Way back in 2014, at the suggestion of one of my blog readers, I submitted entries for the Iowa State Fair’s photography competition.
All my entries were rejected.
Tried again in 2015. More rejections.
I skipped 2016 – I didn’t feel like risking three rejections in a row.
Then, in 2017, I tried again. And this time, two of my entries made the cut – an infrared cemetery shot called Farrell, and a third-place silk for a floral perspective shot called What the Grasshopper Saw.
Okay. So I tried again in 2018.
And in 2018, I submitted a heritage image – my first-ever successful “splitfilm” entry, The AGFA Bridge Over Ansco Lake. And it took blue in its category.
There was no ribbon-winner in 2019, but three of my images made the Photography Salon wall. So that was nice.
There was no competition in 2020 due to COVID-19. But in 2021, I tried again. This time, three made the walls – and I pulled another “honorable mention” (for my drenched dandelion photo After the Rain) and a second place silk in the macro category (for my super-close-up of a baseball, High and Tight).
2022 was my best year to date; three images were accepted, while two of them – my infrared shot of the distressed Toll Gate Ice Cream parlor We Serve Wayward Strangers (second place) and my lunar eclipse time-lapse shot The View From Screven County (first place) claimed ribbons and prize money.
2023 had one picture with no silk, a sunset shot of the Saratoga, Corinth & Hudson Railroad.
Back up to three acceptances in 2024, with a second-place silk for an SC&H infrared shot, and an honorable mention for my macro capture of the mechanical movement of a lady’s wristwatch.
2025, however, was a wipeout. Four entries submitted, nothing accepted. Nuts.
So right now the score for my Iowa output – fifteen acceptances in twelve years, with two first-places, three second-places, one third-place, and a pair of honorable mentions for my efforts.
And all I need to do now is wait for the yellow postcard. Iowa sends their results of acceptance or rejection via postcard, and while everybody from Des Moines to Davenport to Council Bluffs to Ames have already received their postcards, apparently the post office takes a few extra days to get that postcard to New York. I blame Donald Trump for this. Just because.
For an update … these are my four entries for Iowa 2026.
I saw everybody else’s entries. The accepted entries. The “AWARD” stickers on the postcards. I cheer for them. The ones who received a “Sorry, you didn’t get in” checkmark. I give them support as well.
But now I want to know. What’s the results?
Where’s my postcard?!?
Yesterday, it finally arrived. A week to get from Des Moines to Albany.
I carefully take the card out of the mailbox.
I put a couple of ribbons on the back of the card and flip it over.
I carefully remove the ribbons.
Holding my breath.
And…
The results are …
Nothing.
Second consecutive year with no acceptances.
Ugh. Straight-up ugh.
And Competition Season 2026 starts with a big fat trip over my shoelaces.
Can I say ugh?
I flat-out failed again.
And in the back of my mind, I’m thinking … maybe my stuff isn’t good enough for Iowa any more. Maybe I’ve lost my photographic eye in this situation.
I mean, I’ve still got the other Competition Season steps this year, including adding Saratoga to my list.
But two years in a row at Iowa with nothing but return postage to show for it …
Yeah, I’m going to have to think about this for a while.
At least for another full year.
Again … UGH.
Chuck The Writer 
Sorry.
It’s hard (impossible) to figure what an entity will react to. The vinyl piece (my fave) has already gotten love this season (maybe the others too), and I’m betting these entries will get love elsewhere.
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that must be so disappointing, but the fact that they’ve been accepted before, off and on, tells you that you’ve got what it takes
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A mere blip on the radar screen.
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