Downtown Long Beach is rich with picture-taking possibilities! From expansive ocean panoramas to moody urban city center portraits, from quaint and colorful Victorian-era wooden houses to amazing high-tech harbor contraptions, DTLB has endless opportunities for great photographs, and during the upcoming DTLB Unfiltered 2025 photo contest you’ll get the chance to share yours!
Photos submitted in seven distinct categories will be reviewed by a panel of local experts and past winners who will judge your work based on creativity, strong composition, and how well your image captures the timeless spirit of Downtown. Winners in each category will receive a $200 gift card redeemable at DTLB small businesses, and the Honorable Mentions, Runners-up, and First Place winners will all have their pictures displayed along the 1st Street Transit Gallery!
Here are the categories. For the first six, submitted photos must be taken between October 1 and October 31, 2025:
*People, Places, & Events 🎉🛍️🎶: Capture the heartbeat of Downtown with shots of small business activity, dynamic concerts and gatherings, and other lively happenings in the DTLB community.
*Architecture 🏛️🏙️: From Victorian homes in the Willmore District to East Village art deco treasures to imposing new high-rises on Ocean Boulevard, there are plenty of architectural subjects waiting for your photographer’s eye.
*Flora & Fauna 🌳🌸🐬: Downtown has an abundance of stately old trees, brilliant flowers, and stunning landscape work. Animal-wise, all you have to do is take a Downtown stroll during pre- and post-work dog walking time! Sharp-eyed shutterbugs might catch a shot of dolphins or seals in Rainbow Harbor. Your Flora & Fauna photo possibilities in DTLB are surprising and plentiful.
*City Nights 🌃✨🍸: A different energy goes to work after dark in Downtown! The lit-up skyline, glowing signage, and the vibrance of DTLB’s nightlife work together to create an artistic environment that’s rich in photo prospects.
*Skyline & Waterfront 🌆🌊🚤: In Downtown, the city meets the sea in such beautiful ways. The twinkling skyline reflected on the water is amazing, the harbor lights are dazzling, and the lights of distant boats with a sunset backdrop evoke our city’s seagoing connection to the rest of the world. Put your skills to work in this challenging category!
*Opposite of Ordinary 🔄⚖️🖼️: This category invites you to submit two side-by-side photos that capture two opposite-yet-complementary subjects in DTLB. You can really express your thoughtful and imaginative side! Click here and scroll down to see a couple of category examples.
In addition to these categories, there is one more, Outside the Frame, in which you can enter photos taken anytime between January 1 and September 30, 2025. This is your chance to depict DTLB as it evolves throughout the entire year!
To help get you motivated and connected for October photo safaris in Downtown, there is a series of DTLB Unfiltered Photo Walks, led by Travis (check out his work @happilybeardedafter), that are open to photographers of all levels.
Gear up for this exciting event with all its creativity, sightseeing, and socializing potential by clicking here. You’ll find category details, Photo Walk schedules, and, most importantly, the place to submit your photos. What a cool way to engage with Downtown Long Beach and your own artistry!