Want Your Photo on a Billboard? VSCO Gives You a Chance

If you’ve ever wanted to see your photo on a billboard, now’s your chance. VSCO has started the initiative called The Fifty, selecting fifty photographers, one from every state. They’ll have their work licensed, compensated, and printed on billboards across the country. And it costs you nothing to submit.

VSCO frames it as recognition for photographers building careers outside the usual industry centers: “The Fifty is a nationwide recognition of photographers in the United States showing that you can make it right where you are,” the company writes in the press release. “At VSCO, we’re here to celebrate you, your craft, and your career.”

How You Can Submit

If you want to submit your work, there are three steps:

• Post your photos to VSCO with the hashtag #TheFifty, plus the hashtag of the state you’re in (e.g. #OHIO, #TEXAS, and so on).
• Add a short caption telling them about the image or series.
• Add your state to your VSCO bio – that’s how they’ll sort entries by state.

VSCO recommends adding 3-5 images, ideally a cohesive series rather than a scatter of unrelated shots. An important note: if there are identifiable people in your photos, have a signed model release ready.

It probably goes without saying, but you’ll need a VSCO account to enter. It’s free to set up if you don’t already have one.

As for the age limits, submissions are open to photographers 18 or older living in the US. And if you’re outside of the US (like I am), VSCO says other opportunities are on the way.

What They Want to See

There’s no fixed genre or subject. VSCO says that they’re looking for “work that invites people to stop, look closer, and see the world from your perspective.” So whatever that means for you – submit images that reflect it.

If you’re selected, you’ll be asked for a high-resolution version of your image suitable for large-format printing. And the billboard is just the start. As VSCO notes, selected work “may also be showcased through editorial features, curation, and licensing opportunities.”

[Related reading: Yes, you can make huge prints from smartphone photos]

Key Dates

You have until September 10, 2026 to submit your work. VSCO’s curation team will review every entry and notify selected photographers on a rolling basis, with winners also announced on VSCO’s blog. If this sounds interesting to you, head over to VSCO, log into your account (or make one), and start submitting.

[via PetaPixel, image credits: VSCO]

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