to someone that seeing the world as improbable can contribute towards a more optimistic future?
Competition photos will be presented at the SeeingHappy & The Hope Circuit Exhibition from November 23rd-November 24th in Mexico City.
