Created in 2007 by the Academy of Fine Arts at the initiative of Marc Ladreit de Lacharrière, a member of the Academy, the Marc Ladreit de Lacharrière Photography Prize – Academy of Fine Arts is designed as a project grant enabling a photographer to carry out a large-scale project with complete freedom regarding themes and photographic style. It is open to established photographers of all ages who have created an original photographic project.

This prize, awarded biennially since 2018, comes with a prize of 30,000 euros. The winning project is presented, after a 2-year work period, in the form of an exhibition at the Pavillon Comtesse de Caen of the Académie des Beaux-Arts (Palais de l'Institut de France, Paris).

For more than 15 years, this competition has recognized photographers of all ages and aesthetic styles.

Chaired by the permanent secretary of the Academy of Fine Arts, the prize jury is composed of members and correspondents of the photography section of the Academy of Fine Arts, members of other sections of the Academy as well as a representative appointed by the patron.