THE INTERNATIONAL
PHOTO CONTESTS DIRECTORY 2026

• SEE:ZEEN Magazine • Deadline: January 20th, 2026 • Category: Contemporary Photography • Prize: Publication + Exposure • Entry Fees: Free • REGISTRATION: CLICK HERE Anyone can submit—no matter where you’re from. see-zeen is an inclusive platform open to all forms of photographic expression. There are no restrictions on subject matter or approach: portrait, landscape, documentary, fashion, abstract, experimental—everything is welcome. We believe photography is more than ima

• Black Box Gallery • Deadline: February 11th, 2026 • Theme: Trees and Water • Prize: Exhibition in Portland (USA) + Sales • Entry Fees: Yes • REGISTRATION: CLICK HERE Black Box Gallery is pleased to announce an upcoming juried group photography exhibition dedicated to the compelling and enduring subjects of Trees and Water. This thoughtfully curated exhibition will bring together a wide range of contemporary photographic approaches, showcasing how these two elemental forces

• The Lions Club of Seregno + UN-Water • Deadline: March 1st, 2026 • Theme: Water • Prize: 1,500€ + Exhibition + Exposure • Entry Fees: Yes • REGISTRATION: CLICK HERE The World Water Day Photo Contest welcomes photographers from every corner of the planet—both professionals with years of experience and amateurs driven by passion and curiosity. United by values such as respect, tolerance, and kindness toward nature and humanity, participants come together to share their visio

• Swiss Photo Club (SPC) • Deadline: January 22nd, 2026 • Theme: Open • Prize: Exhibition in Vienna + Sales + 300CHF • Entry Fees: Yes • REGISTRATION: CLICK HERE Every photo submitted to the competition will be brought to life through high-quality prints and showcased in a trendy gallery setting. The exhibition attracts hundreds of visitors who explore the displays, engage with the artwork, and vote for their favorite images to determine the winners. Beyond the competition,

• All About Photo • Deadline: January 20th, 2026 • Theme: Open • Prize: Online Solo Exhibition • Entry Fees: Yes • REGISTRATION: CLICK HERE Maximize Your Exposure: Enter the Solo Exhibition Competition for a Month-Long Online Showcase At All About Photo, we believe in the power of photography to inspire, transform, and connect people worldwide. The Solo Exhibition Competition offers photographers the opportunity to present their work in a dedicated online exhibition, feature

• Pure Street Photography (PSP) • Deadline: February 28th, 2026 • Category: Street Photography • Prize: $1,000 + Exhibition in Jaipur (India) • Entry Fees: Yes • REGISTRATION: CLICK HERE The Pure Street Photography Awards 2026 stand among the most respected and internationally recognised honours devoted exclusively to the art of street photography. Celebrated for their uncompromising commitment to authenticity and visual truth, the PSP Awards continue to champion photographe

• Olympus • Deadline: January 19th, 2026 • Category: Urban and Street Photography • Prize: OM-3 Camera + Lens Kit + Exposure • Entry Fees: Free • REGISTRATION: CLICK HERE At OM SYSTEM note, we cherish the connections that grow through photography. Alongside fellow photography lovers, we enjoy creating inspiring visual stories—moments and experiences that brighten daily life and leave a lasting impression. From Monday, December 8, 2025, until Monday, January 19, 2026, OM SYST

• Fine Art Photography Awards • Deadline: February 15th, 2026 • Theme: Fine Art Photography • Prize: $3000 + Online Exhibition + Exposure • Entry Fees: Yes • REGISTRATION: CLICK HERE Step into a realm where imagination knows no limits. The Fine Art Photography Awards are back, and we are calling upon every artist bold enough to capture the world in ways that defy expectation. This competition is for the visionaries—for those whose creativity thrives on experimentation and wh

• Fondazione Le Stanze della Fotografia • Deadline: February 1st, 2026 • Theme: Horst. P. Horst. The Geometry of Grace • Prize: Exhibitions in Venice and Milan (Italy) • Entry Fees: Free • REGISTRATION: CLICK HERE If you are aged 18 to 30 and photography plays a central role in your creative life, the Le Stanze della Fotografia Foundation invites you to take part in its open call for young photographers. Open to all and free of charge , the call welcomes both professional

• Homiens • Deadline: January 30th, 2026 • Category: Art & Photography • Prize: $12,000 Awarded Annually + Exhibition • Entry Fees: Yes • REGISTRATION: CLICK HERE The Homiens Art Prize is an internationally respected award that distributes over $12,000 USD each year to artists whose work demonstrates exceptional creativity and vision. More than a financial prize, Homiens is dedicated to advancing artistic careers and creating meaningful exposure on a global scale. Artists wh

• Profoto • Deadline: January 15th, 2026 • Category: Lights Like the Perfect Rembrandt • Prize: $2,000 in Profoto Gear + Exposure • Entry Fees: Free • REGISTRATION: CLICK HERE Rembrandt lighting remains one of the most iconic and respected lighting styles in portrait photography. Characterized by its distinctive triangle of light beneath the eye, it offers a perfect blend of drama, subtlety, and sculptural depth. Centuries after its origins in classical painting, this approa

• Boomer Gallery London • Deadline: February 4th, 2026 • Theme: Contemporary • Prize: Exhibition in London + Exposure • Entry Fees: Free Submission (Pay if Selected) • REGISTRATION: CLICK HERE Most artists live with an ongoing inner dialogue that rarely quiets down. It’s a voice that constantly measures their work against the artists they admire, questions whether what they’re making is relevant, and asks—often in private— Is this enough? Is this contemporary? Do I truly bel

• All About Photo • Deadline: January 27th, 2026 • Judge: Steve McCurry • Prize: $5,000 + Online Exhibition + Exposure • Entry Fees: Yes • REGISTRATION: CLICK HERE For the All About Photo Awards 2026, we are truly honored to welcome Steve McCurry as the sole juror. Known for his unforgettable images and his profound impact on contemporary photography, McCurry’s involvement offers photographers a rare chance to have their work seen, assessed, and celebrated by one of the medi

• MIA Photo Fair BNP Paribas • Deadline: January 15th, 2026 • Category: Contemporary Photography • Prize: Exhibition in MIA Photo Fair + Publication • Entry Fees: Yes • REGISTRATION: CLICK HERE Get ready for something extraordinary at the MIA Photo Fair BNP Paribas 2026 . For the third year in a row , visionary Dutch artist, curator, and storyteller Erik Kessels returns with an exciting side program devoted to emerging photographers and bold new ideas . Through a global ope

• Top Photo Awards • Deadline: January 16th, 2026 • Theme: Hidden Gems of Earth • Prize: Award Badge + Certificate + Exposure • Entry Fees: Free • REGISTRATION: CLICK HERE There are moments when the Earth unveils its brilliance, not with restraint but with a vibrant burst of color that transforms the ordinary into something truly sublime. Whether it’s a quiet coastal path suddenly alive with blooms or a dusty desert erupting into color after a rare rain, these are the sights

• World Masters of Photography • Deadline: January 16th, 2026 • Category: Several Categories • Prize: Exhibitions in Austria and Spain + Trophy • Entry Fees: Yes • REGISTRATION: CLICK HERE We warmly invite photographers from every corner of the globe to take part in the 2026 World Masters of Photography Open (WMPO) , an international competition dedicated to showcasing the very best in contemporary photography. Whether you are an emerging talent or an established professiona

• Thin Line Fest • Deadline: January 15th, 2026 • Category: Several Categories • Prize: $500 + Exhibition in Denton, Texas (USA) • Entry Fees: Yes • REGISTRATION: CLICK HERE Thin Line Fest 2026 is an acclaimed five-day multi-format arts festival hosted in Denton, Texas , from March 18–22, 2026 . The festival presents three core programs— Film , Music , and Photography —each designed to showcase excellence within its discipline while encouraging cross-disciplinary dialogue

• Zone • Deadline: January 31st, 2026 • Theme: Open • Prize: Publication (Digital & Print) + Exposure • Entry Fees: Yes • REGISTRATION: CLICK HERE Here we go again. We’re excited to announce the Open Call for ZONE’s fifth collective book. By now, many of you already know how this process unfolds—but if you don’t, here’s what guides us. At the heart of ZONE is an interest in the conversations that arise when images from vastly different contexts are placed together. We’re cur

• Social Documentary Network • Deadline: January 15th, 2026 • Category: Social Documentary / Systemic Change • Prize: $2,500 + Publication + Exhibitions • Entry Fees: Yes • REGISTRATION: CLICK HERE Every year, the ZEKE Awards celebrate the power of visual storytelling to reveal truth, spark empathy, and inspire change. The ZEKE Award for Documentary Photography honors one photographer who uses the camera not just to witness, but to interpret the world—translating complex r

• CCP • Deadline: January 26th, 2026 • Category: Research • Prize: Awards up to $5,000 • Entry Fees: Free • REGISTRATION: CLICK HERE Supporting the development of new knowledge in photography, photographic history, and photographic theory. Applications are now open for the 2026–2027 Fellowship cycle and must be submitted by January 26, 2026, at 9pm MST . The CCP Fellowship program is particularly interested in applicants who offer innovative and critical perspectives on ccp’

• Swiss Photo Club (SPC) • Deadline: January 15th, 2026 • Theme: Open • Prize: Exhibition in Vienna + Sales + 300CHF • Entry Fees: Yes • REGISTRATION: CLICK HERE All submitted photographs will be professionally printed and displayed in a stylish, curated gallery space. Over the course of the exhibition, hundreds of visitors will attend to view the work and cast their votes, helping to decide the final winners. Participants will have the opportunity to win exciting prizes, co

• Olympus • Deadline: January 19th, 2026 • Category: Urban and Street Photography • Prize: OM-3 Camera + Lens Kit + Exposure • Entry Fees: Free • REGISTRATION: CLOSED. Click HERE for more Opportunities At OM SYSTEM note, we place great value on the connections formed through photography. By collaborating with passionate photographers, we aim to create powerful visual narratives—stories that deliver memorable experiences and bring depth, emotion, and color to everyday life.

• All About Photo • Deadline: January 20th, 2026 • Theme: Open • Prize: Online Solo Exhibition • Entry Fees: Yes • REGISTRATION: CLICK HERE Maximize Your Exposure: Enter the Solo Exhibition Competition for a Month-Long Online Showcase All About Photo is proud to support and celebrate photography that moves us—images that tell stories, spark emotion, and create lasting impact. Our Solo Exhibition Competition is designed to give photographers the space and visibility to share

• SEE:ZEEN Magazine • Deadline: January 20th, 2026 • Category: Contemporary Photography • Prize: Publication + Exposure • Entry Fees: Free • REGISTRATION: CLICK HERE Anyone can submit—no matter where you’re from. see-zeen is an inclusive platform open to all forms of photographic expression. There are no restrictions on subject matter or approach: portrait, landscape, documentary, fashion, abstract, experimental—everything is welcome. We believe photography is more than ima