Richard and Ellen Sandor Photography Prize to Honor Excellence in Artistic Orchid Photography
SARASOTA, FL. | July 14, 2026 – Marie Selby Botanical Gardens will present its 46th Annual Juried Photographic Exhibition from August 27 through September 30, 2026.
This year’s exhibition will again be conducted virtually, with digital photos entered through an online portal and all accepted submissions displayed in an online gallery for the duration of the show. The open call for submissions will run from August 3 through 10. Awards will be announced online on August 27.
Additionally, this year’s contest will introduce the Richard and Ellen Sandor Photography Prize, a new $5,000 annual award presented as part of Selby Gardens’ Virtual Annual Juried Photographic Exhibition. The prize will honor a photograph that artistically captures the beauty of an orchid species from an aesthetic perspective. Winning images will be selected by a distinguished juried panel based on artistic merit, creativity, and visual impact.
“The Annual Juried Photo Exhibition is one of the most exciting opportunities to see Selby Gardens through the eyes of our community,” said Jennifer O. Rominiecki, President and CEO of Selby Gardens. “Year after year, our members and visitors amaze us with their creativity, capturing breathtaking moments and unique perspectives across both our Downtown Sarasota and Historic Spanish Point campuses. These photographs not only showcase the extraordinary beauty of our gardens and natural environments but also reflect the deep connections people form with these special places.”
Photographs that are entered for consideration for the show must have been taken at either of Selby Gardens’ campuses—Downtown Sarasota or Historic Spanish Point—within the past year. The five entry categories for 2026 are:
- Living Art – Express your creativity and artfully interpret nature through the play of light, color, and composition.
- Make a Splash – Showcase the scenic beauty of the aquatic environments at Selby Gardens’ two bayfront campuses.
- Plant Portraits – Capture the character of the plants that are the real stars of the show at Selby Gardens.
- The Birds and the Bees – Highlight the wonderful wildlife at the Downtown Sarasota and Historic Spanish Point campuses.
- Black and White – Convey the beauty of nature at Selby Gardens through the elegance of black-and-white photography.
A $5,000 photography prize will be awarded to the best representation of orchids in one of these categories.
Complete rules and requirements are available on the online photo submission portal. Entry fees will remain unchanged from 2025: Selby Gardens members – $30 for first entry, $10 for each additional entry (up to three total); non-Members – $45 for first entry, $15 for each additional entry (up to three total). To learn more about the photo contest and how to enter, go to selby.org. For further information, please contact: Exhibitions Team at exhibitions@selby.org.
Selby Gardens’ Virtual 46th Annual Photographic Exhibition is presented in partnership with the Observer Media Group.
# # #
About Marie Selby Botanical Gardens
Marie Selby Botanical Gardens provides 45 acres of bayfront sanctuaries connecting people with air plants of the world, native nature, and our regional history. Established by forward-thinking women of their time, Selby Gardens is composed of the 15-acre Downtown Sarasota campus and the 30-acre Historic Spanish Point campus in the Osprey area of Sarasota County, Florida. The Downtown Sarasota campus on Sarasota Bay is the only botanical garden in the world dedicated to the display and study of epiphytic orchids, bromeliads, gesneriads and ferns, and other tropical plants. There is a significant focus on botany, horticulture, education, historical preservation, and the environment. Selby Gardens’ Downtown Sarasota campus features the world’s first net positive energy botanical garden complex, generating more energy than it consumes. The Historic Spanish Point campus is located less than 10 miles south along Little Sarasota Bay. One of the largest preserves showcasing native Florida plants and active archaeology that is interpreted for and open to the public, it celebrates an archaeological record that encompasses approximately 5,000 years of Florida history. Marie Selby Botanical Gardens is a Smithsonian Affiliate and is also accredited by the American Alliance of Museums. Selby Gardens was named one of Time magazine’s “World’s Greatest Places 2024.”