By Lesley Keays
Herald Columnist
Kathy Hull, Coordinator of the Sanford Historic Trust, is again managing its “Images of Sanford” Calendar Photography Contest, a juried competition depicting evocative views within Sanford city limits. The 2027 calendar theme is “This is Sanford.” Photo submissions must be received by July 15, 2026.
To quote singer Rod Stewart, every picture tells a story, don’t it?
In 2008, former longtime teacher Hull retired from education, relocating from Miami to the Sanford Historic District. “I very much enjoyed teaching, but I wrapped up my career at the right time,” recounts Hull.
Hull, an art enthusiast, soon joined Sanford Historic Trust and met local photographer Reg Garner, former President of Orlando Camera Club. Over time and through the Trust, they decided to create a twelve-month calendar reflecting images about town. Planning began in earnest in 2015.
“With his background, Reg quickly figured out how to fairly and successfully run the contest,” Hull states.
In 2016, Hull and Garner created their first Sanford calendar, highlighting homes in Sanford. The following year, they expanded the contest to include any photos of Sanford.
The calendar possesses a unique slant. The contest only accepts and publishes black and white photos; vivid, nostalgic reminders of bygone eras combined with glimpses of a future Sanford now in progress.
How does the contest unfold? “Photos come to me via contest rules. I number and file them with no identifying information, so when judges review the images, they are only looking at the subject matter,” Hull explains.
The juried panel consists of three judges, most of whom are local photographers. The panel can change judges every year.
“It’s important to note that the contest is open to everyone, of any age, from anywhere. Contestants do not need to be Sanford residents. They do not even need to be local. One of our former contestants lived in France, visited Sanford, took photos here, and submitted them to us from Europe,“ Hull shares.
Rarer still, the contest has no entry fee to submit a total of three photos maximum. Approximately 180 contestants participate each year.
Black and white .jpegs are the allowable submission format. Previous submission subjects include but are not limited to holiday photos, town events, and most frequently, Sanford Riverwalk.
“25% of contest submissions we receive are of the Riverwalk. Should contestants wish to submit photos of this area, I recommend sending in one Riverwalk photo and two non-Riverwalk ones,” Hull advises.
To help defray rising printing costs, the Calendar accepts sponsors of various levels. “We welcome- and always are grateful for- the gracious donations from our supporters,” noted Hull.
The thirteen contest winners will be feted at a “gallery opening” at Hollerbach’s German Restaurant on September 30th of this year, giving the public an early reveal of the 2027 images. Select photographs will be framed and exhibited by Sanford Historic Trust.
Thanks to sponsors and donors, roughly 2,000 copies of the 2027 Images of Sanford calendar will be printed mid-January of next year and are free to Sanford residents, businesses, and visitors.
“With the annual distribution of our photo calendar, my hope is that we assist in preserving the rich history of our unique city,” states Hull.
For more information, access https://sanfordhistorictrust.wildapricot.org/
