Administered by the Maryland Mortgage Bankers & Brokers Association, presented as part of the 2026 Recharge Baltimore Housing Summit.
Administered by the Maryland Mortgage Bankers & Brokers Association, presented as part of the 2026 Recharge Baltimore Housing Summit.
Before You Submit
Everything you need to know before entering. For the full legal terms, see the Official Rules & Photographer Submission Agreement.
About the Contest
Magnetic Charm is administered by the Maryland Mortgage Bankers & Brokers Association (MMBBA), presented as part of the 2026 Recharge Baltimore Housing Summit.
Baltimore has an unmistakable charm — it's why the world calls it Charm City. Magnetic Charm invites photographers, professional and amateur alike, to capture that charm in a single shot, and to share in a celebration of the city as part of the Housing Summit.
Eligibility
Professional photographers, hobbyists, and anyone who simply loves Baltimore. You must be 18 or older and a legal resident of Maryland, the District of Columbia, Virginia, or Pennsylvania.
No. Entry is free.
Up to three. You don't need to submit three — each photo is considered on its own, and more than one of your photos can be selected as a finalist (though you can only win one prize).
Your Photo
Upload the original photo file straight from your camera or phone. We accept JPEG, PNG, or HEIC format, and the file should be no larger than 100MB (files under 25MB are appreciated where possible).
No. Images created by generative AI, or materially generated, altered, or manipulated using generative AI, aren't eligible. Normal photographic editing — cropping, exposure, color correction, sharpening — is fine.
Yes — photos of public scenes, events, and gatherings are welcome. If your photo is being considered as a finalist and it clearly features one identifiable person as the main subject, or prominently features a minor, we may ask you for a signed model release before we use it.
Use your imagination to tell the story. Iconic Baltimore landmarks are always welcome — especially shot from a dramatic or unexpected angle. The most memorable entries bring a personal perspective, whether that's a familiar site reimagined or an everyday moment only you would notice. Originality and storytelling are among the qualities our judges are looking for, alongside connection to the theme, visual impact, composition, and emotional resonance.
Judging & Prizes
A judging panel reviews every eligible submission, without seeing who took the photo, and selects the finalists. Judges may consider a photo's connection to the theme, originality, visual impact, storytelling, composition, emotional resonance, and overall strength.
Finalist photos are printed and displayed at the Housing Summit on November 5, 2026. Attendees vote live, all day, and winners are announced at the close of voting.
1st Place: $1,000. 2nd Place: $500. 3rd Place: $500. Winners may need to complete standard tax paperwork (an IRS W-9) before payment.
We're not able to provide individual feedback on submissions that aren't selected — the volume of entries makes that impossible to do fairly, so we keep it the same for everyone.
Rights & Usage
Yes, fully. Submitting doesn't transfer your copyright. You're granting Recharge permission to use your photo for the contest and related promotion — full details are in the Official Rules.
Judging, the Summit exhibition, live voting, our website and social channels, press materials, and future Recharge programming or archives. See Section 6 of the Official Rules for the complete list.
Deadlines
October 16, 2026. Finalists are notified before the Summit.