Photographs of signs
That transcend their objectivity
To reveal our humanity
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is this?
Signs of Life is an ongoing community photography project. The intent is to photographically capture images of signs that somehow "reveal our humanity." It could be that the sign has a funny spelling or grammatical error, or possibly an alternate meaning. It could be that the very existence of the sign makes a comment on human nature.
2. What makes a good entry?
A good entry is more than just a picture of a sign. It is a combination of an interesting subject (the sign itself), a creative photograph, and an engaging description. Try to take an artistic approach to your photograph, and spend some time writing the description. It's not just about the signs, but how we relate to each other.
While each entry will be evaluated individually, it is worth noting that the focus of the project is not on advertisements. Rather, look for more "permanent" or "official" signs that "transcend their objectivity to reveal our humanity."
Also, there are some technical requirements - the image must be no bigger than 480x360 pixels (or 360x480) and the file size must be less than 60k.
3. How does it work?
Everyone is able to browse the gallery from the Home Page. When you submit a sign, it will not appear in the gallery until it has been approved by the moderator. If your entry gets approved, you will receive an email containing a bookmarkable "permalink" to your entry. You can send this link to your friends and reference it from your blog.
4. How do I submit my sign?
Fill out the form on the Submission Page.
5. Can I submit more than one?
Yes! This is an ongoing project and you are encouraged to continue to participate.
6. How do I contact Signs of Life?
Fill out the form on the Contact Page.
7. Do I give up my copyright when I submit an image to Signs of Life?
No! You retain all copyrights to your image. You are only giving Signs of Life permission to display your image on this website. I think the lawyers call it a "non-exclusive, non-transferable right to display the image" or something like that.
8. Why wasn't my entry approved?
Entries are rejected for a variety of reasons. Please don't take it personally. Review "What makes a good entry?" above and try again!