What: The Call
This open call is for Soft Lightning Volume 3.
The theme is “Rural Queerness.”
Who: Photographers
Anyone who identifies as queer and engages in the theme may submit. The theme is broad and personal interpretation is welcome. Photographers selected will receive a free copy of the publication but are asked to pay shipping when pre-orders open. (Roughly, $5).
This issue will be edited and juried by Julie Rae Powers, creator of Soft Lightning Studio.
Learn more about them here:
Julie Rae Powers received their MFA in Photography from The Ohio State University and their BFA in Photography from James Madison University. Their photographic and written work has focused on family history, coal, Appalachia, the queer “female” gaze, the butch body, and queer chosen families. Their work is collected by the Institute for Research on Women and Gender at the University of Michigan, have been awarded the Ohio Arts Council Individual Excellence Award in 2016 and 2020 and was selected in Critical Mass’ Top 200 for 2021. Julie Rae is a part of “Y’all Means All: Queering Appalachian Voices” edited by Z. Zane McNeil. Soft Lightning Studio, an inclusive photo book publisher created and ran by Julie Rae published “The Home We Know” by Ben Willis which was featured in the Washington Post and is collected by the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Watson Library. Additionally, they are the author and editor of a forthcoming collection of Queer Appalachian photographers "Reclaimation: Queering Appalachia's Visual History" UPK '24 and a collection of personal essays "To Thine Own Self Be True" UPK '24. For their day job they work as an Instructional Designer.
How: Submit
The submission is free for everyone but a suggested donation of $5-$15 dollars is suggested to pay for creation of the zine, copies for contributors, etc.
To donate Venmo: @julieraepowers
Each photographer may submit up to 10 images.
Photographs should be labeled as follows:
LastName_FirstName01
300DPI
1000px on the shortest side
If images are not labeled properly they may not be considered.
By submitting you agree to using your image for the publication and social media use.
SUBMIT HERE: VOL 3 Submission Form
When: Deadline
Deadline to submit: December 1st, 2022
Notification of Selection: January 15th, 2023
Estimated Shipping Date: Mid February, 2023
All dates are estimates and are subject to change.
This issue wants to celebrate rural queerness of all kinds. It is particularly important to highlight rural queerness in contrast to the metronormative idea that queerness is only for city life. Queerness lives and thrives in all kinds of spaces, including rural life.
Part of the proceeds of the sale of this zine will go to support Eastern Kentucky Mutual Aid who is assisting in supporting families who were devastated by the floods that occurred in Eastern Kentucky in August 2022.