Roselyn Schneider Eisner Prizes in Photo-Imaging

Established in 1963

Previous Winners

Description. The Eisner Prizes in Photo-Imaging contest is open to all UC Berkeley graduates and undergraduates of any major. For complete information read the Eisner Photo-Imaging Prize Rules.

Prize Amounts. Awards of at least $2,000 are granted at the judges' discretion. Federal financial aid regulations require that all awards received by a student cannot exceed their financial need as determined by a congressional formula. It is possible, therefore, that the cash award for a prize could reduce some component of a needy student’s package of financial aid awards. In these cases, the Financial Aid and Scholarships Office attempts first to reduce loan or work aid; fellowships, grants, or scholarships are only reduced as a last resort.

Deadline. Photographs must be hand-delivered by the photographer to the Prizes Office, 210-A Sproul Hall, no later than Friday, February 22, 2013 at 4 p.m. The photographer's name must not appear on the entry. After winners are announced, all photographs must be picked up by mid-May.

History of the Prize. In 1963, Samuel Marks established an endowment of $250,000 for the advancement of the arts on the Berkeley campus, in memory of his stepdaughter, Roselyn Schneider Eisner, an artist and sculptor. The Chancellor's Advisory Committee on the Arts recommended the money be used to establish prizes in each of the Creative Arts.

Eisner Photo-Imaging Prize Rules

  • You may submit 1 to 3 black-and-white or color images. Submissions must be anonymous. On the back of the images, include a label with the last four digits of your student ID number and the total number of photographic images you're entering (e.g., "1 of 3," "2 of 3," "3 of 3").
  • To be eligible, you need to be enrolled full-time in a degree-granting program for at least one regular semester of the academic year (not including Summer Sessions). Filing for a degree does not constitute enrollment for that academic year. Visiting students are not eligible to apply for prizes.
  • Each submission must adhere to the following criteria:
    • Only prints may be submitted; no slides or mixed media.
    • The minimum print size is 4" x 5" and the maximum is 16" x 20."
    • Images may be mounted and/or matted, but not in frames or contain glass.
    • Images may be produced by either "wet" (using chemical solutions) or "dry" (using a computer) methods.
    • Images must be submitted together in a single protective envelope or portfolio. (Note: winning photos must be matted by the student prior to display in Wurster Hall.)
  • Please download and complete the UC Berkeley Prizes and Honors Office Form and submit it in person along with your entry to 210-A Sproul Hall. You will need to show a Cal photo ID card when you submit your entry.
  • Non-winning entries will be held for pickup at the Prizes Office until mid-May.
  • Advice from a former Eisner judge:
    • I would strongly suggest that applicants for the prize submit three images. This helps the judge to appreciate the multi-dimensionality of a photographer.
    • Submit work that has some degree of originality. Do not waste your time with touristic shots.
    • Select work that shows a special or intimate relationship between yourself and the subject within the photo.
    • Select work that demonstrates your sensibility to light and that pays attention to graphic or design principles.
    • The larger the images, the better. All images read best if they have window mattes. This also provides added protection for the photographs. Window mattes are not a necessity, but a backing of some sort will help with the exhibition of your work and the review of your work by the judge.
    • Carefully consider photographic print quality. The judge's decisions are affected by poor-quality images with improper color balance, or by black-and-white images that do not have a decisive tonal range.
    • Remember that you are competing for a prize of $2,000. If you are serious about this competition, ensure that your images are of the highest technical quality and are matted if necessary.
    • If you would like to learn more about photography at UC Berkeley, check out the Berkeley Art Studio where they offer a series of short courses. The Department of Architecture in the College of Environmental Design offers visual studies courses, including courses in photography, for credit each term.

Previous Winners

2011-12: 45 entries; Kari Orvik and Felipe Jose Chacon Varon ($2,000 each)

2010-11: 49 entries; Auden Bui and Mu-Ping Cheng ($2,000 each); Honorable Mentions: Ivan Nicholas Cisneros and Celsa Dockstader

2009-10: 45 entries; Michelle Arevalo-Carpenter and Aravind Unni ($2,000 each); Honorable Mention: Lila Taff

2008-09: 48 entries; Lila Taff and Lauren Rudser ($2,000 each); Honorable Mentions: Jonathan Gerken and Jordan Joel Pennock

2007-08: 52 entries; Stefan Al and Lauren Rudser ($2,000 each); Honorable Mentions: Michael Zhang and Tollef Biggs

2006-07: Michelle Tung ($2,000), Andrew Moisey ($2,000); Honorable Mentions: Cindy Park and Yilin Lu

2005-06: Jelani Mahiri ($2,000), Andrew Moisey ($2,000): Honorable Mentions: Soen Suwannukul and Camilo Salazar Prince

2004-05: Anthony Vizzari and Cindy Solis ($2,000 each); Honorable Mention: Huy Ngaou

2003-04: Anthony R. Vizzari and Aditya Dhawan ($2,000 each); Honorable Mention: Keeli Shaw

2002-03: Kasper Koczab and Marcus Hanschen ($2,000 each); Honorable Mention: Cody Williams

2001-02: Stephen Blake Farrington, Desiree Arlette Holman ($2,000 each)

2000-01: Susanna Hays and Peter Lemieux ($2,000 each); Honorable Mentions: Frances Chen and Lydia Danillen

1999-00: 132 entries; Paul Oprescu and Jason D. Young ($1,400 each); Honorable Mention: Bradley Weinrieb

1998-99: 156 entries; R. Corwin Hankins and Maria Moreno ($1,400 each); Honorable Mention: Eric Olsen

1997-98: 105 entries; Kari Files and Tatsuya Kawashima ($1,400 each); Honorable Mentions: Mary Jane Dean and Clarence Lin