Whether you're a seasoned photographer, a beginner just getting started or simply someone who loves capturing beautiful moments, submitting your work to photography competitions is one of the best ways to gain exposure and recognition.
Entering competitions isn't just about winning – though prizes and publicity are great bonuses! It's also a chance to dive into your archives, rediscover your best images and refine your personal style. Even if you don't make the shortlist, the experience itself is rewarding and can push your photography to the next level.
In fact, many photographers say competitions were the stepping stone that helped them build a name, grow their audience or land their first big feature. And with so many open calls across all genres – from astrophotography and macro, to wildlife, travel, food, portrait, or conceptual photography – there's something for everyone.
The best part is that most competitions offer multiple categories, so you're likely to find a perfect match for your work. To help you get started, I've put together a list of photography competitions with open calls that are accepting submissions through at least August until January next year. It's a small selection to spark inspiration, but there are countless others out there…
Photography 4 Humanity 2025
Deadline: August 5, 2025
Open to: Photographers of all levels
Focus: Climate Justice, "We believe climate change is a human rights issue, so we are looking for images that show people impacted by the escalating climate crisis."
Fee: Free to enter
Prize: $5,000 global prize, top 10 Finalists and top 20 Honorable mentions will be exhibited globally via UN.org.
For more information, visit the Photography 4 Humanity website.
LensCulture's Street Photography Awards
Deadline: August 6, 2025
Open to: Photographers of all levels
Focus: Street photography – "From fleeting gestures to monumental scenes, your images can echo far beyond the instant they were captured."
Categories: Series and single image
Fee: One image free, extra images $10 each, or five for $35,
series of up to ten images $45
Prizes: $10,000 in cash awards, solo featured published on LensCulture, exhibition in NY, international press exposure, and more
For more info, visit the Street Photography Awards website.
Fujifilm: GFX Challenge Grant Program
Deadline: August 31, 2025
Open to: Creatives of all levels
Focus: Still photography or movie format projects
Fee: Free to enter
Prizes: Complimentary use of a GFX system camera body and two GF lenses for the duration of their project, mentoring and technical assistance from Fujifilm technicians/ product experts, $10,000 Grant
For more info, visit the GFX Challenge Grant Program website.
KBr Photo Award
Deadline: September 1, 2025
Open to: Professional photographers
Focus: Documentary photography – "Work demonstrates artistic values of particular interest within the tradition of documentary photography."
Fee: Free to enter
Prizes: €25,000 cash award to develop the project within 10 months, solo exhibition at KBr Barcelona and Fundación MAPFRE Madrid, and accompanied by a published catalogue
For more info, visit the KBr Photo Award website.
Paris Photo-Aperture PhotoBook Awards
Deadline: September 5th, 2025,
One copy of each submitted photobook plus submission form(s) need to be sent to Aperture’s offices in New York
Open to: Photographers of all levels
Categories: First PhotoBook, PhotoBook of the Year,
Photography Catalog of the Year
Fee: First PhotoBook: $30 per project, PhotoBook of the Year: $60 for first project from a given publisher, $30 for each subsequent project from the same publisher, Photography Catalog of the Year: $60 for first project from a given publisher, $30 for each subsequent project from the same publisher
Prizes: $10,000 cash prize
For more info, visit the Aperture website.
Center for Photographic Art (CPA)
Deadline: October 1, 2025
Open to: Creatives working in still photographic media
Focus: There is no theme; any subject matter is eligible
Fee: $10 for one image (entry discount available)
Prizes: $5,400 in cash awards, CPA gear, online exhibition and exhibition at CPA's historic gallery in Carmel, California
For more info, visit the Center for Photographic Art website.
19th Picture Award
Deadline: October 5, 2025
Open to: Photographers of all levels
Category: Animals
Focus: Diversity, from pets, urban wildlife, underwater or macro insights
Fee: One image €5, three images €13, five images €20
Prizes: €650 cash & product prizes,
For more info, visit the Picture Award website.
For inspiration, you can discover previous winning images here.
Nature Photography Contest
Deadline: November 15, 2025
Open to: Photographers of all levels
Categories: Natural landscapes, Wildlife, Macrophotography, Underwater, Birds, Plant Life, Night World, Environmental Impact, Sharing the Planet, Funny Nature
Fee: €10 per image
Prizes: Prestigious "Photographer of the Year" title, €2,000 cash prizes, and more
For more info, visit the Nature Photography Contest website.
Anthology Photography Competition
Deadline: November 30, 2025
Open to: Photographers of all levels
Focus: 'The World As You See It' – "Photography styles can include street photography, landscapes, natural world & wildlife, macro photography, lifestyle, object and still life and architectural. Technically manipulated images such as abstract, panoramic, stitched and composite are also permitted."
Fee: Standard €18 from May until November 2025
Prizes: The winner will receive a €500 cash prize and editorial coverage in a future issue of Anthology magazine
For more info, visit the Anthology magazine website.
Sony World Photography Awards
Deadlines:
Student Competition: November 28 2025
Open and Youth Competition: January 6, 2026
Professional Competition: January 13, 2026
Open to: Photographers of all levels
Categories:
Student Competition: Together
Open Competition: Architecture, Creative, Landscape, Lifestyle, Motion, Natural World & Wildlife, Object, Portraiture, Street Photography, Travel
Youth Competition: Open Call: Show us your best images!
Professional Competition: Architecture & Design, Creative, Documentary Projects, Environment, Landscape, Perspectives, Portraiture, Sport, Still Life, Wildlife & Nature
Fee: Free to enter
Prizes: Global press exposure, $25,000 cash prize, Sony gear, solo exhibition at the Sony World Photography Awards London exhibition, and more
For more info, visit the World Photography Organisation website.
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For more inspiration, browse the best photography awards and contests.
