National Geographic - Photography Competition 2026

• National Geographic

• Deadline: March 22nd, 2026

• Category: Several Categories

• Prize: 11-Day Holiday for 2 + Mentorship

• Entry Fees: Free

• REGISTRATION: CLICK HERE

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To be accepted into the competition, all photographs must be submitted as .jpg files and must be smaller than 10MB in size. Any files that exceed the size limit or are provided in a different format may not be accepted. Entrants must ensure that every image they submit is their own original work, and they must hold the full copyright to the photographs they enter.

Photographs must also be recent. Only images that were taken within the two years leading up to the date of entry are eligible. In addition, images that have already won awards in a National Geographic photography contest cannot be entered again and will be disqualified if discovered.

Basic editing is allowed, but only to a limited extent. Participants may apply minor adjustments, such as light burning and dodging, small colour corrections, and cropping to improve composition. However, edits that dramatically alter the original photograph are not permitted. The use of generative AI tools or AI-generated elements in creating or editing the image is strictly forbidden.

If a photograph features a person as the main subject, entrants must ensure they have the permission of that individual to submit the image to the competition. This permission may be documented through a model release form or another clear form of consent. This rule applies only when the person is the central focus of the photograph, and it does not apply to typical street photography where individuals appear incidentally. The competition promoter may request proof of permission at any time and reserves the right to disqualify entries if the entrant cannot provide this proof when asked.