THE INTERNATIONAL
PHOTO CONTESTS DIRECTORY 2026

Deadline: February 26th, 2026 Theme: Nostalgia The Dusk Photo Gallery invites photographers to explore the theme of nostalgia. This exhibition aims to showcase images that evoke an emotional response. We seek photographs that do more than simply depict the past. Instead, they should invite viewers to connect with their own memories and feelings. Prize: Exhibition in Santa Fe (USA) + Sales Selected works will be featured in an exhibition in Santa Fe, USA. This is a fantastic o

• All About Photo • Deadline: January 27th, 2026 • Judge: Steve McCurry • Prize: $5,000 + Online Exhibition + Exposure • Entry Fees: Yes • REGISTRATION: CLICK HERE We are delighted to announce that Steve McCurry will be the sole juror for the All About Photo Awards 2026. As one of the most recognized and influential photographers in the world, McCurry’s role as juror adds exceptional prestige and curatorial depth to this year’s edition. His discerning eye and extensive exper

• Swiss Photo Club (SPC) • Deadline: January 29th, 2026 • Theme: Open • Prize: Exhibition in Munich + Sales + 300CHF • Entry Fees: Yes • REGISTRATION: CLICK HERE Munich is once again welcoming the SPC PHOTO AWARDS. This celebrated photography event brings together an inspiring exhibition and an open competition that has captured the imagination of photo enthusiasts across Europe, including in Zurich, Berlin, and Cologne. It’s a space where creativity, storytelling, and visua

• BBA Gallery + Prizes • Deadline: January 26th, 2026 • Theme: Open • Prize: €300 + Exhibition in Berlin (Germany) • Entry Fees: Yes • REGISTRATION: CLICK HERE Photography speaks in a universal language—one that transcends skill level or experience. Whether you are a master of the craft or a casual creator guided by instinct, you carry within you a distinctive way of seeing the world. Each frame you capture has the potential to become something unforgettable, a reflection of

• Decagon Gallery • Deadline: February 28th, 2026 • Theme: Red (Presence, Pulse, Meaning) • Prize: $1,000 Total Cash + Solo Online Exhibition • Entry Fees: Yes • REGISTRATION: CLICK HERE Red is more than a color—it is a pulse, a visual heartbeat that carries memory, emotion, and presence all at once. It holds the power to echo the past, to mark a moment, to linger long after the image has faded from view. Red resists easy interpretation. It can shout with urgency or murmur s

• AI-AP • Deadline: February 6th, 2026 • Theme: Open • Prize: Publication + Exposure • Entry Fees: Yes • REGISTRATION: CLICK HERE The AI-AP Call for Entries is an internationally acclaimed competition that brings together exceptional photographers, illustrators, and visual storytellers from across the globe. Open to creative professionals at all stages of their careers, the contest celebrates the most compelling visual work produced or published within the year. Winning sele

• Center Santa Fe • Deadline: February 28th, 2026 • Category: Several Categories • Prize: $5,000 + Exhibition + Publication • Entry Fees: Yes • REGISTRATION: CLICK HERE MEMBERSHIP BENEFITS: Becoming a member gives you access to a range of valuable benefits designed to support and enhance your participation. Members receive discounted entry fees for all 2026 Calls for Entry , along with exclusive invitations to special exhibitions, private events, and member-only opportunitie

• 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 carry with them a persistent inner conversation—one that compares their work to that of their heroes, questions its place in the present moment, and quietly asks whether it is enough. Is this relevant? Is this contemporary? Do I belong here? These questions can feel lonel

• MIA Photo Fair BNP Paribas 2026 • Deadline: January 23rd, 2026 • Category: Food and Sustainability • Prize: €5,000 + Exhibition • Entry Fees: Yes • REGISTRATION: CLICK HERE Honoring food as nourishment for thought, culture, and the human spirit Curated by Claudio Composti Within the framework of MIA Photo Fair, BNP Paribas proudly continues a meaningful cultural partnership with the fifth edition of the IRINOX SAVE THE FOOD Award . Brought to life with the support of Irino

• Rovinj Photodays • Deadline: February 24th, 2026 • Category: Several Categories • Prize: €2,000 + Exhibition in Croatia + Stay • Entry Fees: Yes • REGISTRATION: CLICK HERE Each participant may submit a maximum of nine (9) entries in total, regardless of the category or categories under which the works are submitted. An entry may consist of either a single photograph or a series of photographs . For series submissions, each individual entry may include up to 20 images . P

• BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation)

• Swiss Photo Club (SPC) • Deadline: January 22nd, 2026 • Theme: Open • Prize: Exhibition in Munich + Sales + 300CHF • Entry Fees: Yes • REGISTRATION: CLICK HERE The SPC PHOTO AWARDS are making an exciting return to Munich! This unique event combines a dynamic photography exhibition with an engaging competition format that has already thrilled thousands of photography lovers in cities such as Zurich, Berlin, and Cologne over the past few years. Whether you’re a passionate am

• Exposure Photo Gallery • Deadline: June 30th, 2026 • Theme: The Shape of a Moment • Prize: $500 Exhibition in USA and Argentina • Entry Fees: Yes • REGISTRATION: CLICK HERE There are moments that arrive without warning and disappear just as quickly, like a quiet breath drawn and released. Though fleeting, these moments carry a lasting resonance, leaving behind traces of meaning that linger long after they have passed. This call invites photographers to seek out and capture

• Archivo Jalón Ángel • Deadline: May 4th, 2026 • Theme: Portrait / Travel / Migration and Borders • Prize: €1,500 + Trophy + Exhibition in Spain • Entry Fees: Free • REGISTRATION: CLICK HERE The Jalón Ángel Photographic Archive, under the stewardship of San Jorge University, part of the San Valero Group, proudly announces the organisation of the 12th edition of the Jalón Ángel International Photography Prize. This prestigious award continues its commitment to celebrating ph

• SP • Deadline: March 10th, 2026 • Category: Drone & Aerial Photography • Prize: Equipment worth $22,000 • Entry Fees: Free • REGISTRATION: CLICK HERE We believe every creator carries a singular way of seeing the world — an instinct for discovering the extraordinary within the everyday. You transform vast skies and grounded landscapes into visual poetry, guided by the powerful connection between your inner vision and the world unfolding around you. With every frame, you eng

• Swiss Photo Club (SPC) • Deadline: January 22nd, 2026 • Theme: Open • Prize: Exhibition in Vienna + Sales + 300CHF • Entry Fees: Yes • REGISTRATION: CLICK HERE All entries will be transformed into a full-scale photo exhibition, with each image printed and presented in a cool, contemporary gallery. The show draws hundreds of visitors who come to discover new talent, admire the photography, and vote for the images that stand out to them most. By taking part, you’ll not only

• Bob Books • Deadline: January 31st, 2026 • Category: Sport Photography • Prize: Bob Books Voucher + Exposure • Entry Fees: Free • REGISTRATION: CLICK HERE January is a time for fresh starts, new goals, and building momentum, which is why sport feels like the perfect theme to kick off the year. For our January Photo of the Month competition , we’re celebrating ‘Sports’ in all its variety, energy, and community spirit. Sport has a unique way of bringing people together and

• Zone • Deadline: January 31st, 2026 • Theme: Open • Prize: Publication (Digital & Print) + Exposure • Entry Fees: Yes • REGISTRATION: CLICK HERE Once again, we open the door. ZONE’s fifth collective book is now accepting submissions. For many of you, this process will feel familiar—but for those encountering it for the first time, here is where we begin. We are interested in what happens when images meet. When photographs from different places, practices, and intentions ar

• LCE • Deadline: January 21st, 2026 • Category: Several Categories • Prize: £10,000 Prize Fund + Exposure • Entry Fees: Free • REGISTRATION: CLICK HERE Enter for free and compete for a share of a £10,000 prize fund across 14 exciting photography categories. These include a People’s Choice award, decided by public vote, and the Emerging Talent award, giving photography students the chance to win prizes for themselves and their university. Open to photographers at every stage

• BBA Prizes & Gallery • Deadline: February 9th, 2026 • Theme: Open • Prize: €1,000 + Solo Show in Berlin (Germany) • Entry Fees: Yes • REGISTRATION: CLICK HERE Outstanding visual quality, powerful and authentic storytelling, thoughtful conceptual development, technical precision, and a profound engagement with the subject matter are just some of the core criteria our esteemed jury will examine. Comprised of leading industry experts, the jury brings a wealth of knowledge and

• 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,