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OPEN CALL FOR PHOTOGRAPHERS & WRITERS
TENDER PRESENCE
— a photo book project.
aiming to shape society.
An anthology about fatherhood. At the same time loving memory of and fierce call for soft and present fathers.
Fathers who hold their own emotions as well as their children’s.
Fathers who cry, care and comfort.
Fathers who share the load.
Fathers who are truly present with their children and families.
Tenderness as a legacy.
Softness as default.
Submit your work. Be part of the change.
“We don’t necessarily all need a father,
but we all need fathers to be
present and soft.
We all need fathers to be present and soft in order to be role models and safe havens for growth and free development. Fathers play a key role in the development towards an equal, feminist society in which men are also allowed to step out of narrow, predetermined role models and finally reconnect and relate to themselves and others.
For too long now we have been accustomed to and often suffered from the stern, unemotional patriarch who would mostly rule over instead of connecting to his children and protégés. Men who were mostly noticed for their absence or feared for their presence. Even today we find it difficult to define our roles and rights as mothers and fathers.
“Our collective memory is still
too full of often painful images.
Yet, there already are and always have been many who are living a caring and emotionally available version of fatherhood, of parenthood really. We as a society need to see them. As we are consciously and unconsciously shaped by the role models we were surrounded with, it is true what it often said: You can only become what you know and you know only what you see. It is therefore vital that we create a new collective image of fatherhood.
“You can only become what you know
and you know only what you see.
be part of the change
Let us create together a visual memory of fathers who are emotionally and physically available and present.
Let us make it loud and clear.
Let it be a call for more fathers to be tender and present.
Let us flood our minds and hearts with these images until they become our visiotype, our default rather than the exception.
who can submit?
Open to photographers and writers worldwide – professional, semi-professional or advanced enthusiasts
what to submit (photos)
* Up to 20 photos
(JPEG or TIFF, min. 300dpi)
* Short description of the project or of your meaning of fatherhood
* Short Bio
* Contact details and website/social media
* Optional: Indicate if the work has been previously published
* Subject line: “TENDER PRESENCE – Submission”
what to submit (words)
* A pdf with your essay/poem/etc. (written in english or accompanied by an english translation)
* Short description of the project or of your meaning of fatherhood
* Short Bio
* Contact details and website/social media
* Optional: Indicate if the work has been previously published
* Subject line: “TENDER PRESENCE – Submission”
about the project
Theme: Fatherhood, tenderness, emotional masculinity, care work
* Selected works will be published in a photo book
* Planned release: 2026
* Expected print run: 300–500 copies
* Print publication & book launch optional accompanied by exhibition
* Selected contributors receive a free copy
about the editor
Lua Ray is a photographer and mum to a son based in Berlin. She holds a deep passion for (photo)books and is currently studying in the photo editor’s class of Nadja Masri at the famous Ostkreuzschule für Fotografie.
She sees herself as a feminist and believes that art is always political.
legal note
Non-exclusive publication rights required for print & promotion.
By submitting your work you agree to the following right of usage free of charge:
-
your work may be printed and distributed in the final photobook
-
one of your images/excerpts of your text may be used for public relation purposes to promote the book as well as to pitch for potential funding
The copyright remains with the photographer/author and will always be referred to.
