For the past six years, the ORMS x Canon Sea Point Promenade Photographic Exhibition Competition has brought fine art out of traditional galleries and onto Cape Town’s most iconic oceanfront strip. Now returning for its seventh edition, this celebrated open-air festival of visual storytelling is officially open for submissions, inviting South African photographers to showcase their work to thousands of daily visitors along the Atlantic shoreline.
A Legacy of Public Art along the Atlantic
What began as an ambitious local initiative has grown into a major cultural fixture. Over six consecutive exhibitions, the competition has reviewed tens of thousands of entries, highlighted 120 featured photographers, and awarded over half a million rand in total prizes. Past years have invited creators to explore themes spanning the full photographic spectrum—from wildlife and movement to macro focus, striking landscapes, and high-contrast black-and-white work.
The Theme: When Snapshot Becomes Art
This year, the competition takes a deep dive into creative vision with its latest theme: The Art of Photography.
At the core of this seventh edition is a central question: when does a simple snapshot elevate into art? While photography is frequently viewed as a tool for documenting reality, this contest challenges creators to step beyond mere recording. The initiative celebrates the exact moment a photographer steps fully into the role of artist—turning standard moments into entirely new visual narratives.
The judges are not looking for one specific subject. Entries can span portraiture, landscape, architectural, still-life, conceptual, or abstract work. Instead of rigid genre constraints, the panel is searching for intentionality. Entrants are encouraged to showcase a clear creative perspective through deliberate choices in light, composition, perspective, color, and timing. Whether evocative, story-driven, or abstract, the selected images will reveal how each artist distinctly perceives the world around them.
Over R100 000 in Prizes Up for Grabs
Beyond the prestige of public display, this year’s competition offers a total prize pool valued at R100 000, structured across three main tiers:
- 1st Prize (Valued at R65 000): Canon EOS R8 Body with an RF 28–70mm f/2.8 lens, plus a R10 000 ORMS Print Room voucher.
- 2nd Prize (Valued at R20 000): Canon EOS R50 Creator Kit, plus a R5 000 ORMS Print Room voucher.
- 3rd Prize (Valued at R15 000): Canon PowerShot V1, plus a R5 000 ORMS Print Room voucher.
From Digital Screens to an Open-Air Gallery
From the pool of nationwide entries, twenty final photographs will be selected to transition from digital screens to large-scale physical installations along the promenade. Together, these twenty pieces will create an accessible, outdoor gallery—transforming everyday oceanfront strolls into an immersive art experience for thousands of passersby. Local and national image-makers looking to share their vision with the public can submit their work directly through the official entry portal at https://gleam.io/pN7y6/orms-x-canon-the-art-of-photography
