Photography Contest

Photography Contest 2025

The New Brunswick Free Public Library presents its 18th Annual Photography Contest! (Haga clic aquí para español.) Photographs entered in the contest are currently on display at the New Brunswick Free Public Library; winning and select photos are on display at the Heldrich Hotel. The deadline for contest submissions was extended from May 2 to May 16, 2025. The contest submission form with complete details is available to download here. Professional photographers and library staff judged submissions, and the winners were announced at the exhibit’s opening reception on Friday, June 13, at 6:00 p.m. You can view the Presentation here, which shows the winners and all submitted photos. You can view photos of the Reception in this Flickr album. You may also view a video short created by one of our volunteers here! (You can find links to previous years' presentations and some Flickr albums of previous exhibit receptions at the bottom of this page.)

All photos will be on display in the library’s Carl T. Valenti Community Room from June 13th until July 14th, 2025. The winning and selected photos will also be exhibited from June 13th 10th to July 15th, 2025 at the Heldrich Hotel, located at 10 Livingston Ave, New Brunswick, NJ 08901. To view the photo exhibit at the library, please call 732-745-5108 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to make an appointment. To view photos at the Heldrich Hotel, please call 732-729-4670. The contest and related events are free and open to the public of all ages! Grant funding has been provided by the Middlesex County Board of County Commissioners through a grant award from the Middlesex County Cultural and Arts Trust Fund.

A big "Thank You!" to the Heldrich Hotel and New Brunswick Cultural Center for their collaboration, as well as to this year's prize sponsors:

Costa Chica Mexican Restaurant & Pizzeria
314 Handy St., New Brunswick, NJ 08901
Destination Dogs
101 Paterson St., New Brunswick, NJ 08901
Douglas Pizza
298 George St., New Brunswick, NJ 08901
Efe's Café
34 Easton Ave., New Brunswick, NJ 08901
Evelyn's Restaurant
45 Easton Ave., New Brunswick, NJ 08901
Fritz’s restaurant
115 Easton Ave., New Brunswick, NJ 08901
George Street Camera
344 George St., New Brunswick, NJ 08901
Hamilton BBQ and Restaurant
841 Hamilton St., Somerset, NJ 08873
Old Man Rafferty’s
106 Albany St., New Brunswick, NJ 08901
The Original Picken Chicken
228 George St., New Brunswick, NJ 08901
Scarlet 158 Restaurant
158 Louis St., New Brunswick, NJ 08901
Thomas Sweet New Brunswick
55 Easton Ave., New Brunswick, NJ 08901
Victoria's Tratta Italiano
94 Church St., New Brunswick, NJ 08901

Two photography workshops accompanied the contest. These workshops are now over, but their details follow, including links to Flickr albums of photos taken at the workshops:

Photography Workshop 1: Take Your Smartphone Photography to The Next Level, led by professional photographer Mason Resnick.
Wednesday, March 26th, 6:30 – 8:00 p.m. in the Carl T. Valenti Community Room.
What’s the best camera in the world? The one you have with you! Nowadays, nearly everyone has a smartphone with a feature-packed yet easy-to-use built-in digital camera. In this workshop, we’ll cover basic picture-taking tips to improve your composition, explore hidden features (especially on iPhones), and discover an amazing free app that lets you fine-tune your photos. Bring your fully charged phone and get ready for an adventure in seeing!
About the instructor: Mason Resnick is a Highland Park-based freelance photographer and photo restorer with over 40 years of experience in the photo industry. He spent much of his career as a writer and editor for Popular Photography and Modern Photography magazines.
~ View photos from this workshop here.

Photography Workshop 2: The Art of Seeing – Improving Your Photographic Vision, led by professional photographer Danielle Austen.
Wednesday, April 2nd, 6:30 – 8:00 p.m. in the Henry Guest House and via Zoom!
How do you see the world around you? Do you see what others see, or do you notice something different —uncovering what others might overlook? For photographers, one of the most rewarding challenges is discovering one’s own unique vision. To do this, we must learn to observe deeply, imagine freely, and express creatively. In Danielle’s presentation, she will delve into how exploring your surroundings through light, perspective, and design can reveal fresh viewpoints and enrich your artistic journey.
About the instructor: Danielle Austen is an award-winning professional fine art photographer from Hillsborough, NJ. She holds a BFA in Fine Arts from Cornell University and an MS in Communication Photography from the Newhouse School at Syracuse University. Her artistic endeavors include being chosen for seven Artist-in-Residency programs, six within the National Parks. Over her 25-year career, she has earned numerous awards in local, national, and international competitions. Her work has also been showcased in over four dozen national and international juried exhibitions and numerous group and solo exhibitions, notably at the Monmouth Museum. As an educator, Danielle offers classes, workshops, and private consultations and presents on various topics to photographic societies throughout the region.
~ View photos from this workshop here.

Feel free to call the library at 732-745-5108, and/or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with any questions.

"Grant funding has been provided by the Middlesex County Board of County Commissioners through a grant award from the Middlesex County Cultural and Arts Trust Fund."

Previous Photography Contest Presentations

You may view the presentations of previous submissions, including winners, with the following links:

Previous Photography Contest Reception Photos

You may view photos of previous years’ Receptions on our Flickr page. Here are links to a few recent albums: