THE INTERNATIONAL
PHOTO CONTESTS DIRECTORY 2026

• Decagon Gallery • Deadline: August 3rd, 2026 • Theme: Overcoming • Prize: $1,000 Prize Pool + Online Exhibition • Entry Fees: Yes • REGISTRATION: CLICK HERE Things fall apart. Lives are disrupted. Landscapes transform. Time leaves its mark on people, places, and memories. Yet even in the aftermath of struggle, there is often something that remains—a trace of strength, a quiet act of endurance, or a reminder that survival itself can be extraordinary. Overcoming — What Remain

• PhotoEd Magazine • Deadline: June 15th, 2026 • Theme: Home vs Away • Prize: Publication (Digital & Print) • Entry Fees: Free for Subscribers • REGISTRATION: CLICK HERE photoED Magazine is dedicated to presenting diverse photographic narratives that challenge viewers to see the medium in new ways. Through carefully curated issues, the publication offers a platform for photographers whose work expands visual storytelling and explores contemporary ideas through innovative lens

• Deloitte • Deadline: June 14th, 2026 • Theme: Proximities • Prize: €25,000 + Solo Exhibition in Milan (Italy) • Entry Fees: Free • REGISTRATION: CLICK HERE This section features the involvement of ten carefully selected reporters, each an established personality within the international cultural production scene. The group—comprising Alberto Negrin, Stephen Bulger, Brendan McCleary, Dimitri Beck, Pancho Saula, Karin Kauffman, Davide Monteleone, Arianna Rinaldo, Eric R. John

• Travel Tales Award • Deadline: June 14th, 2026 • Category: Travel Photography • Prize: Exhibition at the SCOPE Art Fair in Miami • Entry Fees: 2 Solo Exhibitions + Publications • REGISTRATION: CLICK HERE The Travel Tales Award is a prestigious international photography competition dedicated to showcasing outstanding travel imagery and visual storytelling. Open to photographers of all levels, from passionate amateurs to seasoned professionals, the award offers a global stage

• Siena Awards • Deadline: June 15th, 2026 • Category: Drone / Aerial Photography • Prize: €400 Cash + €500 Gears + Exhibitions • Entry Fees: Free • REGISTRATION: CLICK HERE The Drone Photo Awards is a premier international competition dedicated to discovering and celebrating the very best in drone photography. Open to professional, amateur, and student photographers worldwide, the awards provide a global platform for showcasing bold ideas, fresh perspectives, and outstanding

• London Photo Show • Deadline: June 17th, 2026 • Theme: Open • Prize: Exhibition in London (UK) + Equipment • Entry Fees: Yes • REGISTRATION: CLICK HERE Have you ever wanted to see your photography hanging on a gallery wall but felt that a full exhibition was too big a step? The Salon is designed specifically for photographers who want to begin their exhibition journey in a simple, approachable way. By entering just one to three images, you can become part of the London Phot

• All About Photo • Deadline: July 7th, 2026 • Theme: Shapes • Prize: $1,000 + Online Exhibition + Exposure • Entry Fees: Yes • REGISTRATION: CLICK HERE Show us how the world can be transformed through the language of shape, light, texture, and shadow. Shape is one of the most fundamental elements of photographic composition. It has the power to simplify complex scenes, reveal hidden patterns, and transform ordinary subjects into compelling works of visual art. Whether geomet

• Point Pleasant Publishing • Deadline: June 22nd, 2026 • Category: Photo / Moving-Image / Performance • Prize: Publication (Print + Digital) + Exposure • Entry Fees: Yes • REGISTRATION: CLICK HERE Point Pleasant Publishing was founded in 2014 in Jersey City, New Jersey (currently based in the New Jersey Shore as well as beyond) and is an international contemporary art publisher specializing in writing critical essays. Selected artists are featured with detailed curatorial re

• Black Box Gallery • Deadline: June 12th, 2026 • Theme: Open • Prize: Exhibition in Portland (USA) + Sales • Entry Fees: Yes • REGISTRATION: CLICK HERE Black Box Gallery is proud to announce an open call for a juried group photography exhibition dedicated to celebrating the depth and diversity of contemporary photographic practice. Photographers are invited to submit work across all themes, styles, and genres, creating an exhibition that embraces both artistic experimentatio

• Lost Artists • Deadline: June 10th, 2026 • Theme: Open • Prize: Residency Spot in Capri • Entry Fees: Apply for Free • REGISTRATION: CLICK HERE Welcome to Lost Artists, a photography residency program created in the heart of Capri for artists searching for space — space to think, create, question, and begin again. Starting in 2025, we will invite artists from different backgrounds, practices, and experiences to join us in an environment shaped by reflection, connection, and

• Beautiful Bizarre Magazine + MPB • Deadline: July 17th, 2026 • Theme: Open • Prize: $4,500 Cash + Publication + Exposure • Entry Fees: Yes • REGISTRATION: CLICK HERE If you create work in a representational photographic style, you are eligible to enter the MPB Photography Award. We welcome submissions from across all photographic mediums, including both analogue and digital practices, as well as hybrid approaches that combine the two. What matters most is that the final ima

• London Photo Show • Deadline: June 17th, 2026 • Theme: Open • Prize: Exhibition in London (UK) + Equipment • Entry Fees: Yes • REGISTRATION: CLICK HERE The Salon is created for photographers who are ready to experience exhibiting their work without the commitment, cost, or pressure of mounting a full solo exhibition. Whether you're emerging, established, or simply curious about sharing your images with a wider audience, The Salon offers an accessible way to take that next s

• PhotoPlace Gallery • Deadline: June 8th, 2026 • Category: Contemporary Photography • Prize: Exhibition in Vermont (USA) + Sales • Entry Fees: Yes • REGISTRATION: CLICK HERE PhotoPlace Gallery invites photographers worldwide to submit work for OPEN CALL: A Celebration of Contemporary Photography, a juried exhibition honoring the expansive creativity and evolving visual language of photography in the contemporary moment. Presented in recognition of World Photography Day, this

• 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 Photographers from across the globe are invited by the New York Center for Photographic Art (NYC4PA) to submit their images and showcase their creative vision. There are no restrictions on technique, allowing artists to work with any photographic process—from traditional prin

• Deloitte • Deadline: June 14th, 2026 • Theme: Proximities • Prize: €25,000 + Solo Exhibition in Milan (Italy) • Entry Fees: Free • REGISTRATION: CLICK HERE In this particular section, ten reporters have been identified as key participants, all of whom are influential figures within the realm of international cultural production. The selected names—Alberto Negrin, Stephen Bulger, Brendan McCleary, Dimitri Beck, Pancho Saula, Karin Kauffman, Davide Monteleone, Arianna Rinaldo

• Nikon Comedy Wildlife Award • Deadline: June 30th, 2026 • Theme: Pet / Wildlife / Nature • Prize: Kenyan Safari for 2 + Camera Kit • Entry Fees: Free • REGISTRATION: CLICK HERE Good news—this competition is 100% free to enter and open to absolutely everyone! It doesn’t matter what camera brand you use or whether you’re a professional photographer or just someone who loves capturing fun moments. If you’ve got a hilarious wildlife photo or video, you’re already halfway there.

• All About Photo • Deadline: June 5th, 2026 • Theme: Black and White Photography • Prize: $1,000 + Online Exhibition + Exposure • Entry Fees: Yes • REGISTRATION: CLICK HERE The art of black and white photography lies in its remarkable ability to convey emotion, atmosphere, and narrative without relying on color. By focusing solely on shades of light and dark, photographers can highlight contrast, emphasize composition, and reveal intricate textures and forms that might other

• Decode Gallery • Deadline: June 27th, 2026 • Theme: Open • Prize: Exhibition in Tucson + Sales + Exposure • Entry Fees: Yes • REGISTRATION: CLICK HERE Decode Gallery invites photographers from around the world to participate in its Collection 2026 exhibition, an open call that celebrates photographic excellence without thematic restrictions. There is no prescribed subject matter, concept, or genre—only the opportunity to present your strongest and most compelling work. Whet

• Le Prix de la Photographie de Paris (PX3) • Deadline: July 22nd, 2026 • Category: Several Categories • Prize: €5,000 + Exhibition in Paris (France) • Entry Fees: Yes • REGISTRATION: CLICK HERE The Prix de la Photographie, Paris (PX3) is more than just a photography award; it is a global initiative designed to foster the appreciation of the photographic arts and shine a spotlight on new and established talent alike. By inviting submissions from photographers around the world

• Black Box Gallery • Deadline: June 12th, 2026 • Theme: Open • Prize: Exhibition in Portland (USA) + Sales • Entry Fees: Yes • REGISTRATION: CLICK HERE Black Box Gallery is excited to present an open-themed juried group photography exhibition and invites photographers from around the world to share their most powerful and inspiring images. This is an opportunity to showcase the photographs that define your creative vision — the work you are most proud of, the images that cap

• Travel Tales Award • Deadline: June 14th, 2026 • Category: Travel Photography • Prize: Exhibition at the SCOPE Art Fair in Miami • Entry Fees: 2 Solo Exhibitions + Publications • REGISTRATION: CLICK HERE The Travel Tales Award is an internationally recognized photography competition devoted to celebrating the art of travel photography and the power of visual storytelling. Designed for both amateur and professional photographers, the award provides a platform for artists fro

• Boomer Gallery London • Deadline: June 5th, 2026 • Theme: New Voices • Prize: Exhibition in London + Exposure • Entry Fees: Free Submission (Pay If Selected) • REGISTRATION: CLICK HERE The contemporary art landscape is experiencing a significant shift. For the first time in decades, artists are reclaiming greater agency over how their work is presented, distributed, and engaged with by audiences. The growing influence of social media and digital platforms has fundamentally

• Capri Foundation • Deadline: July 5th, 2026 • Theme: Journeys and Mirages • Prize: Exhibitions in Capri (Italy) + Accommodation • Entry Fees: Free • REGISTRATION: CLICK HERE In March 2026, Fondazione Capri officially launched an open call inviting photographers from around the world to respond to the theme VIAGGI E MIRAGGI. The initiative is open to both professional photographers and amateurs, encouraging a wide range of perspectives and creative interpretations. The conce

• Nikon • Deadline: July 15th, 2026 • Theme: Open • Prize: $3,000 + Nikon Camera + 2 Exhibitions • Entry Fees: Free • REGISTRATION: CLICK HERE Now in its 74th edition, the Nikkor Photo Contest continues its long and distinguished legacy that began in 1953. For more than seven decades, the competition has served as a global platform for photographers to share their perspectives, creativity, and visual storytelling. This year, the contest introduces an expanded Web category, ma