This May blogTO will be presenting an official photo exhibit at the 2010 Contact Photography Festival and thanks to the support of Sony make.believe you have the opportunity to be a part of it. All you need to do is submit one or more photos to our photo contest between now and the end of March and cross your fingers that one of your photos will be among the 10 voted by readers and selected by our curatorial team as the ones best representing the theme of the contest (and the exhibit).

CONTEST THEME: 99 CENTS

Our contest and exhibit theme takes inspiration from what might just be the greatest ploy in the history of marketing. The odd pricing of 99 cents is as ubiquitous as it is effective. We see it everywhere, from $0.99 songs on iTunes to $329.99 sofas at Ikea. The psychological influence of 99 cents undoubtedly makes things seem more attainable (and cheaper) than they actually are. Well, so do photographs -- billboards, fashion models, athletes, beautiful landscapes. All of these present us with versions of reality that we crave, but are nevertheless very difficult (and sometimes impossible) to attain.

For this contest we invite you to submit your own photographs that relate to the theme of 99 cents. These could include an obvious representation of the theme with photos of items priced in this manner; or ones based on an interpretation that's not quite as literal.

SUBMISSION PROCESS

UPDATE (APRIL 1ST): THE SUBMISSION PERIOD IS NOW OVER. YOU CAN NOW VOTE FOR YOUR FAVOURITE PHOTOS HERE.

EXHIBIT DATES AND DETAILS

Location: Show & Tell Gallery
Dates: May 7th - 16th, 2010

Come to our launch party on May 7th from 7pm - midnight where all beer, wine and food will be priced at 99 cents. RSVP on our Facebook event page.

FAQS

1. How are the final 10 photos selected?

The top 5 vote getters will automatically be featured in the exhibit. The remaining 5 will be selected by a jury comprising of the blogTO editorial team, Show & Tell gallery and other select judges.

2. If my photo is selected, will I need to pay for printing?

Thanks to the support of Sony make.believe all costs of the exhibit will be covered including printing and framing of your photos. You will not be responsible for any costs associated with the exhibit or entering this contest.

3. Will the photos be for sale at the exhibit?

All printed and framed photos will be available for sale at the exhibit with proceeds going to the charity of your choice. The pricing of your photo will also be determined by you.

4. I have more questions!

Please email us at 99cents [at] blogto [dotcom]