THE INTERNATIONAL PHOTO CONTESTS DIRECTORY 2026

• Memorial Maria Luisa • Deadline: December 1st, 2026 • Category: Nature / Adventure Photo & Video • Prize: €4,000 + Exhibition + Accommodation • Entry Fees: Yes (Free under 19yo) • REGISTRATION: CLICK HERE There are places that make us stop and look. Places whose beauty speaks for itself. There are others that only reveal their true character when we take the time to experience them, understand them, and see them through a different perspective. And then there are moments th

• Annual Photography Awards • Deadline: December 14th, 2026 • Category: Several Categories • Prize: $5,000 Prize Pool + Medals + Certificates • Entry Fees: Yes • REGISTRATION: CLICK HERE Now in its eighth edition, the Annual Photography Awards continues to recognize and celebrate outstanding photographic talent from across the globe. The competition is open to photographers of all experience levels, including professionals, hobbyists, students, and emerging artists, creating

• Kuala Lumpur Portrait Award • Deadline: November 25th, 2027 • Category: Autoportrait • Prize: €1,000 + Exhibitions in Malaysia and UK • Entry Fees: Yes (Free for Students) • REGISTRATION: CLICK HERE The third interim edition of KLPA's AUTOPORTRAIT 2026 Open Call invites photographers to reconsider self-portraiture through the expansive and imaginative concept of PLAY. Developed in collaboration with the FORMAT International Photography Festival, this edition connects the op

• G.V.P.

• Getxophoto International Image Festival • Deadline: November 3rd, 2027 • Category: Contemporary Photography • Prize: €500 + Exhibition in Spain + 2-Night Stay • Entry Fees: Yes • REGISTRATION: CLICK HERE The sea's tides offer a powerful image of constant change: a recurring movement in which water advances, withdraws, and reshapes the coastline over time. This natural phenomenon can also serve as a metaphor for the many forces that influence our surroundings and transform t

• The Black & White Gallery • Deadline: November 10th, 2026 • Category: Black & White Photography • Prize: Exhibition in Miami (USA) + Sales • Entry Fees: Yes • REGISTRATION: CLICK HERE Artists working in contemporary photography and sculpture are invited to submit their portfolios to The Black & White Gallery's international juried artist search for Red Dot Miami 2026, taking place December 2–6, 2026, during Miami Art Week and alongside Art Basel. This prestigious period in

• New York City for Photographic Arts • Deadline: November 22nd, 2026 • Theme: Architecture • Prize: $4,000 Prize Pool + Online Exhibition • Entry Fees: Yes • REGISTRATION: CLICK HERE The New York Center for Photographic Art (NYC4PA) welcomes submissions from photographers worldwide, inviting artists to showcase their work regardless of the photographic process or technique employed. From conventional photographic prints and black-and-white images to image transfers, emulsion

• G.V.P.

• Czestochowa Museum + Fujifilm Poland • Deadline: October 31st, 2027 • Category: Street Photography • Prize: 5000 PLN (1275 usd) + Fujifilm Camera • Entry Fees: Yes • REGISTRATION: CLICK HERE Every street has a story to tell, and every photographer has a different way of seeing it. The FUJIFILM MOMENT STREET PHOTO AWARDS grew out of a fascination with street photography and its ability to transform fleeting moments of everyday life into powerful visual narratives. Our missio

• Sublime Photo Awards • Deadline: November 1st, 2026 • Category: Several Categories • Prize: $500 + Exposure • Entry Fees: Free • REGISTRATION: CLICK HERE The Sublime Photo Awards were created to recognize and celebrate photography at its very best. A sublime image can take many forms: it might stand out through exceptional technical execution, captivate the viewer with a perfectly balanced composition, or communicate a powerful message that resonates long after the photogra

• Arrival Gallery • Deadline: November 1st, 2026 • Category: contemporary Photography • Prize: Exhibition in London (UK) + Exposure • Entry Fees: Yes • REGISTRATION: CLICK HERE Arrival Gallery invites artists from across the creative spectrum to submit their work for its upcoming London exhibition programme. The gallery is seeking distinctive and inspiring work from artists who are ready to share their creative vision and become part of a diverse exhibition experience in Lond

• Narrative International Photography
Awards • Deadline: October 31st, 2026 • Theme: 6 across Wedding, Portrait & Family • Prize: Exposure + Vouchers • Entry Fees: Free • REGISTRATION: CLICK HERE Designed to highlight excellence in professional photography, the Narrative International Photography Awards provide photographers with an opportunity to present their work to a larger audience and gain recognition for their creative achievements. The competition welcomes submissions

• Chennai Photo Biennale Powered by Sigma • Deadline: October 31st, 2026 • Theme: Open • Prize: Exhibition in Chennai (India) + Promotion • Entry Fees: Yes • REGISTRATION: CLICK HERE The Chennai Photo Biennale International Photography Open Call invites photographers worldwide to present their unique perspectives and visual stories through the powerful medium of photography. Participants can submit either a single image or a carefully developed photographic series, with no re

• The London Photo Show Competition • Deadline: November 19th, 2026 • Theme: Open • Prize: Exhibition in London + Gears + Workshop • Entry Fees: Yes • REGISTRATION: CLICK HERE The Salon offers photographers an accessible and exciting opportunity to take their first steps into the world of exhibitions without the commitment, expense, or complexity of organising a full solo show. Whether you are an emerging photographer looking to gain exposure or an established artist seeking

• AKC American Kennel Club • Deadline: October 31st, 2026 • Theme: The Great Outdoors • Prize: $1,000 Prize Pool + Online Exhibition • Entry Fees: Yes • REGISTRATION: CLICK HERE The 2026 AKC Photo Contest is open to individuals with a passion for photography, whether professionally established or still refining their artistic approach. This year’s theme, “The Great Outdoors,” invites interpretations that explore natural settings and outdoor experiences through a creative lens

• FotoContest • Deadline: October 31st, 2026 • Category: Black and White Photography • Prize: €500 in Cash + Exposure • Entry Fees: Yes • REGISTRATION: CLICK HERE Explore the timeless beauty of monochrome photography in this open competition dedicated to black-and-white images. Photographers are invited to submit their most compelling work, experimenting with the interplay of light and darkness, the intensity of contrasts, and the textures that give black-and-white photograp

• Form Photography • Deadline: October 31st, 2026 • Category: Contemporary Photography • Prize: Exhibition @ UNSEEN during Art Rotterdam • Entry Fees: Yes • REGISTRATION: CLICK HERE We are proud to launch the Form Photo Award x UNSEEN 2027 in collaboration with UNSEEN, Picter, and Form Magazine—an annual international award dedicated to supporting outstanding contemporary photography and amplifying the voices of emerging artists working today. The award is founded on a shared

• Homiens • Deadline: October 29th, 2026 • Category: Art and Photography • Prize: $24,000 Awarded Annually + Exhibition • Entry Fees: Yes • REGISTRATION: CLICK HERE The Homiens Art Prize offers artists an opportunity to transform recognition into meaningful professional momentum. Designed for both emerging artists seeking a breakthrough and established professionals looking to expand their international profile, the prize provides a platform where artistic achievement can lea

• Musa Award • Deadline: November 21st, 2026 • Theme: Reclaiming • Prize: €200 + Production & Exhibitions in Italy • Entry Fees: Yes • REGISTRATION: CLICK HERE The Musa Award celebrates women photographers and their ability to tell powerful stories through carefully developed photographic portfolios. The award is open to all female photographers, whether they are emerging amateurs or established professionals, making it an inclusive opportunity for anyone looking to share and

• ILPOTY • Deadline: October 31st, 2026 • Theme: Landscape Photography • Prize: $12,500 Prize Pool + Expo + Publication • Entry Fees: Yes • REGISTRATION: CLICK HERE The world of photography is filled with extraordinary talent, and standing out among thousands of entries takes more than technical skill alone. Creativity, originality, timing, artistic vision—and sometimes a little luck—all play a role in determining which photographs capture the attention of a judging panel. At

• All About Photo • Deadline: November 10th, 2026 • Theme: Travel Photography • Prize: $1,000 + Online Exhibition + Exposure • Entry Fees: Yes • REGISTRATION: CLICK HERE All About Photo invites photographers to submit a carefully curated and cohesive photographic portfolio for publication in AAP Magazine. The competition focuses on unified bodies of work rather than individual, unrelated photographs, and only projects demonstrating a consistent visual direction will be consid

• PhotoPlace Gallery • Deadline: November 9th, 2026 • Theme: Animalia: Our Shared World • Prize: Exhibition in Vermont (USA) + Sales • Entry Fees: Yes • REGISTRATION: CLICK HERE Animalia: Our Shared World is an open call organized by PhotoPlace Gallery, inviting photographers to celebrate the richness of animal life through a diverse collection of photographic perspectives. The exhibition explores the extraordinary variety of creatures that inhabit our planet, from beloved pe

• Decagon Gallery • Deadline: November 17th, 2026 • Theme: Self • Prize: $1,000 Prize Pool + Online Exhibition • Entry Fees: Yes • REGISTRATION: CLICK HERE SELF is an open call for self-portrait photography that explores the medium as a tool for introspection, self-examination, and personal discovery. While some photographs are made to document or interpret the world outside us, self-portraiture can offer a different kind of investigation: one in which the photographer become

• OPPO

• Vogue

• Black Box Gallery • Deadline: November 13th, 2026 • Theme: Open • Prize: Exhibition in Portland (USA) + Sales • Entry Fees: Yes • REGISTRATION: CLICK HERE Black Box Gallery is pleased to announce an open-themed, juried group photography exhibition inviting photographers to submit their favorite images and most compelling photographic work. The call welcomes a broad range of themes, concepts, artistic approaches, and photographic genres, celebrating the diversity of contempo

• The Hopper Prize • Deadline: November 17th, 2026 • Theme: Open • Prize: $4,000 X 4 Winners + Exposure • Entry Fees: Yes • REGISTRATION: CLICK HERE The Hopper Prize is an international grant-making organisation and digital archiving platform dedicated to supporting contemporary artists and increasing the visibility of their work. Twice a year, the organisation awards a series of individual artist grants, distributing a total of $26,000 USD to selected recipients. Through its

• Decagon Gallery • Deadline: December 15th, 2026 • Theme: The Room Next Door • Prize: $1,000 Prize Pool + Online Exhibition • Entry Fees: Yes • REGISTRATION: CLICK HERE There is always another room just beyond our reach: a door left slightly open, a window glowing across a courtyard, a corridor disappearing around a corner, or a voice drifting through a wall. These fragments suggest the presence of another space, another story, or another life unfolding somewhere nearby. We

• Luis Ferreira Alves Photo Award • Deadline: January 1st, 2027 • Theme: A Contemporary Look at Architecture • Prize: €10,000 + Publication + Exhibition • Entry Fees: Free • REGISTRATION: CLICK HERE The Luis Ferreira Alves International Photography Competition | A Contemporary Look at Architecture is a biennial initiative dedicated to celebrating the legacy and artistic contribution of Luis Ferreira Alves, one of Portugal’s most distinguished architectural photographers. The

• Un/Produced & Un/Fund + Witty Books • Deadline: November 17th, 2026 • Category: Photo Book Projects • Prize: €10,000 + Published with Witty Books • Entry Fees: Yes • REGISTRATION: CLICK HERE This open call gives one selected photographer the opportunity to turn an existing body of work into their very first photobook, with the support and guidance of an independent publishing house. We are seeking photographers who have developed a project they believe deserves to be explor

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• Decode Gallery • Deadline: November 20th, 2026 • Theme: Blue • Prize: Exhibition in Tucson + Sales + Exposure • Entry Fees: Yes • REGISTRATION: CLICK HERE Decode Gallery is pleased to announce its upcoming photography exhibition, Blue, a themed open call dedicated to exploring the artistic, emotional, and visual possibilities of one of the most versatile colours in photography. Found throughout the natural world and within our everyday surroundings, blue offers photographer

• Sublime Photo Awards • Deadline: November 1st, 2026 • Category: Several Categories • Prize: $500 + Exposure • Entry Fees: Free • REGISTRATION: CLICK HERE What makes a photograph truly sublime? It may be the extraordinary precision of its execution, the harmony and originality of its composition, or the emotional power of the story it tells. Sometimes, a single image brings together all these elements, creating a moment of visual perfection that captures the viewer's attenti

• PHotoESPAÑA

• National Geographic

• Czestochowa Museum + Fujifilm Poland • Deadline: October 31st, 2027 • Category: Street Photography • Prize: 5000 PLN (1275 usd) + Fujifilm Camera • Entry Fees: Yes • REGISTRATION: CLICK HERE Inspired by the beauty, unpredictability, and visual richness of everyday life, the FUJIFILM MOMENT STREET PHOTO AWARDS was established to bring greater visibility to street photography and the photographers who dedicate themselves to this compelling art form. Street photography has the

• Getxophoto International Image Festival • Deadline: November 3rd, 2027 • Category: Contemporary Photography • Prize: €500 + Exhibition in Spain + 2-Night Stay • Entry Fees: Yes • REGISTRATION: CLICK HERE A tide is, in its most familiar form, the recurring movement of the sea as water levels rise and fall in response to natural forces. Yet the idea of a tide extends far beyond the shoreline. It can describe any movement of forces that reshape a landscape, influence a communi

• Fabula Works • Deadline: November 15th, 2026 • Category: Lines • Prize: Exhibition in Rome (Italy) + Sales • Entry Fees: Yes • REGISTRATION: CLICK HERE The open call is seeking two photographers for the first exhibition programme of 2027, inviting artists to develop their own interpretation of the theme “Lines.” Rather than prescribing a particular subject, technique or photographic style, the call leaves the concept deliberately open, allowing photographers to approach the

• Rotterdam Photo • Deadline: November 4th, 2026 • Theme: Vibrance, The Pulse of a Living World • Prize: Exhibition at the Rotterdam Photo Festival • Entry Fees: Yes • REGISTRATION: CLICK HERE Rotterdam Photo presents Vibrance, a theme that challenges conventional ways of representing the contemporary world and encourages photographers to look beyond the prevailing narratives of crisis. The project focuses on the energy, creativity, and connections that persist despite social

• The Black & White Gallery • Deadline: November 10th, 2026 • Category: Black & White Photography • Prize: Exhibition in Miami (USA) + Sales • Entry Fees: Yes • REGISTRATION: CLICK HERE The Black & White Gallery is pleased to announce that submissions are now open for its international juried artist search for Red Dot Miami 2026, one of the prominent contemporary art exhibitions taking place during Miami Art Week. Scheduled for December 2–6, 2026, the event will coincide with

• Narrative International Photography
Awards • Deadline: October 31st, 2026 • Theme: 6 across Wedding, Portrait & Family • Prize: Exposure + Vouchers • Entry Fees: Free • REGISTRATION: CLICK HERE The Narrative International Photography Awards aim to recognize outstanding professional photography and bring exceptional photographic work to the attention of a wider audience. Photographers are invited to participate by submitting their best images across six different categories,

• Fotografia Calabria Festival • Deadline: November 15th, 2027 • Theme: Open • Prize: €2,000 + €1,000 + Publication + Exhibition • Entry Fees: Yes • REGISTRATION: CLICK HERE For the first time, the competition leaves the choice of subject entirely open. Without a predetermined theme, photographers are invited to follow their own interests, questions and creative instincts, bringing forward projects that reflect their individual ways of seeing the world. This openness is an in