Public Health Photo & Video Contest
Welcome
Some call public health “the invisible shield” because it protects society in unseen ways to most. Photos and videos offer an opportunity to capture moments that shed light on the all-important work of public health and to document its essential nature.
Public health sustains life, puts community at its core, and fosters social equity. We embody the stories of our health, and images serve as a way to express those lived experiences. These expressions are critical at this moment.
The Hawai‘i Public Health Workforce Catalyst Lab wants to honor and celebrate the significance of public health through a photo/video competition because we love public health and because it matters, today and always!
Whether you want to document an understated social determinant of health, a service that changed the course of a community’s health, a current event, an instance that spoke volumes to a health issue that matters to you, or an every day reminder of public health in action, this photo/video competition is a way to capture that.
Competition Deadline: March 15, 2025 at 11:50 pm
Winners announced during National Public Health Week (April 7-13, 2025)
We will showcase select entries on our communication outlets during April
First, second, and third place prizes per submission category below
($250, $100, $50 Foodland or Longs Drugs gift cards!)
TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS FOR SUBMISSION
Photos
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Format and resolution: JPEG or PNG format with minimum resolution of at least 1500 pixels
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Labeling: Label each photo file with your name and competition category e.g. “1-photo_contest_JohnDoe”
Videos
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Format and resolution: MP4 or .MOV format with minimum resolution of at least 1080 pixels
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Labeling: Label each photo file with your name and competition category e.g. “Short_video_contest_JohnDoe”
Submission guidelines:
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Photo and video must be original, taken within Hawai’i and respect privacy and culture.
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By participating, you grant permission for your photo to be used in public health awareness campaigns.
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Persons captured in submissions must provide permissions for their photo to be taken and submitted to this contest.
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Photos may not be electronically altered through programs such as Photoshop or AI.
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Participants will retain ownership of their photograph. However the project PI and Co-I reserve the right to use submitted photographs and videos in materials with credit to the photographer/videographer.
Eligibility:
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Must live in Hawai‘i
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Must agree to the official rules and guidelines
Ethical guidelines:*
⚠️ Obtain verbal consent from the person or people you wish to depict before you take the photograph.
⚠️ If you are taking pictures of children, obtain the verbal consent from their parents or guardians; if they are not present to consent, do not take the photo.
⚠️ Be especially careful when taking pictures of people who are receiving health care — respect their privacy, follow the photography rules of their health care facility.
⚠️ Potential participants of photos should be informed in advance, how photos will be used. They can cancel their participation at any time and if photos were taken, they would need to be destroyed.
✅ Respect the person you are depicting and treat that person with dignity. Be sure to show them your image to ensure they are comfortable with it.
✅ Be mindful of whether or not you are representing the person accurately and/or the community accurately.
✅ Be mindful of your intent in taking the photograph (e.g., are you taking it to document a situation, raise public awareness, capture something beautiful, tell a story, etc.)
❌ Do not take pictures of people, including children, when they are unclothed out of respect for their privacy.
❌ Do not take pictures of people when they are unconscious because they cannot provide their consent.