LENSCRATCH - Fine Art Photography Daily

The 2026 Fault Lines Exhibition by Aline SmithsonJuly 4, 2026

FaultLines_LawHamilton_Doll-123440 - Law Hamilton

FIRST PLACE WINNER ©Law Hamilton, Doll #123440, @law_hamilton

Happy Birthday 250th, America! Thanks to all who submitted and thank you to our jurors Norm Diamond and Marcy Palmer for selecting 50 images that speak to this moment in time. Law Hamilton (see above) received the top recognition.

Photography has always been a means of bearing witness, but in moments of profound social, political, and environmental change, its role becomes even more urgent. It is critical that we make work about this moment in time. We have a responsibility to document the complexities of the time we are living through not only to preserve history, but to help shape how it is remembered through evidence and testimony.

The juror’s statement: This 4th of July celebrates our county’s 250th birthday, however we find ourselves in a time of tension between people, political ideals, and government actions. In the last year and a half, governmental changes have spurred the American people to respond to issues such as ICE actions and immigration, civil rights, the concealment of the Epstein files, LGBTQ rights, reproductive rights, gun restrictions, climate change and repeals on environmental restrictions, defunding of social programs, and more. Lenscratch invited photographers to show us how they see our country at this point in history. “Fault Lines: America” aims to address this unusual time by representing various issues, voices, and visual approaches through photo-based imagery. We hope this exhibition inspires you to reflect on and exercise your rights as an American. Happy 4th of July!