General submission questions
What are the technical conditions a photo must meet to be considered?
In order for a photo to be considered by the editors it must meet the following criteria:
1. The longer edge of the photo must be at least 1500px long (1500x1500px square, 800x1500px portrait or a 1500x500px panorama are all examples acceptable formats)
2. The photo must have at least 72 dpi of resolution
3. The file name of every photo must contain its name as well as the name of the author (e.g. john-doe_colours-of-the-autumn.jpg)
4. The photo must NOT be watermarked
5. The photo must NOT include a frame
6. The photo must be submitted as a .JPG file
What happens if a photo doesn’t meet some of these criteria?
Due to heavy interest for publication in BLUR, our submission systems are automated. This means our server will automatically disqualify any photo that doesn’t meet these guidelines. If the photo is too small (longer edge smaller than 1500px), the editors will not even get to see your photo to override the automated system decisions, so please make sure you follow these guidelines correctly.
Will you warn me if my photo doesn’t meet your requirements?
No. We’ve taken great care to inform all interested authors regarding all the specifics related to our submission process, through this FAQ, through the submission webpage and e-mail confirmation messages after submission. We do not send personalized replies to authors who failed to understand these instructions, as there are simply too many photos going through our servers every day and we need to rely on automation in order to be able to manage this workload and keep up with the high quality of the selection process that makes BLUR what it is and why you like it.
Some people do find this approach cold or rude, although we sincerely don’t mean it that way at all. Please understand we’re read in, and receive submissions from, over 200 countries worldwide. As a volunteer project, we’re unable (and, honestly, unwilling) to set up a communication center just to inform people about things that are already clearly explained on our website. Thanks for understanding! 
Will you notify me if my photo is not selected for publication?
No. BLUR magazine’s editorial team is not obliged to reply or justify its decision to publish or not publish any photo or project. We only notify authors that are selected for publication, and we send out any material to the photographer for written authorization before we publish an issue.
How many photos can I submit to BLUR for consideration?
Our photo submissions forms are limited to two photos per author per issue. You can send in more photos by re-submitting the form, but they will probably be disregarded. If you send too many submissions in a short period of time, our server will automatically blacklist your IP address and disable your submissions for a month. So please don’t do that.
How can I be sure you’ve received my submission?
The submission form will show you a summary of your submission if everything went according to plan. You’ll also receive an automated e-mail confirmation if our server has your files saved and categorized. Make sure you use your real e-mail address and that it’s typed in correctly in order to ensure you get your feedback.
My photos were published in other magazines: why won’t you publish them?
We respect the decisions other magazines take when selecting photos for their publications, however we have our own editorial policy that might differ from the rest of the industry. BLUR magazine is dedicated to art photography. For that reason, even photos that are technically perfect do not necessarily fit into BLUR magazine’s identity. This does not automatically mean we deem your photography sub-par or bad. We might simply feel it’s out of place in BLUR at a given time.
Why didn’t you publish my photo, and why didn’t you tell me that it won’t be published?
BLUR magazine’s editorial team is not obliged to reply or justify its decision to publish or not publish any photo or project. We only notify authors that are selected for publication, and we send out any material to the photographer for written authorization before we publish an issue. Please read this related FAQ question for more details.
If you like my photo, when can I expect it to be published?
Due to translation, proofreading, and editing tasks, the editorial team tries to get as much of the material as possible well in advance. Therefore, there is no fixed time limit within which a certain photo will be published. For example, a particular photo might be a better thematic fit in a future issue. You’ll receive a notification in due time.
I’ve been published in a previous issue, but I have sent you more photos which you have not published yet. Why?
BLUR magazine attempts to publish the work of as many photographers with quality work as possible. If a particular artist really stands out, we try to present them through an interview, project, or in some other way. In any case, we always try to keep a period of time between repeated appearances by the same photographers. Therefore, there is no need to send us new photos for each new issue.
What if I wish to submit a project, but don’t have a website about it? Can I upload photos like for Gallery 36?
Project submissions usually involve authors that have published them on websites, and we don’t accept direct file uploads for projects due to server strain (lots of photos per project, with lots of projects submitted, requires infrastructure BLUR cannot yet afford; Gallery 36 submissions are the most we can handle at this point). If you don’t have a website describing your project, you can send us photos via Dropbox, Google Drive, Box, MediaFire, Wikisend, or any similar file sharing solution, by creating a download/share link and pasting it into the website URL field or the Description field of your project submission.
