Bliss Photo Contest
The Bliss Photo Contest serves to honor the memory of Professor Emeritus of English, Frank W. Bliss, Jr. Dr. Bliss was an avid photographer and faculty advisor to the Davidson College Photography Club for many years. In conjunction with his love of photography, Dr. Bliss was passionate about international travel and education.
To honor his memory, students are encouraged to enter the annual Bliss Photo Contest hosted by the Dean Rusk International Studies Program.
Originally established in 1999, the Dean Rusk International Studies Program supports the annual Bliss Photo Contest. The top 3 photos are featured at the Verna Miller Case Research and Creative Works Symposium; the overall winner receives the Bliss Award for Best Photography. Students in 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place as well as the four winners from Student’s Pick: Best per Category are awarded prizes. The contest begins accepting submissions in the spring of each academic year.
For more information, please see the contest eligibility, guidelines, and submission material requirements below.
Contest Information
The Bliss Photo Contest is open to all students who traveled abroad with or participated in the following Davidson grants and programs during Winter 2023 - Winter 2024* (this includes Winter 2023, Spring 2023, Summer 2023, Fall 2023, and Winter 2024).
- Dean Rusk Travel Grant
- Abernethy Grant
- Chaplain’s Office Grant
- Center for Civic Engagement
- Davidson Research Initiative (DRI) groups
- Department-led academic excursions
Students who studied abroad in credit-bearing OEA programs may participate in the Office of Education Abroad & Away’s annual photo contest in the fall of each academic year. If you participated in the 2023 OEAA Returnee Photo Contest, you must submit different photos to the 2024 Bliss Photo Contest.
If you have traveled abroad during Winter 2023 - Winter 2024 using multiple Davidson funded programs, you may still only submit ONE entry form.
*Winter 2023 - Winter 2024 accounts for travel anytime between December 2022 through January 2024.
Submissions will be accepted from Tuesday, January 23 at 9 a.m. to Sunday, February 25 at 11:59 p.m.
- All application materials must be submitted using the Google Form linked above by the application deadline.
- Only one photo per category will be accepted for the 2024 Bliss Photo Contest. Therefore, each student may submit a total of FOUR photos.
- Photo submissions must be labeled with the student’s name, title of the photo, and the category as the file name. For example, if the student’s name is 'Alex Smith’ and they are submitting a photo to the 'Movement and Transportation' category with the title “Motion Meets the Sea," the photo should be titled “AlexSmith_Movement&Transportation_Motion Meets the Sea.jpg.”
- Please submit ONE application. The Google Form allows you to submit one photo and its caption for each category that you'd like to enter.
Students may submit one photo per category. The categories are:
| The Natural World | Images capturing landscapes, landscapes, outdoor scenes, nature images, sunsets, urban landscapes, seascapes, cityscapes, etc. |
| The Human Dimension |
Portrayals of individuals in all walks of life. If you are submitting a photo with individual(s) who are recognizable, ensure that you have their expressed consent before submitting it in the photo contest. |
| Movement and Transportation | Images focused on modes of transportation (car, trains, airplanes, etc.) and individuals’ movements within them. |
| Food and Fun | Images capturing cultural foods as well as interesting activities and events. |
- The photo must be taken by the person that is submitting the photo to the contest.
- Photos may be edited to a reasonable degree (i.e., color, contrast, lighting, etc.) but drastic alterations (i.e., addition of individuals, removal of significant portions of the photo, etc.) are prohibited.
- Color, black and white, sepia, etc. photos are acceptable.
- All images must be 10 MB or lower.
- Photos should be high quality, meaning that the photo can be blown up to a larger size without pixelation of the image content. For the highest quality image, all images must have a resolution of at least 240 dpi; 300 dpi or higher is preferable. Photo submissions with a resolution under 240 dpi will not be considered. For guidance, better quality images are 1920x2400 px and highest quality images are 2400x3000 px.
- Photos are required to have been taken during the Davidson abroad experience specified within the time frame eligible for the 2024 Bliss Photo Contest of Winter 2023 through Winter 2024.
- If you are submitting a photo with individual(s) who are recognizable, ensure that you have their expressed consent before submitting it in the photo contest. All students must agree they have complied with the photography code of ethics.
- All submitted photos may be utilized by Davidson College and the Dean Rusk International Studies Program for various purposes (i.e., websites, publications, etc.).
- All winners will be announced at the Bliss Banquet in March to receive their award.
- If these guidelines are not followed, photos may be disqualified at the discretion of the Dean Rusk Office.
The top 3 winners will be decided by a panel of faculty and/or staff.
- The best overall photo per category will be decided by students.
- The top 3 winners will be displayed at the Verna Miller Case Research and Creative Works Symposium.
- The 1st place winner will receive the Bliss Award for Best Photography.
- The following prizes will be awarded for the winners of the Bliss Photo Contest:
- 1st place: Up to $100 worth of items purchased at your choice of Amazon, Davidson College Store, Apple Store, Best Buy, or Target
- 2nd place: Up to $75 worth of items purchased at your choice of Amazon, Davidson College Store, Apple Store, Best Buy, or Target
- 3rd place: Up to $50 worth of items purchased at your choice of Amazon, Davidson College Store, Apple Store, Best Buy, or Target
- Student's Pick: Best per Category Winners: Up to $25 worth of items purchased at your choice of Amazon, Davidson College Store, Apple Store, Best Buy, or Target
Although each student can submit up to 4 photos, they are only eligible to win one prize.
If you have any questions, please contact Dean Rusk Fellow, Alona Webb-Newton.