National Press Photographers Association - Best of Photojournalism 2026

For nearly 80 years, the members of the National Press Photographers Association have worked tirelessly for the benefit of photojournalists by leading a range of advocacy and educational programs. Through our annual Best of Photojournalism competition, we proudly recognize the work of visual storytellers around the world.

Visual journalists spent 2025 documenting historic moments of change and progress. From county fairs to conflict zones, journalists observe, assess, analyze, compose, record, sequence and present the stories of our world so that audiences better understand what is happening around them.

The Best of Photojournalism recognizes the ways in which this type of visual journalism is produced and it proudly honors the professionals who do it. It also recognizes all of the steps it takes to present compelling still and video imagery in the modern news era.

CALL FOR ENTRIES: The Best of Photojournalism competition will open for entries on Monday, December 22, 2025, and remain open until 11:59 p.m. PT on Sunday, January 18, 2026.

Entries in the Still Photojournalism, Picture Editing, Documentary and Online Video, Presentation and Innovation divisions must have been made or initially published between January 1, 2025, and December 31, 2025. See below for information on the Video Photojournalism and Editing division, which has a different entry window this year.

Entry is free for NPPA members in good standing and $90 for non-members which allows an entrant up to 20 entries of their own work. Membership status will be checked at the close of the entry period.

The NPPA has a long-standing tradition of leading the way when it comes to the ethics of our industry. All entrants will certify that the work being submitted conforms to the Code of Ethics all members ascribe to when joining.

All entries in the competition will be catalogued and permanently archived at the University of Georgia's Special Collections Library, preserving what our industry believes is the most important work of the year.

The competition is divided into five primary divisions, each with content-driven categories. The Still Photojournalism division recognizes the work of photojournalists who tell stories either with single imagery or through the use of multiple image photo stories. The Picture Editing division recognizes the editors who hone the subject approach, sequence and help display works, while ensuring that audiences can access and process what is being shown.

The Online Video, Presentation and Innovation division recognizes individuals and teams that excel in promoting online visual journalism through web sites, galleries, multimedia presentations and other digital delivery means.

The Documentary division recognizes the craft of creating longer-form individual and serialized video stories.

After an analysis of past entries and long discussions with entrants, a new, combined, Video Photojournalism and Editing division has been created. This division recognizes visual journalists who, through video, tell stories relevant to their communities with a focus on the quality of the journalism and the audience’s ability to understand the story.

Additionally, due to the suspension of the previous Video Photojournalism and Video Editing categories, there will be a two-year window for entries. Work made or initially published between January 1, 2024, and December 31, 2025, will be eligible for the 2026 Best of Photojournalism competition.

Across these five divisions, there are more than 75 categories entrants can participate in, ranging from breaking news and sports to the unique challenges of long-form storytelling and current cultural events. The final mediums – be it digital, broadcast or print – are all recognized equally.

Judging is handled in two rounds after the closure of submissions. During the first round, more than 100 judges will work through all of the categories and perform an initial assessment – scoring each entry on a scale from one to five. Every entry will have at least three experts from a relevant field examine the work and the resulting scores will subsequently be averaged.

At the conclusion of the first round, separate panels of final judges, composed of industry experts from the membership of the National Press Photographers Association, will convene through the University of Georgia to discuss and rank the entries with the highest averaged scores. They will assess everything from the technical merits and aesthetics to the potential for impact on the local or international community.

At the end of this finalization process, the NPPA will announce what is the Best of Photojournalism – visual journalism that educates and illuminates.

The competition is supported through a partnership with the University of Georgia’s College of Journalism and Mass Communication.