In 1921, an American advertising executive was the first person known to say a picture is worth a thousand words. As of this year at the IBEW, you can say it's worth a thousand dollars.

That's because $1,000 is the new top prize in the annual IBEW Photo Contest, a sum that reflects how impressed and proud we are of the stories our members tell through their entries.

From first place to honorable mentions in the 2022 contest, as featured in last month's issue of The Electrical Worker, we saw an outside line crew making repairs in moonlight, workers restoring a runway against a snowcapped Alaskan backdrop, a lone worker running conduit in a bleak cement-block room, hurricane recovery in Florida and a close-up of a technician at The New York Times' printing plant.

Your entries are priceless snapshots of the IBEW's diverse and evolving work. But there's much left to see. Our Brotherhood comprises more than 40 trade classifications, and we'd love to peek inside every one of them.

So we've revamped our Photo Contest. You'll find more details on page 20, but here's the big news: Along with the $1,000 first-place prize, we'll be awarding $750 for second place, $500 for third and a $200 honorable mention for each of the IBEW's branches: Construction (one each for inside and outside), Utilities, Manufacturing, Broadcasting, Telecommunications, Railroads and Government.

Being a shutterbug has never been easier. We're all walking around with cameras in our pockets. And you can take as many photos as you like in pursuit of the perfect image, whether you use your phone or a digital camera.

So shoot to your heart's content, but with two important caveats: One is the IBEW Code of Excellence, which means that when we're on the clock, we're giving our employers 100%. Make the most of breaks and lunchtime. And, as always, safety is our No. 1 priority. We don't want photographers taking risks, and we disqualify any images that even hint at workers failing to properly use safety equipment.

Wherever you work, each of you is uniquely positioned to tell our story through your lens. I can't wait to see what you add to our family album this year.

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