THE INTERNATIONAL
PHOTO CONTESTS DIRECTORY 2026

A space sheltered from everything, for those who have a debt with their own talent.
Because there’s a time to travel, a time to edit, and a time to submit.
Explore the best directory of opportunities for photographers, with hundreds of contests all in one list.

SCROLL / CHOOSE / APPLY TO WIN CASH PRIZES / EXHIBITIONS / PUBLICATIONS AND MORE

OPEN CALLS CLOSING SOON:

Fri, Apr 17
FREE ENTRY / The Reporters Without Borders (RSF) Prize - “Lucas Dolega-SAIF” Prize
Fee: Free / Prize: €10,000 + Exhibition
Apply
Apr 17, 2026, 11:30 PM
Fee: Free / Prize: €10,000 + Exhibition
Theme: Courage. The Reporters Without Borders (RSF) Prize is awarded at the end of each year to journalists or media outlets that have made a significant contribution to the...
Fri, Apr 17
19th Annual International Color Awards
Fee: $35 / Prize: $1,500 + Exhibition
Apply
Apr 17, 2026, 11:30 PM
Fee: $35 / Prize: $1,500 + Exhibition
Theme: Color. International Color Awards is open to professional and amateur photographers shooting in all forms of color photography using traditional or digital methods. We encourage classic styles, new creative ideas and photographers who are driven by their artistic...
Fri, Apr 17
FREE ENTRY / Jugend Fotografiert Deutschland 2026
Fee: Free / Prize: 1000€ + Exhibition
Apply
Apr 17, 2026, 11:30 PM
Fee: Free / Prize: 1000€ + Exhibition
Theme: Open. You can participate in our contest either as an individual or as a group of up to 10 people, if you are between 10 and 18 years old and living in Germany. The goal is to create a photo story on a topic that is important to you...
Fri, Apr 17
Montgomery Photo Festival 2026 - Open Call
Fee: $35 / Prize: $1000 + Exhibition
Apply
Apr 17, 2026, 11:40 PM
Fee: $35 / Prize: $1000 + Exhibition
Theme: Open. The Eighth Annual Montgomery Photo Festival is now accepting submissions from all photographers (professional and amateur), working in all...
Sat, Apr 18
PhotoSC - Call for Work A Black Perspective: Celebrating the Voice & Vision
Fee: $35 / Prize: Exhibition + Sales
Apply
Apr 18, 2026, 11:30 PM
Fee: $35 / Prize: Exhibition + Sales
Theme: Celebrating the Voice & Vision. Perspective is more than the...

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RIGHT NOW THERE ARE:

347 TOTAL PHOTO CONTESTS
138 FREE ENTRY PHOTO CONTESTS

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- ✅ Recommended Contests
- ✅ A List With 300+ Photo Contests
- ✅ A List With 100+ Free Photo Contests
- ✅ New Photo Contests Updates
- ✅ Easy Cancellation
- ✅ Submit to Become our "Photographer of the Month"
- ✅ 1 Extra Free Year Subscription (for a friend of yours)
- ✅ Save €32 Every Year
- ✅ Get $40 Off ''Masters of Photography'' Courses

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SUGGESTED CONTESTS & SPONSORED:

All About Photo Magazine - Portrait: Call for Exhibition & Contest 2026

• All About Photo • Deadline: April 28th, 2026 • Category: Portrait Photography • Prize: $1,000 + Online Exhibition + Exposure • Entry Fees: Yes • REGISTRATION: CLICK HERE AAP Magazine #57 “Portrait” calls on photographers to explore the many dimensions of human identity through portrait photography. From classical studio setups to contemporary self-portraiture, the genre continues to evolve while remaining rooted in its ability to capture emotion, character, and connection.

The Homiens Art Prize - Call for Art & Photography 2026

• Homiens • Deadline: April 29th, 2026 • Category: Art and Photography • Prize: $24,000 Awarded Annually + Exhibition • Entry Fees: Yes • REGISTRATION: CLICK HERE No matter where you are in your artistic journey—whether you are just beginning to carve out your voice or are already an established creator seeking new heights—the Homiens Art Prize offers a transformative opportunity to elevate your career on a global stage. Built on the principles of merit, inclusivity, and art

Global Peace Photo Award 2026

• The Global Peace Photo Award • Deadline: May 24th, 2026 • Theme: What Does Peace Look Like? • Prize: €11,000 in Prizes + Exhibition in Austria • Entry Fees: Free • REGISTRATION: CLICK HERE The Global Peace Photo Award, previously known as the Alfred Fried Photography Award, is an internationally recognized initiative dedicated to promoting peace through the power of photography. It is organized by Edition Lammerhuber in close collaboration with a wide network of esteemed p

"Luminosity" International Open Call for Photographers by NYC4PA

• NYC4PA • Deadline: April 19th, 2026 • Theme: Luminosity (The Impact of Light) • Prize: $4,000 Prize Pool + Online Exhibition • Entry Fees: Yes • REGISTRATION: CLICK HERE From light meters to backlighting, from deep shadow to blinding glare, photography is defined by an ongoing dialogue with light. It is shaped not only by illumination, but by darkness, contrast, and the spaces in between. A celebrated photograph of Grand Central Station captures sunlight pouring through th

PhotoPlace Gallery - After Dark: Night, Sky, and Shadow Open Call

• PhotoPlace Gallery • Deadline: May 4th, 2026 • Theme: After Dark: Night, Sky, and Shadow • Prize: Exhibition in Vermont (USA) + Sales • Entry Fees: Yes • REGISTRATION: CLICK HERE PhotoPlace Gallery invites photographers to submit their work for After Dark , a juried exhibition dedicated to images created during the nighttime hours, from dusk through dawn. This exhibition seeks to highlight the artistic possibilities that emerge when natural light fades and new visual narra

NYC4PA - "From A Seed...A World of Botanicals" International Juried Photography Call for Entry

• New York Center for Photographic Arts • Deadline: June 7th, 2026 • Theme: From A Seed...A World of Botanicals • Prize: $4,000 Prize Pool + Online Exhibition • Entry Fees: Yes • REGISTRATION: CLICK HERE The New York Center for Photographic Art (NYC4PA) invites photographers world-wide to submit images using any photographic process (print, image transfer, emulsion transfer, encaustic, black and white, color etc.). Winners will receive a total of $4,000 in cash awards, be fe

Decagon Gallery - "This Is a Person" International Photo Contest

• Decagon Gallery • Deadline: May 3rd, 2026 • Theme: This Is a Person • Prize: $1,000 Prize Pool + Online Exhibition • Entry Fees: Yes • REGISTRATION: CLICK HERE Portraiture often begins at the surface—at the face, the body, the visible markers of identity. But this exhibition is concerned with what cannot be easily seen, defined, or named. It asks: what lies beneath the image? We are looking for photographs that move beyond representation and into suggestion—images that hin

Decode Gallery - "Home" Photo Contest & Exhibition

• Decode Gallery • Deadline: April 25th, 2026 • Theme: Home • Prize: Exhibition in Tucson + Sales + Exposure • Entry Fees: Yes • REGISTRATION: CLICK HERE Decode Gallery is excited to announce a new call for entry under the theme HOME , inviting artists to examine and reinterpret one of the most universal yet deeply personal concepts. While commonly associated with physical spaces, home extends far beyond architecture—it encompasses memory, identity, relationships, and emotio

Grenze-Arsenali Fotografici 2026 - International Call for Entries

• Grenze-Arsenali Fotografici • Deadline: April 30th, 2026 • Theme: Open • Prize: €1,000 + Exhibition + 2-Night Stay in Italy • Entry Fees: Yes • REGISTRATION: CLICK HERE There are no thematic guidelines or age limitations for participation, allowing complete creative freedom for applicants. A professional jury will carefully review all submissions and ultimately select three artists. The chosen projects will be featured in a curated exhibition overseen by Simone Azzoni and