PDN 30 FAQ's

How do I confirm my images have been uploaded successfully?
After uploading, you will see thumbnails of your photos. THERE IS NO 'SUBMIT BUTTON' TO FINALIZE YOUR UPLOAD. Once your thumbnails are online, you are finished!

Can I continue to log in and make modifications up until the deadline?
Yes, you can upload and make changes to your questionnaire and photo submissions until the deadline of October 26 (Midnight PST).

Can I change the order of my uploaded photos?
Yes, you can drag and drop the photo thumbnails to change the order they appear.

Is the PDN 30 a contest?
No, it's not a contest. It's an editorial feature, and the 30 photographers are selected by PDN's editors.

How do I enter?
Photographers are either recommended to us by members of the photo community (photo editors, art buyers, gallery owners, other photographers, etc) or suggested by the PDN editors. After an initial review, some photographers are invited to submit samples of their work to be considered.

No one's recommended me, and the PDN editors don't know me. How do I submit my work?
Please send an email with a link to a web site where we can see your work and some information about how long you've been shooting, and a short bio describing your work experience to Amber Terranova.

I'm 31, does that mean I can't enter?
You can enter no matter what your age is. The only restriction for entering the PDN 30 is number of years of experience as a professional photographer.

I'm still assisting, or I just graduated from school. Can I be considered?
Yes, you can. Though most of the past PDN's 30s have experience shooting assignments or exhibiting in galleries, we have occasionally chosen exceptionally talented photographers who are just entering the freelance market.

How long does the judging process take?
The 30 will be selected and notified sometime around the third week of December.

What month is the issue published?
April.

How do I get my work to you?
The PDN 30 submissions are viewed online. Invitations to submit work for the PDN 30 are nontransferable and the PDN '30' website is locked. You may only submit work if we have registered you as a candidate.

Do you look at printed portfolios?
The PDN 30 submissions are viewed online. Invitations to submit work for the PDN 30 are nontransferable and the PDN '30' website is locked. You may only submit work if we have registered you as a candidate. In some cases, after you have been invited, and after we see your work online, we may call in your printed portfolio (however it is unlikely). If we do, you are responsible for the costs to ship your portfolio round trip. Your portfolio must arrive with a self addressed return Fed Ex slip, and Fed Ex box included. PDN is not responsible for any unsolicited portfolios or for any portfolios that do not arrive with a paid return slip. (DSL and Fed Ex ground are also acceptable). Please keep the top copies of your Fed Ex slips for your records and make note of the tracking numbers.

Do you accept portfolios on disk?
No, we will not view any work that arrives on CD or DVD. All images must be submitted to the official PDN 30 website.

Will you look at my website?
The PDN 30 submissions are viewed online. Invitations to submit work for the PDN 30 are nontransferable and the PDN '30' website is locked. You may only submit work if we have registered you as a candidate. However, your website is part of your overall presentation and we will view websites of the strongest candidates who have been invited and when we are interested in seeing more work.