Photographers Guide Photo Contests 2017

PART I PART II

TABLE of CONTENTS INTRO

ABOUT THE WORLD PHOTOGRAPHY ORGANISATION AND THE SONY WORLD PHOTOGRAPHY AWARDS 10 11

PART III

42 PHOTO CONTESTS TO CONSIDER (OR AVOID) 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36

PART IV

Russ O’Connell: #SWPA Competition Judge & Picture Editor for The Sunday Times Magazine (UK) Damien Demolder: #SWPA Open & Youth Competition Judge, Photographer and Journalist (UK)

WPPI 16x20 Print Competition Underwater Photographer of the Year Sony World Photography Awards (Open and Youth Competition) Sony World Photography Awards (Professional) Pictures of the Year International World Press Photo Days Japan International Photojournalism Awards Nikon Photo Contest Feature Shoot Emerging Photography Awards Istanbul Photo Awards Zeiss Photography Award Audubon Photography Awards PDN Photo Annual Leica Oskar Barnack Award GDT European Wildlife Photographer of the Year Px3 Red Bull Illume Image Quest Big Picture Natural World Photography Competition NPPA Best of Photojournalism Kuala Lumpur International Photo Awards Insight Astronomy Photographer of the Year

37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57

Nikon Small World Photomicrography Contest Magnum Photography Awards On the Move International Award Barcelona International Photography Awards International Drone Photography Awards IAFOR Documentary Photography Award National Geographic Traveler Photo Contest Black & White Spider Awards APA Awards Epson International Pano Awards Photo Camera Clara International Photography Award Moran Contemporary Photographic Prize Travel Photographer of the Year LensCulture Emerging Talent Awards International Color Awards National Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year Smithsonian Photo Contest Aperture Portfolio Prize Wildlife Photographer of the Year I Shot It: The Best Photo Competition

CONCLUSION

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© David Chancellor, UK, 2nd Place, Professional, Campaign, 2016 Sony World Photography Awards

2017 Call For Entries

Four competitions to choose from Professional Open Youth Student Focus

Prizes include

Sony digital imaging equipment Up to $30,000 in cash prizes International exposure International exhibitions

Deadlines

Student Focus: December 5, 2016 Open | Youth: January 5, 2017 Professional: January 10, 2017

Enter for free now at worldphoto.org/swpa THE 2017 PHOTOGRAPHER’S GUIDE TO PHOTO CONTESTS

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PART I

Intro

hoto contests serve many different purposes for photographers. For some, contests can offer a simple way to judge yourself against others while providing varying levels of critical feedback. For others, contests can offer significant marketing exposure and monetary prizes and equipment. But all contests aren’t necessarily worth your while. Unscrupulous contest promoters can demand overreaching rights grabs and require high entry fees. Many contests are simply cash making scams that appeal to the ego of the unwitting photographer. This guide, in partnership with the World Photography Organisation, is designed to help you separate the wheat from the chaff. We’ve compiled a list of forty-two photo contests and rendered a verdict. Recommended contests are indicated by the icon. Our subjective analysis is based on five criteria:

Entry fees:

Entry fees are sometimes used as a way for contests to simply generate revenue. Many great contests have no entry fee. That said, entry fees can provide a way for contests to compensate judges, fund prizes and exhibitions, and pay for operating costs when a deep-pocketed sponsor isn’t available.

Prizes:

Contests should offer cash and/or equipment prizes that are in line with the size of the contest and audience. Premier contests attract premier sponsors which usually lead to better prizes. We value con-

© Oysten Glenne Kristiansen

tests that have multiple prizes for different categories or top finishers. We abhor contests that have entry fees, but only award certificates to the winners.

Submission rights:

Good contests restrict their rights-grabbing language and only use images in conjunction with promoting the contest and include appropriate photo credits. The best contests restrict their use of images to a fixed duration. All contests will ask for broad rights to reproduce images in multiple media (e.g. print, exhibitions, online, in-app, etc), and we’re seeing more competitions ask for display rights to all entries, not just the winners (some contests

THE 2017 PHOTOGRAPHER’S GUIDE TO PHOTO CONTESTS

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like the Audubon allow entrants to opt-out of this type of usage). This allows contests to build and show a steady stream of content throughout the course of the application and judging periods. Of course, the more an image is displayed online, the greater the chances for it to be stolen. But the approach to showing curated entries is becoming more of a norm – particularly in contests geared more towards non-professionals. An example of bad photographer rights from Smithsonian Photo Contest (we bolded egregious sections). We don’t like this language because it allows Smithsonian to use your image on materials that have nothing to do with the competition (e.g. calendars, books, subscription cards, etc): “You retain your rights to your photograph; however, by entering the contest, you grant the Smithsonian Institution (and those authorized by the Smithsonian) a royalty-free, world-wide, perpetual, non-exclusive license to publicly display, distribute, reproduce and create derivative works of the entries, in whole or in part, in any media now existing or later developed, for any Smithsonian Institution purpose, including, but not limited to, advertising and promotion of the magazine and its website, exhibition, and commercial products, including but not limited to Smithsonian Institution publications. Any photograph reproduced will include a photographer credit as feasible. The Smithsonian Institution will not be required to pay any additional consideration or seek any additional approval in connection with such uses.” Better photographer rights from World Press Photo restrict utilization to specific purposes (e.g. promotion of the contest and education activity): “Copyright holders retain copyright of their work. For awarded pictures, copyright holders grant the World Press Photo Foundation unlimited non-exclusive use of high-resolution pictures for activities in all media, including social media, online and print, in relation to the contest, the exhibition, the yearbook, the public archive, and all promotional and educational activities for and under the auspices of the World Press Photo Foundation, without any remuneration being due.”

© Tamina Florentine Zuch, Germany, Winner, 2016 ZEISS Photography Award

Great photographer rights from the Sony World Photography Awards restrict usage and duration. “You hereby grant the World Photography Organisation a non-exclusive, irrevocable licence in each Entry throughout the world for three years in all media for any use connected to the promotion of You the author and the SWPA event and/or competition, including, but not limited too...”

Promised exposure:

Sometimes cash and equipment prizes aren’t significant, but media exposure, publications and/or exhibitions can bring significant benefits. Certain publications are known for their annual contests/awards, and the design and packaging of those publications make them collectible.


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Shows like the Sony World Photography Awards at the Somerset House in London or World Press Photo’s traveling exhibition have become increasingly renown, and bring tens of thousands of eyeballs to the winners. Many successful awards leverage effective public relations to generate millions more views online. And sometimes exposure can lead to direct work either through print sales or new assignments and commissions. A number of photographers have told us that they are more interested in exposure that well-known contests bring them – both in terms of general public relations as well as being seen by an influential jury.

Feedback from past winners:

At the end of the day, winners need to feel sufficiently rewarded for entering the contest. We spoke to winners from all the contests to get a better sense of the landscape from the competitors’ vista. A number of photographers and contest jurists have warned against producing content specifically for contests. Decorated photojournalist Heidi Levine cautions, “Photographers should not allow their self worth and work to be determined by only winning awards.” Indeed, while many photographers expressed gratitude for winning prizes, they were often more concerned with gaining a wider audience for the topics they were photographing – from child trafficking to conservation issues. Travel Photographer of the Year Marsel van Oosten views contests as a valuable learning tool. “If you don’t win, it means that the work you thought people would really like, doesn’t jump out from those thousands of images. That doesn’t mean that the quality of your images is not good enough, but it does tell you that it’s probably not original enough, or not executed perfectly.” Many photographers express some disdain for the contest culture. Nikon Photo Contest winner Dina Bova offers some sage advice, “I think it is important to remember that photography is an art – and not a sport. In art, you cannot jump higher than everybody or run faster than others. In photography, as in any other form of art – you just need to be yourself and not try to please someone or to predict someone’s tastes.”

© Klaus Pichler

With a plethora of options, a photographer could spend all their time (and money) entering contest after contest. But that strategy won’t necessarily yield the best return on investment. Magnum Photography Award winner Aaron Hardin suggests, “If you want to get your work out into the world, then focus your attention, edits, and entry fees on very specific contests. Know who will see your work. It is better to enter three appropriate contests for your work than to waste hundreds of dollars on entry fees on every competition available.” Sian Davey, winner of the PDN Photo Annual Arnold Newman Award, says, “I feel you have to be selective with competitions and awards – do your research, look at how they might promote or support your work after the award; ultimately asking if they have your best interests in mind.” From these criteria, we’ve rendered a verdict for each contest. Although we include several “hobbyist” contests, the verdict is biased towards the professional (e.g. rights-grabs can significantly affect our recommendation). You can use this same criteria to evaluate contest that you encounter that we haven’t reviewed. In


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almost all cases, the availability and amount of a cash prize is a good proxy for the worth of a contest.

On Manipulation & Ethics

While some contests allow categories of photo-illustrative images, other contests have strict language regarding acceptable image manipulation in post-processing. Although the industry as a whole still struggles with defining “acceptable manipulation” (and often falls back on antiquated terms from the darkroom), more contests are requesting RAW files from the finalists to verify the integrity of the entry. Generally speaking, the removal or addition of objects within the scene is frowned upon, as is excessive burning and dodging of elements that effectively removes them from the scene (with the exception of sensor dust). With rapid advances in technology (e.g. computational photography), it’s clear that the issue of manipulation will confound contest administrators and judges for the foreseeable future. This year the WPPI 16x20 Print Competition instituted a plagiarism rule “for cliches or stereotypical shots” according to WPPI Grand Master Jerry Ghionis. Given the large number of entries each year, WPPI will rely on other photographers to flag potentially plagiarized images. Ghionis says, “If it is the same pose, the same lighting, the same cropping at the exact location then this would have to be reviewed by a committee. It would be a rare occurrence for us to enforce the rule, but we want the rule in place because we do not want an image to win a grand award for its uniqueness if we were to find out it was specifically copied from the original author.” The rule is, perhaps, a nod to the fact that crowd policing has been an effective way to catch ethical breaches in the past.

© Melissa Groo

Disclaimer:

We strive to publish accurate details on the contest prizes and deadlines. However, in some cases, we were unable to verify 2017 contest information and therefore relied on information from past years.

The issue of ethics often concerns how a photographer went about capturing an image. In some genres of photography (e.g. photojournalism), the staging of scenes (by directing, paying, or even interacting) with the subjects are taboo. But the role of ethics doesn’t end with people. Many wildlife and nature contests like the Audubon Photo Contest are starting to add language that forbid activities that would stress/harass or bait/lure wildlife for a picture. Audubon goes further to restrict the use of drones because of concerns for bird safety.


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PART II

About the World Photography Organisation and The Sony World Photography Awards

or this guide we’ve partnered up with one of the most prestigious and respectable awards photographers can be honored with, the World Photography Organisation’s Sony World Photography Awards.

The Sony World Photography Awards

The Sony World Photography Awards (#SWPA), organised by the World Photography Organisation, is the world’s largest photography competition. Celebrating its 10th anniversary in 2017, the awards showcases the best photography in the world from the past year. Free to enter and open to all photographers, the awards’ are an authoritative voice in the photographic industry, with the power to shape the careers of its winning, shortlisted and commended photographers. The total number of entries received since the first edition in 2007 has now surpassed 1 million images, reinforcing its position as one of the most influential photography competitions in existence. Entry is free and photographers of all abilities can enter the following competitions:

• Professional - 10 categories, judged on a body of work

• Open - 10 categories, rewarding the best single images • National Awards - Entries submitted to the Open competition are automatically entered into the National Awards based on nationality (Please check if your indi vidual country is participating) • Youth - for all photographers aged 12-19, a single image responding to one brief

• Student Focus - for those studying photography Each year a total prize fund of $30,000 (USD) plus the latest Sony digital imaging equipment is shared between winning photographers. Photographers are taken on a year-long journey, bringing untold exposure and providing a global stage on which to present their work. The hugely popular Sony World Photography Awards Exhibition, featuring a selection of winning, shortlisted and commended images, is curated at the prestigious Somerset House, London each Spring. The World Photography Organisation recently sat down with two judges for this year’s Sony World Photography Awards to find out more about their careers and what they’re looking for from photographers entering the contest.


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PROFILE

Russ O’Connell: #SWPA Competition Judge & Picture Editor for The Sunday Times Magazine (UK) Interview by Matthew Oxley, World Photography Organisation

uss O’Connell is Picture Editor of The Sunday Times Magazine, his latest step in a 14-year career within the photographic and magazine publishing industry. He worked for some of the biggest consumer publications in the UK market before fulfilling a lifelong ambition of working for The Sunday Times, famed for its history of printing the best in photojournalism, portraiture and photographic essays. He has worked with some of the best photographers in the world, commissioning assignments ranging from high-end celebrity portraiture, music and fashion shoots to in-depth reportage photography. Russ is judging the 2017 Sony World Photography Awards’ Professional Competition, so we caught up to learn more about his path to The Sunday Times Magazine, plus got his advice for photographers entering this year’s contest.

I joined in the early 2000's just as the digital photography revolution was beginning, so when I started I was still receiving printed photos & transparencies from various agencies and photographers, while images via email and ISDN or FTP were slowly starting to become the standard way of delivery.

Hi Russ. Tell us about your journey to becoming Picture Editor at The Sunday Times Magazine. What have been some of the highs and lows, and what changes have you seen along the way?

It was an exciting introduction to the industry, bidding on exclusive paparazzi sets of images against your rivals for ridiculous amounts of money, but I soon became disillusioned by the whole celebrity fad, which is when I made the move to become Photo Director of Q Magazine, which is a monthly music mag. We shot 90% of the content at Q, which was brilliant for me in terms of my development in shoot production, art directing shoots and developing a definitive photographic style for the magazine. The job took me all over, often flying to

I studied photography at University, then through work experience on numerous magazines picture desks, I ended up landing a job at a weekly magazine called Heat, which at the time was the market leader in the celebrity entertainment market.


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the US and Europe to art direct cover shoots of various bands and musicians, even now I think back to how lucky I was to meet and be a part of that process. When you are on the job it just becomes normality, but if I stand back and think about it, it was really quite a special opportunity at the time. I moved on to the role of Photographic Director of British GQ, which had its highs and lows. What surprised me working there was how advertising-led the decisions made on that magazine were, often the images with advertisers clothing would be favoured over the merit of the actual images themselves, to me, that isn't picture editing at all. I understand the need to please advertisers, but when it gets in the way of great content, then the line has been crossed; you may as well be working for a catalogue. You’ve worked with some of the biggest names in photography. Tell us about your most memorable shoot or commission.

I've been lucky enough in my career to commission and work with some of my favourite photographers, Norman Jean Roy, Peggy Sirota, Nadav Kander to name but a few. At Q Magazine I commissioned and art directed their Artists of the Century cover shoot, featuring 25 of the decade's most relevant musicians and bands to celebrate the magazine's 25th anniversary. It was a big gatefold covering over 3 panels. This meant meeting & shooting some of the most high profile musicians in the world, from Paul McCartney, to Amy Winehouse, Rihanna, U2, Dave Grohl, Kings of Leon, Robert Plant, etc. It was a year in progress, tight at times, but looking back it was a major achievement and first for the music industry at the time. Commissioning David Bailey to photograph Paul McCartney was up there with one of my most memorable experiences. Just being in the room with 2 of the most iconic figures from the 60's was surreal. But possibly my most memorable shoot was travelling on tour with Bruce Springsteen in his private jet for an expansive cover shoot & feature. It's something to tell the grandkids for sure. If you could give one piece of advice to those entering the Professional competition of the 2017 Sony World Photography Awards, what would it be and why?

Be conscious of your contemporaries and competition, try and choose something that really stands out, but is relevant in today's saturated market. What may be

special to you personally can be lost or misunderstood to the viewer, so try and think more commercially or choose images that are more visually appealing, but at the same time being mindful of cliche images. I want to be blown away by seeing a portrait or image that immediately invokes an emotional response, not a pastiche of a famous portrait or replication of a photographer's style that has come before. How can photographers maximize their chances of getting work in front of editors such as yourself? What are the best practices for approaching publications and pitching stories?

Research, research, research. Ask yourself, does my work sit with this magazine or title? There's little point approaching an editor with work that they would never run in the pages of their magazine or paper. As editors, we often have very little time to see portfolios, so I can't stress how important it is to be relevant in your approach and understand the market that you are trying to pitch to. Don't be disheartened if you get knocked back, most of the time it is simply because your style or is not what they are looking for, or there is already someone on their books doing what you do. What excites you most about the photography world going into 2017?

I think we are currently in one of the most exciting times for photography. We are in the middle of a complete digital revolution, an age where photography is available to anyone if they want to be involved. All you need is a smart phone and you can create and document what you see. Long gone are the days of needing full professional photographic training to be able to understand how to take a photograph; it is literally at your fingertips. What has surprised me is how strong the quality of the current generation of cameras phones are. They have completely killed the point and shoot market. You don't need high end DSLR equipment and expensive lenses to capture amazing images. Looking at photos taken on high end equipment side by side with smartphone technology, the line is beginning to blur, obviously there will always be a place for the more serious kit, but there are some people out there doing amazing things with the cameras on their phone, be it citizen journalism or hobbyists taking landscape photos on a weekend walk. To me thiscan only be a good thing for the future of photography and its accessibility and relevance in the world.


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PROFILE

Damien Demolder: #SWPA Open & Youth Competition Judge, Photographer and Journalist (UK) Interview by Matthew Oxley, World Photography Organisation

amien Demolder is a photographer, journalist and photographic equipment expert, speaker, judge and educator. He has worked in the photographic publishing industry for 19 years, including 15 years at the world’s only weekly photo magazine, Amateur Photographer, where he was editor. He writes and tests for dpreview.com, British Journal of Photography, Amateur Photographer and a range of other UK and international publications. He uses a wide range of equipment, from wooden plate cameras to the latest DSLRs, is a great fan of the emerging compact system camera and all products that make good photography more accessible to more people. Although he specialises in street photography, he also shoots portraits, landscapes, architecture, natural macro and occasionally even wildlife and weddings. Damien shared with us what excites him most about photography in 2017 and the #1 piece of advice he has for those hoping to win this year’s competition. Hi Damien. As someone with a unique position in the photography world: your experience spans many realms and disciplines, what excites you most about photography as we head into 2017?

There is a lot to be excited about for the coming year, mainly because of the new generation of cameras

and lenses that have appeared at the end of this one. Equipment doesn’t thrill me in its own right, but, when I see new features, functions and abilities coming forward. I imagine what they can do for me and what creative doors they can open. The launches of this year have been very much about making cameras faster to use and being able to capture moments without technical hindrance. When the flaws of a photographic system come between the photographer and the image, something is wrong. We don’t have perfect cameras, and we never will, but all the time they are getting better. The most exciting thing, though, for 2017 will be seeing how the medium format market is developing. Physically larger sensors bring a whole different look to photography and the resolution and tonal qualities they provide are something else. With this latest wave of mirrorless cameras from Hasselblad and Fujifilm, prices are coming down, and the technology is becoming easier to use. That’s a brilliant thing.


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Both of these developments, the speed of cameras and the growth of medium format, are fantastic news for creative photography. They clear the path for new ways of shooting and new ways for people to express what they see. They will add a massive buzz to the photographic world. Why photography? Tell us about your background and how you got to this point in your career.

I was going to be a musician but realised in time that for me it was all hard work and no talent. I’d had a camera since I was about 14 but it took a while for me to realise how much I loved taking pictures. I was able to take art at school and began to teaching myself from books and magazines and from experimenting in the darkroom. I became obsessed quite quickly and was so driven that I was able to skip two years of college because I’d taught myself already. I learnt about colour and printing, as well as dealing with people and shooting consistently and quickly, when I worked as a cruise ship photographer. The places I visited and the people I met opened my eyes to the world and showed me alternative experiences and ways of thinking and being. After some time assisting advertising photographers and working for myself, I joined the photographic magazine world and was able to totally immerse myself in photography. I went to the launch of every camera I could and found out why they were made that way. I interviewed photographers and questioned the life out of them to understand how they worked and thought. I spoke with enthusiasts, professionals, camera engineers, lens designers and retailers alike and listened to their moans, elations, struggles, frustrations and passions. I studied cameras, lenses, accessories, software and the pictures that they make and the people that used them. I breathed in photography from as many angles as I could – and still do.

© Kei Nomiyama, Open photographer of the Year, 2016 Sony World Photography Awards

I want a picture that tells me what you saw and what you thought when you saw it.

For me the compelling qualities of photography are that there is so much to know. I will never be finished, and that it is always changing and new – there are as many ways to see and shoot as there are pairs of eyes on the planet.


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You’ve judged a variety of different photography competitions in the past. What are you looking for most in a single image?

Photography is a means of communicating so I want a picture that tells me what you saw and what you thought when you saw it. I want to feel I’m there with you seeing the same thing and knowing how you felt at the time. I love romance, atmosphere and emotion. We can dream but we need to keep it real enough that others can believe what we are showing them is grounded in the truth. Pictures should tell a story too, so the photographer needs to point out something to us or show us something that makes us think. I need images that make me respond. Talk to us about your long-time role as Editor of Amateur Photographer. What were the most significant changes you saw in the industry from your time at the helm?

Of course the greatest change during my time at AP was the shift from film to digital imaging. When I started at the magazine digital imaging was still in nappies and presented very limited options not only in terms of the equipment but also regarding what you could do with the images – they were so small. By the time I left the magazine only a small proportion of the readership was actively shooting on film. The gradual shift caused all sorts of heated discussions over that period while the technology slowly caught up with the quality of film and while the cameras eventually came down in price. The revolution has been a good one, as most artistic revolutions are, because it has given us new tools and new ways of doing things. That keeps us fresh. Before my time there are arguments around the benefits of the 35mm format over medium format, and before that medium format film over glass plates. We even had a letter in the archive from a reader who proclaimed that plate photography would never be as good as wood cuts – proving that even in the 1890s these discussions around evolving technology were going on. Photography and photographers stayed very much the same, though, throughout my time on the magazine. Trends sift backwards and forwards as they repeat themselves across the decades, while some photographers strive to break new ground and others to shoot the same as their fellows. Digital technology has settled down now and we have generations of photographers who have never touched a roll of film. Software has replaced the darkroom and memory cards

the film, but the subjects we put in front of the camera and our desperation to express ourselves remain constant. Photography still incites passion, compulsion, introspection and communication. There is still nothing else quite like it. If you could give one piece of advice to those entering the Open competition of the 2017 Sony World Photography Awards, what would it be?

Try not to shoot images that have been done a thousand times before and which only copy and emulate others. Originality is very difficult to achieve in a pure sense, but being a bit different isn’t. Try to put yourself in your images and submit what makes you happy. You don’t have to shoot in the same way as others, or the same things. Your life and your experience are different to everyone else’s so use your individuality. Do you have a photographic philosophy?

For me any philosophy around photography has to involve an acceptance of change and a willingness to change because that’s how I develop. When my photography feels like it is standing still it’s usually because I’ve isolated myself by not looking, seeing and listening enough to what is going on around me. I’m not sure that the world changes so much as there are new experiences waiting for me if I am prepared to find them. We don’t have to be visually influenced by other artist’s work, but we can pay attention to the way others express what they feel and think. I suppose my philosophy is to try to be open to ideas and ways of seeing the world. None of us has the whole truth, but the more we look I think we can piece together a better view. Photography is beyond the camera and the lens. Those are just the means. Photography should be a reflection of a thinking mind and a sensitive eye – an extension of our humanity. Don’t assume that thought has to be profound though. It could just be a response to a nice colour or an interesting line.


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PART III:

42 Photo Contests to Consider (or Avoid)

*Contests organized by deadline THE 2017 PHOTOGRAPHER’S GUIDE TO PHOTO CONTESTS

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WPPI 16x20 Print Competition The WPPI’s Awards of Excellence 16×20 Print Competition is one of the few that still caters to the art of the print in 8 divisions that span more than 30 different categories (including filmmaking). Images are juried and receive Honors of Excellence points, which translate into different distinction awards. For many portrait and wedding photographers, these awards provide credibility in a highly unregulated market. And unlike many other contests, the judging is open to observers, providing a level of feedback that is rare.

DEADLINE

January 4, 2017 Winners announced: February

PRIZES

Grand Prize:

USD$2,000

plus a full pass to WPPI, one year Photo+ Membership

ENTRY FEES

Print submission: $45 (members) $65 (non-members) Album submission: $50 (members) $60 (non-members) In-camera Artistry: $30 (members) $40 (non-members)

PROMISED EXPOSURE

All winners are published in Rangefinder magazine and online, and exhibited in Vegas during WPPI.

WHAT THE WINNERS SAY

Jacob Atmodjojo took first place honors in the Creative Division – Portrait Contemporary category for 2016, and while he’s happy with the plexiglass trophy and web exposure, he uses the contest as a measuring stick for himself, saying, “it's more for me to set myself apart (in my portfolio) that I do ‘different’ from other wedding and portrait photographers. I don't really advertise that I won awards such and such in my website, the winning is more for validation of my works in comparison to the other of my colleagues.”

VERDICT

When it comes to wedding and portrait photography, no one can touch the vastness of the WPPI empire. But more than just a juggernaut, the vibe of the annual conference where the final judging takes place is one of inclusivity and optimism – which is reflected in the international roster of winners. The Grand Prize could be more generous, but being able to attend and learn from the judging pays for the price of admission.

© Jacob Atmodjojo

Filmmaking: $55 (members) $65 (non-members)


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Underwater Photographer of the Year In 2017, the contest celebrates its 3rd anniversary and has attracted photographers from around the world who appreciate the beauty of underwater photography.

DEADLINE

January 2, 2017 Winners announced: early February

PRIZES

TBA

ENTRY FEES

£5 GBP for up to 3 images £15 GBP for up to 15 images £20 GBP for up to 20 images

PROMISED EXPOSURE

Exhibition at the London International Dive Show and the Fox Talbot Museum


2016 Underwater Photographer of the Year Davide Lopresti used a flash and slow shutter to take his stunning image of a seahorse. He praises the exposure the win has brought him, and says “The competition has been a great satisfaction for me, the frame of London makes it truly unique and impressive, and the media impact has been truly remarkable,” even though it hasn’t directly led to new work.

VERDICT

The niche contest attracts strong photography, but compared to other niche contests, the organization needs to build a better roster of sponsors while offering more significant prizes and exposure.

© Davide Lopresti


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Sony World Photography Awards (Open and Youth Competition) Since 2008, Sony has sponsored the World Photography Awards – one of the most highly visible photographic awards program in the world. Students, amateur enthusiasts and established professional photographers are encouraged to apply and submit their work in Professional, Open, Student or Youth categories.

DEADLINE

January 5, 2017 Winners announced: after January 31, 2017

PRIZES

USD$5,000

+ flight/accommodation to London to attend the Sony World Photography Awards (open). Flight/accommodation (youth).

ENTRY FEES None

PROMISED EXPOSURE

Exhibited at the Somerset House in London


Kei Nomiyama, 2016 Open Photographer of the Year, says that while the awareness of the award in his native Japan is low, he was “surprised that the recognition...has in the West, especially in Europe.” Since the win, he has fielded a slew of inquiries to purchase and license the image. He recommends the contest, particularly for the international exposure and networking potential. “WPA is especially done well because it's accessible in many different languages, allowing different people from around the world to enter. It's an exciting feeling knowing that other people from around the world are viewing your photo.”

VERDICT

With each passing year, the Sony World Photography Awards seem to grow in stature. With a rich cash prize, exhibition, and massive press coverage, the Awards sit near the top of our recommended list. Also notable: The contest supports the Artists Bill of Rights and use of images is restricted to three years.

© Kei Nomiyama


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Sony World Photography Awards (Professional) The Sony World Photography Awards is recognized as the leading photographic awards program in the world. Launched in 2008, the awards are dedicated to supporting and cultivating photographic culture. The Professional division requires a series of images, whereas a single image can be entered in the Open division.

DEADLINE

January 10, 2017 Winners announced: after January 31, 2017

PRIZES

Winner of the "L'iris D'Or" receives title of "Sony World Photography Awards Photographer of The Year", a

USD$25,000

cash prize, flight/accommodation to London to attend the Sony World Photography Awards, and Sony camera equipment. Category winners receive flight/accommodation to London and Sony camera equipment.

ENTRY FEES None

PROMISED EXPOSURE

Exhibited at the Somerset House in London; published in the winners book; featured in online gallery


Nikolai Linares, winner of the Sports category in 2016, advocates entering the contest, “If you want your stories taken seriously and want people to hear what you have to tell them with your story, you should always enter the big competitions,” while praising the contest organization, “I must say that my whole experience with the contest has been that the organization is very professional. They took care of everything from hotel, to flights and all.” Getty Images staff photographer John Moore took the coveted L’iris D’Or award in 2015 with his stunning work on the Ebola epidemic in Liberia. “The World Photography Organisation very actively promotes the Sony Awards on social media platforms, so they really do bring wide exposure to the work. Plus, the exhibition of all the winners' work at Somerset House in London in very well done and drew huge crowds. I would recommend this competition to all photographers who want to highlight their work.”

VERDICT

A huge cash prize, plus gear, plus an exhibition, plus travel and expenses to the awards – there isn't much not to like about this contest. The exhibition at the Somerset House might lack the prestige of a show at the Whitney, but it’s pretty damn close.

© Nikolai Linares


19

Pictures of the Year International Pictures of the Year International (POYi) is one of the oldest and most prestigious photojournalism programs in the world. POYi itself is a non-profit dedicated to promoting documentary photographers and freelance photojournalists, and the competition celebrates great work from photojournalists worldwide.

DEADLINE

January 12, 2017 Winners announced: after February 23, 2017

PRIZES

USD$1,000 and Tiffany

crystal trophy for Photographer of the Year and Documentary Project of the Year

ENTRY FEES

$50 per entry

PROMISED EXPOSURE

Multiple exhibitions including the Newseum in Washington, D.C.


Newspaper Photographer of the Year 2016 Carolyn Van Houten thinks the exposure is invaluable saying, “Contests, for me, aren’t about ego or winning, but are a way to get a story I care about in front of more eyes and this contest did just that...The New York Times Lens blog ran a few of the winning photos. Then a US Congressman saw the photographs on the NY Times website and wrote a personal letter to me about how the images moved him. That meant more to me than actually winning the contest, but that probably wouldn’t have happened without the exposure that the contest brought.”

VERDICT

Because POYi relies on its endowment rather than corporate sponsors, the prize money is small compared to other contests. While certainly prestigious, POYi shouldn’t solely rely on its well-earned reputation when new contests with rich prizes are emerging every year. Because it only started allowing international entries in 2001, it still doesn’t have quite the global appeal of other contests with international origins.

© Carolyn Van Houten


20

World Press Photo The past few years have been trying for World Press Photo with a spat of controversy regarding manipulation and ethics of the winners. Still, the contest is arguably the most influential and internationally acclaimed in photojournalism – and the organization continues to try to educate and elucidate the issues pressing the industry today.

DEADLINE

January 13, 2017 Winners announced: second week of February

PRIZES

€10,000 for World Press

Photo of the Year, travel expenses to the Award Ceremony in Amsterdam, Canon digital camera, and the Golden Eye Award;

1st place in each category receive €1,500 plus the Golden Eye Award and sponsorship of their trip to the Awards Ceremony in Amsterdam 2nd and 3rd place receives the Golden Eye Award and a diploma

ENTRY FEES None

PROMISED EXPOSURE

All prize-winning photos are assembled into an exhibition that travels to 45 countries are published in a yearbook distributed worldwide.


2016 Long Term Projects 2nd place winner Nancy Borowick says, “Everything about the World Press Photo contest felt professional and organized and the application process was easy and clear. The exposure as a result of the award was tremendous, with exhibitions in 100 cities in 45 countries so the work continues to get seen and talked about on the world stage...Winning a World Press Photo award continues to open new doors and the relationships and connections that I was able to develop since the award have been truly invaluable.” Kevin Frayer, “I have always entered contests reluctantly because I feel they can add a competitive dynamic to the way you see your photography. But there is no question, winning contests gives recognition and exposure to your work no matter how experienced you are. Some award prizes, others prestige... but all of them offer the opportunity to lift your profile.”

© Nancy Borowick

VERDICT

The cash prize, exhibit and master classes put World Press Photo largely into a category of their own. To his credit, Executive Director Lars Boering has taken a proactive stand in trying to manage the everpresent issue of manipulation, ethics and veracity in the field of photojournalism.


21

Days Japan International Photojournalism Awards Ryuichi Hirokawa started the Japanese monthly journal in 2004 on the anniversary of the Iraq War in response to a “distrust of the conventional media” that often “urged” a path to war. The magazine promotes hard core photojournalism and covers global topics that advocate the “dignity of humans and nature.”

DEADLINE

January 15, 2017 Winners announced: March 2017

PRIZES

Grand Prize:

¥1,000,000

+ trophy and camera gear,

(2) 2nd Place Winners: ¥300,000 + trophy and camera gear (3) 3rd Place Winners: ¥100,000 + trophy and camera gear.

ENTRY FEES None

PROMISED EXPOSURE

Winning photos will appear in DAYS JAPAN magazine and on the website. Exhibitions will be held in major cities in Japan to publicly display the awarded works.


The 2016 2nd Place winner Heidi Levine speaks highly of the contest, “I was impressed by the goal of having this contest focus on the perspective of the civilians. The recognition of my work has helped to open new opportunities such as being asked to appear on panel discussions and speak about the victims of war.” The award has allowed Levine to pursue her projects, and she says, “The generous cash prize and camera has also enabled me to continue with my commitment as a photojournalist to use the power of photography as a universal tool to bring greater understanding and a voice to those who are unable to do so themselves.”

© Heidi Levine

VERDICT

The list of grand prize winners is impressive, and the 2016 First Prize totaled nearly $10,000. What the prize may lack in public awareness is offset by the prize money, gear and the caliber of the winners. Plus photographers have a healthy dose of respect for Hirokawa’s nearly solitary efforts.


22

Nikon Photo Contest This year, the biennial award celebrates Nikon’s 100th anniversary with three categories – one of which requires the use of Nikon equipment. Entries are limited to images that haven’t been “formally displayed.”

DEADLINE

January 27, 2017 Winners announced: late June 2017

PRIZES

Nikon 100th Anniversary Prize:

¥500,000

plus Nikon D5, AF-S Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8E ED VR

Grand Prize: Nikon D5, AF-S Nikkor 2470mm f/2.8E ED VR 1st Prize: Nikon D180 + lens 2nd Prize: Nikon D500 + lens 3rd Prize: Nikon D5500 + lens

PROMISED EXPOSURE

Work may appear in exhibitions at venues managed by Nikon and on Nikon social media


When Dina Bova, winner of the Grand Prize in 2012-2013, entered the contest, she lowered her expectation because of her style of photography. “I’m not a pure and classical photographer, but rather a digital artist that uses photography as a raw material for creating new compositions with computer...But I was nicely surprised to find out that this contest is very progressive regarding this matter.” Indeed, over the years, the judges have selected an enormous range of styles. Beyond the generous prizes, Bova compliments the resulting exposure, “There were many articles about me and different magazines, I was invited to TV programs, was given interviews, was invited to give lectures. Also I had a fantastic trip to Japan for the awards ceremony.”

© Dina Bova

VERDICT

If there was ever a year to enter the contest, it is this one. The 100th Anniversary Prize is worth nearly $14,000 USD and the other prizes are no slouches either. The contest might not have the cachet and name recognition of other prizes, but that shouldn’t stop you from entering.

ENTRY FEES None

© Dina Bova


23

Feature Shoot Emerging Photography Awards Now in its third year, the Emerging Photography Awards are switching up the judging format to allow a single judge pick a recipient for a given prize rather than tallying votes.

DEADLINE

January 31, 2017 Winners announced: February 15, 2017

PRIZES

$750 (5) grants

representation in Los Angeles and London

ENTRY FEES

$35 for up to 5 images

PROMISED EXPOSURE

Three group exhibitions (2 in NYC and 1 in Sydney)


Camile Michele, who won in 2016, said, "After being published for Feature Shoot, my work received a lot of attention. The project was published numerous times in magazines and online; P3 magazine (Portugal), The Weather Channel (United States), ZOOM magazine (Italia), Fotopolis magazine (Poland), etc. I was contacted to participate in exhibitions for example Uummannaq will be exhibited at Eyes on Main Street Festival North Carolina in April. I am also selected for the prize Voies Off , Rencontres Internationales de la Photographie, Arles . Thank you to Feature Shoot as the award enabled me to get introduced to many interesting people!"

VERDICT

For the emerging photographer, finding good vehicles to be “discovered” can be vexing. Although the prize money isn’t significant, we like Feature Shoot’s track record of showcasing talent that might otherwise go unnoticed.

© Camile Michele


24

Istanbul Photo Awards The Turkish-based Anadolu news agency sponsored the first contest in 2014, attracting a who’s who of photojournalism with rich cash prizes. The contest unsurprisingly attracts many photographers covering events in the Middle East and Europe with work that typically doesn’t get much circulation in the US.

DEADLINE

January 31, 2017 Winners announced: March

PRIZES

USD$10,000 for photo of the year

plus eight categories each with: 1st: $8,000 2nd $5,000 3rd $3,000

ENTRY FEES None

PROMISED EXPOSURE

Multiple gallery exhibitions in several countries


Abd Doumany, winner of Photo of the Year accolades in 2016, says, “Winning a contest usually gives a good feeling like your work is appreciated and you did your job as you were supposed to do. It gives you the feeling that what you do is appreciated and it pushes you a step forward.” But new assignments are lacking, and he says, “I haven't received any extra work since winning the award.” Story News winner Santi Palacio echoes the lack of work resulting from the award, “...although it is always helpful that your work has international exposure.” But Doumany is circumspect about photographing a difficult subject like the civil war in Syria, “Most photographers in Syria remain freelancers and it's very rare to find someone with a permanent contract. Sure, participating in contests leads you to improving your work and reaching a wider audience which is exactly what is needed since internet connectivity is limited here and it can be challenging for us as photographers and journalists to promote our work on our own.”

VERDICT

With a total purse of $50,000 in prize money spread amongst twelve awards, the Instanbul Photo Awards have created immediate legitimacy in only a few years. The contest jury is impressive and well-connected within the photojournalism world.


25

Zeiss Photography Award In 2016, heralded lens manufacturer Zeiss joined forces with the World Photography Organisation to create the eponymous award with a different annual theme. Unlike most other contests, Zeiss seeks 5-10 images, which makes it a perfect vehicle for longer and richer stories.

DEADLINE

February 7, 2017 Winners announced: May

PRIZES

Choice of Zeiss lenses valued at €12,000, airfare to London to attend the Sony World Photography Awards ceremony

ENTRY FEES None

PROMISED EXPOSURE

Exhibited at Somerset House, London during the 2017 Sony World Photography Awards Exhibition, and image plus an interview featured on the site’s homepage


Inaugural winner Tamina-Florentine Zuch says the prize package of Zeiss lenses have changed her photography, “I would never have thought about spending such a huge amount of money on camera equipment/lenses, but now I work with them I can see the difference and would not want to get back to my old equipment again.” She also believes the association between Zeiss and the World Photography Association was a smart pairing, “[The contest] got huge exposure and the winning photographs even got exhibited in Somerset House in London which was amazing.” Zuch compliments the quality of the jury and recommends the contest to anyone, “not only with the aim to win a prize, but to get the chance to show your work to experienced people.”

© Tamina Florentine Zuch, Germany, Winner, 2016 ZEISS Photography Award

VERDICT

No entry fee, a trip to the awards ceremony, an exhibition at the Somerset House, and €12,000 in Zeiss lenses? Oh, and a three-year limit on use of the image to promote the contest. Every new contest should be this good.


26

Audubon Photography Awards With its legacy of bird conservation around the world, it’s no surprise that the Audubon recognizes the power of photography in elevating the natural world in our collective conscience. Although the contest is limited to residents of the US and Canada, the winners receive worldwide exposure, and the contest has served as a major springboard for past winners.

DEADLINE

Mid-February Winners announced: April

PRIZES

$5,000 for Grand Prize

ENTRY FEES

$15-$20 for single image

PROMISED EXPOSURE

Published in "Audubon" magazine, "Nature's Best Photography" magazine, and displayed in the 2016 Nature's Best Photography Exhibition at the Smithsonian in Washington, D.C.


2016 Grand Prize Winner Bonnie Block says the exposure from the award was “nothing short of amazing. Major news outlets around the world pick up the winners and feature them. The Smithsonian Natural History Museum does hang prints of the winners of the Audubon contest in coordination with the Nature’s Best Photography Awards for a year.” The win helped generate more than a handful of sales (“a lot of the time from my PhotoShelter site”) as well as “speaking engagements to birding and photography organizations.” 2015 Grand Prize Winner Melissa Groo says the exposure was invaluable, “Winning absolutely led to more work, but, as with anything, partly due to my finding ways to take advantage of it. You have to actively promote yourself in all possible ways.” Since her win, Groo has joined the contest jury, and has helped to guide what she calls “much-needed attention to the ethics behind the shot, a consideration sorely lacking from many contests these days.”

© Melissa Groo

VERDICT

For birders and naturalists alike, there is no better contest than the Audubon. The prize money is solid, the ethical guidelines show a commitment to wildlife, and the competition provides a high bar to aspire to. THE 2017 PHOTOGRAPHER’S GUIDE TO PHOTO CONTESTS

27

PDN Photo Annual The PDN Photo Annual awards the best in photography, featuring winning images in ten different categories ranging from editorial assignments, photojournalism, portraiture, advertising, photo books, student work and fine art. Of the many contests that PDN runs throughout the year, the Photo Annual is arguably the most prestigious and most widely anticipated. To be clear, though, being selected as a “winner” in a given category doesn’t bring a bounty of prizes. Only those winning the “special prizes” earn cash.

DEADLINE

February

Winners announced: May

PRIZES

$15,000

Arnold Newman Prize for New Directions in Photographic Portraiture

The Epson Creativity Award of $1,000 and an Epson printer The Marty Forscher Fellowship Fund cash award to one professional and one student winner The PDN Publisher’s Choice Award of $1,500 and a one-page promo in PDN

ENTRY FEES

$45 for a single entry $55 per series; special student rate of $25 per entry.

PROMISED EXPOSURE

Winning images published in PDN's Photo Annual issue (sent to 5,000+ creatives) and pdnonline.com's gallery archive; "work seen by top photo industry judges."


Greg Kahn, winner of the Personal Work category in 2016, says, “I try to be picky when it comes to pay-by-the-entry contests, because the fees can add up quickly. That being said, I always enter the PDN Photo Annual. To me, this is one is a must.” Kahn cites PDN’s reputation and the exposure that the publication brings, “PDN is a prominent and respected industry publication, and the contest covers a variety of photographic categories, so you have things like documentary and commercial work existing in the same space. As a result, a wider net is cast for who sees the winning images.” 2016 Arnold Newman Prize winner Sian Davey says winning “felt like a huge achievement and gave me a real boost in confidence.” The significant cash prize has allowed her to “continue with my personal practice, paying for film, paper, scanning etc. I’ve also been able to invest in a technician to start working through my backlog of negatives that have been sitting in files due to lack of time.”

© Greg Kahn

VERDICT

It’s hard to compare winning a special award vs winning a category. One offers thousands of dollars in prize money, while the other one gets you a free subscription to PDN. Apples and oranges aside, buyers and photo editors consistently tell us that they pay attention to these awards, and one could argue that this qualified exposure is as meaningful as cash. THE 2017 PHOTOGRAPHER’S GUIDE TO PHOTO CONTESTS

28

Leica Oskar Barnack Award Since 1979, the Leica Oskar Barnack Award has been presented to a photographer “whose unerring powers of observation capture and express the relationship between man and the environment in the most graphic form.” The contest attracts a very international crowd and the past winners are diverse in their styles and approaches to photography.

DEADLINE

April

Winners announced: September

PRIZES

€25,000

plus Leica M and €10,000 lens

ENTRY FEES None

*Photo must be taken in past calendar year; only one entry per person; Professional photographers only

PROMISED EXPOSURE

Inclusion at the Leica Booth during Paris Photo


2016 Leica Oskar Barnack Award Winner Scarlett Coten believes the prize is “is one of the most prestigious recognitions for photographers,” and that the generous prize “is true support to pursue our personal projects.” Coten felt certain that the exposure through Paris Photo for her and the Newcomer Award winner Clémentine Schneidermann will “lead to exhibitions, publications, sales, international Internet exposure, and all things that are essential to pursue our careers.”

VERDICT

You can complain about the price of a Leica, but you can’t complain about the prizes in this contest. The diversity of winners (both in terms of geography and subject matter) keep this contest interesting and relevant.

© Scarlett Coten


29

GDT European Wildlife Photographer of the Year The Society of German Nature Photographers hosts the 2nd largest wildlife photography competition in Europe. Entrants must reside in Europe and be members of GDT. The organization also hosts the GDT Nature Photographer of the Year and the Fritz Pölking Prize, named after the great German nature photographer and founder of GDT.

DEADLINE

Mid-March Winners announced: May

PRIZES

€3000

for Overall Winner + travel/ accommodations for awards ceremony

ENTRY FEES

€30 free for Young Photographer category

PROMISED EXPOSURE

Exhibition at the International Nature Photography Festival (GDT) in Lünen, Germany.


Richard Peters, the 2015 GDT European Wildlife Photographer of the Year, says that although the contest is restricted to European residents, it’s still an important contest that is “considered as not only the second biggest competition of its type, but by many, as the one that leads the way in showcasing the more creative side of nature photography.”

VERDICT

Although the contest doesn’t receive the worldwide exposure of others, the prize money is still solid and contest is highly respected within the wildlife community.


30

Px3 Now celebrating its 10th year, the well-regarded “Prix de la Photographie, Paris” promotes photography from around the world in a six categories (advertising, photojournalism, book, fine art, nature and portraiture)

DEADLINE

March 30

Winners announced: June

PRIZES

USD$5,000 (professional)

USD$2,000 (non-professional)

ENTRY FEES

$30 per photo $50 per series

PROMISED EXPOSURE

Winner’s exhibition in Paris, published in Px3 Annual Book


Rob Gregory won in 2015 for the Best New Talent category. “While I can't say that this competition directly led to more work, winning and having your work exhibited in Paris is a great résumé item that helps clients feel more comfortable when they are considering hiring you.”

VERDICT

The well-regarded international competition has attracted a cadre of photographers like Sergey Ponomarev, Sebastiano Tomada, and John Keatley in a slew of categories. The prize money is good, as is inclusion in their annual, but we’d like to see the competition provide more press for their winners. © Rob Gregory


31

Red Bull Illume Image Quest Red Bull has poured millions of dollars into promoting action and adventure sports. Every three years, the company sponsors the Illume Image Quest contest to find the best action and adventure sports photography in 11 categories. In 2016, a new mobile category was added. Although the contest won’t be held again until 2019, a touring exhibition will travel across the world to showcase the winning images.

DEADLINE

March 2019


PRIZES

€40,000 Yodobashi (major Japanese camera retailer) voucher, €60,000 of Sony Photo Gear and other prizes from G-Technology, Tamrac, Broncolor

ENTRY FEES None

PROMISED EXPOSURE

Exhibited worldwide in the Red Bull Illume Exhibit Tour


Jody MacDonald praises the organization and prize pool, “I don’t know of many photo contests that will fly in all 50 finalists from around the world for 3 days of activities and celebration at the highest level. We didn’t win any cash prizes but we did get a lot of really nice gear that has a high cash value.” While it is too early to tell whether the recent win will translate into more work, MacDonald notes that “I am getting quite a few interviews requests from different publications and that is always nice promotion.”

VERDICT

There is an undeniable cool about Red Bull’s unrelenting sponsorship of all things adventure. The Red Bull PR machine generates a ton of publicity for the contest, and winners are guaranteed eyeballs in a variety of heavily trafficked media outlets. And there’s no denying the allure of €40,000 in gear for the grand prize winner.

© Jody MacDonald


32

Big Picture Natural World Photography Competition The California Academy of Sciences sponsors this nature photo contest to “celebrate and illustrate the rich diversity of life on Earth.” Photographers can enter images in seven different categories including the new “Photo Essay: Coral Reefs” to highlight one of the most pressing ecological challenges of our time.

DEADLINE

March 31

Winners announced: July

PRIZES

USD$5,000 grand prize

$1,000 category prizes

ENTRY FEES

$25 for up to 10 photos $15 for photo essay category

PROMISED EXPOSURE

Exhibit at the California Academy of Sciences


Francisco Negroni, winner of the Landscapes, Waterscapes and Flora category in 2016, says, “The Big Picture Competition is one of the most important contests in the world of nature and landscape photography and it is excellently organized, as any doubt or query about participation or other matters is quickly answered.” Like with many contests, Negroni believes that it provides a good way to gauge your skill, “Participating in this contest lets you get a feel of what is going on in the world of nature photography and is also an opportunity to show off your abilities and knowledge through a lens.”

VERDICT

The quality of winners rivals any nature and wildlife competition in the world. We like the fact that the rights grab is limited to promotion of the contest and for a fixed duration of five years.


33

NPPA Best of Photojournalism The Best of Photojournalism (BOP) competitions are hosted by the National Press Photographers Association (NPPA). These annual competitions recognize the best in the four categories of still photojournalism, video photojournalism, photojournalism editing and multimedia photojournalism.

DEADLINE

March

Winners announced: late March

PRIZES

Winner’s plaque

ENTRY FEES None

PROMISED EXPOSURE

Published in the NPPA’s Best of Photojournalism issue of News Photographer magazine and on the NPPA website


Scott McIntyre, Photographer of the Year (small markets), has held the contest in high regard since college, and was appreciative of the exposure it brought, “Winning ‘Photographer of the Year’ was huge for me...It came at the perfect time too, because I was in the middle of transitioning from being on staff at the Naples Daily News to starting my life as an independent photographer in Miami. I can't think of any other contests that showcase the "small market" category, so winning POY (small market) got my name and work in front of a larger scale audience of photographers and editors.”

VERDICT

There is no doubt that the NPPA award has cachet – particularly in the US – that all but guarantees exposure to top editors. But like Pictures of the Year International, the contest might struggle to attract top talent when richer prizes with growing influence are popping up around the world.

© Scott McIntyre


34

Kuala Lumpur International Photo Awards Open to photographers of all levels, the Kuala Lumpur International Photo Awards features a mere two categories: 1) portraiture, and 2) open. In 2016, the contest called for the “deadpan look” in the portraiture division, continuing the tradition of putting an annual spin on the category. Although the prize isn’t well-known outside Southeast Asia, the winners have talent to rival any contest.

DEADLINE

March 31


PRIZES

USD$4,000

+ trophy

ENTRY FEES

$15 per image (discounts and early-bird available)

PROMISED EXPOSURE Exhibition in Kuala Lumpur


Kathrine Tschirner, First Prize winner in the 2016 Portrait category, says, “The KL Photo Awards is more than recommendable. It was noticeable that the organizers have a real interest in photography. The event has been implemented with great attention to detail, recognizable by the good prints and a really masterful hanging in the beautiful rooms of the White Box Gallery.” 2016 Open Category winner Jessica Hines was surprised and delighted to win with her “odd” image, and says, “One of the reasons I entered was because of the impressive list of jurors.”

VERDICT

The fee is nominal and the prizes are significant. Plus the award trophy is truly a work of art, and would look awfully good on your shelf.

© Kathrine Tschirner


35

Insight Astronomy Photographer of the Year Hosted by the Royal Museums Greenwich in Greenwich, England, the Astronomy Photography of the Year competition awards great images of the sky and space. Now in its 5th year, categories include ‘Earth and Space’, ‘Our Solar System’, ‘Deep Space’ and ‘Young Astronomy Photographer of the Year’.

DEADLINE

April


PRIZES

£2,500 ENTRY FEES None

PROMISED EXPOSURE

Exhibition at the Royal Observatory Greenwich in the UK; published in the Astronomy Photographer of the Year book.


2016 Astronomy Photographer of the Year Ainsley Bennett says, “The contest was certainly well-organised with very good prizes considering there was no entry fee. In terms of exposure it was excellent as my image has now reached far worldwide through the internet and news agencies. Winning my category with the added exposure has also seen an increase in my print web sales (still small) but has also led to enquiries from various companies to use my image which I am still in discussions with. I would certainly recommend the competition.”

VERDICT

The entry process is clunky and the rights grab doesn’t favor the photographer. But the prize money and press exposure has grown over the past year, and there really isn’t any other game in town for astrophotography.


36

Nikon Small World Photomicrography Contest The Nikon Small World Photomicrography Competition is regarded as the leading forum for showcasing life’s beauty and complexity as seen through the light microscope. The competition is open to anyone with an interest in microscopy and photography.

DEADLINE

April 30, 2017

Winners announced: mid-October

PRIZES

1st Prize: USD$3,000 towards Nikon equipment; total of (20) prizes totaling around $10,000.

ENTRY FEES None

PROMISED EXPOSURE

Small World Exhibit travels throughout North America at selected museums and centers for science.


2015 Winner and Australian science teacher Ralph Grimm says, “The Nikon Small World award is pretty awesome because it's an International award that gives unconventional photographers in the area of photomicrography a chance to showcase their work to the world.” Ironically, Grimm’s success has led him to share his images less frequently. “In a way, my disappointment in the prevailing ignorance towards our place on the ecological stage has lead to a decline of the amount of work that I do with the microscope and now concentrate more on my profession as a teacher. The real benefit of having won the award last year is that it helped me to encourage, motivate and inspire the students at my school.”

© Ralph Grimm

VERDICT

Like other forms of “nature” photography, the Small World Contest is an amazing niche opportunity for non-professionals – from scientists to school teachers – to compete on a world stage. The contest exemplifies how to produce a contest with strong prizes and guaranteed exposure in a specialized field. We bemoan the loss of cash prizes for gear, but you’d do worse than to have some high quality Nikon equipment.


37

Magnum Photography Awards To help celebrate its 70th anniversary, the venerable Magnum Photos teamed up with LensCulture to create the inaugural award in 2016.

DEADLINE

May


PRIZES

$18,000 in total prize money for the winners:

$2,000 for a series

$1,000

for a single image

ENTRY FEES

$60 per series $20 per single

PROMISED EXPOSURE

Magnum Online Exhibition, Magnum Photography Awards Printed Annual, International Press and Exhibition exposure


Aaron Hardin, winner of the Fine Art category, believes the value of the contest isn’t just about the prizes. “The most significant part of winning the Magnum Photography Award wasn't the money or exposure. It was knowing that someone like Martin Parr, president of Magnum and leading authority on the photobook, not only saw my work, but agreed with the other six esteemed judges that I should be recognized. I never thought that my little project about becoming a father in rural west Tennessee would illicit such a positive response.”

VERDICT

The brand is formidable and the jury is undeniably accomplished and renown. Images may only be used in promotion with the contest, and the entry fee is reasonable. This new contest shows a lot of promise in its inaugural year.

© Aaron Hardin


38

On the Move International Award The Cortona On the Move International Photography Festival in Tuscany uses a beautiful backdrop of medieval architecture to promote an increasingly popular photo circuit destination. The Festival sponsors the On the Move International Award in conjunction with Consorzio Vino Chianti – the Chianti winegrowers syndicate.

DEADLINE

May

Winners announced: mid-July

PRIZES

€4,000 ENTRY FEES

€10

PROMISED EXPOSURE Exhibition at next year’s festival


Klaus Pichler won the 2016 award with his project “Golden Days Before They End,” which captures life within small bars and inns near Vienna. Pichler saw a significant increase of interest in his working following the win. “Winning has definitely lead to more interest in my projects, especially in Italy. The award has, as I have learned from the numerous newspaper requests I received afterwards, a very high reputation in Italy and is also very well noticed in other countries. My project has been presented in the most important Italian newspapers and magazines and numerous online magazines and blogs, the selling of the book in Italy has risen and I have received some messages with notes and requests on the project.”

VERDICT

The relatively unknown contest celebrated its fifth anniversary in 2016, and continues to celebrate contemporary photography in a decidedly old school setting. If the thrill of seeing your winning photos in a medieval town isn’t exciting enough, we’re pretty sure the cash prize will tickle your fancy.

© Klaus Pichler


39

Barcelona International Photography Awards Galería Valid Foto launched the inaugural year of the BIPA with no restrictions on who could enter, or the types of photography that could be submitted. It stated goal is “showcasing international contemporary photography and forming collaborative links between countries and photographic communities.” The Festival sponsors the On the Move International Award in conjunction with Consorzio Vino Chianti – the Chianti winegrowers syndicate.

DEADLINE

Mid-May


PRIZES

Potential representation by Galería Valid Foto BCN

ENTRY FEES

$50 per portfolio

PROMISED EXPOSURE

Exhibition at the Galería Valid Foto in Barcelona & at DOCfield Festival, published on LensCulture


Although it’s still too early to determine whether the award will lead to more work, BIPA 2016 winner Lola Montserrat says, “It’s a good way to publicize your project. And, of course, I’m happy to be one of the winners amongst so many with great work.”

VERDICT

The exhibition at the DOCfield Festival will certainly generate eyeballs for the winners, and seems to have solid traction in Spain. But the high entry fee and lack of prizes makes the current incarnation difficult to recommend.


40

International Drone Photography Awards Suffice it to say, drones are now ubiquitous and photographers are capturing some incredible imagery. The rise of a drone-specific contest was an inevitability, and dronestagram was smart in partnering with National Geographic to increase the reach and give an immediate legitimacy to the contest.

DEADLINE

June


PRIZES

1st Prize: Parrot Bebop drone + Sky Controller, Kodak Pixpro sp 360, 1-year Adobe Creative Cloud Photography subscription, 150 € offered by Picanova on a print on canvas, aluminum or plexiglas.

ENTRY FEES None

PROMISED EXPOSURE

Featured in National Geographic website, photo published in National Geographic magazine French edition


Nature and Wildlife winner Michael B. Rassmussen says, “I think winning a mid-range consumer drone from 3DR and a high quality print from Zeinberg in France is a great price for both amateurs and professionals.” Unsurprisingly, the burgeoning interest in drones brought the winners tremendous press recognition. Rassmussen comments, “The exposure winning the contest has been more than I could ever dream of. The weeks after the winners were announced, I saw my image popping up on all the big news site around the world. Some of the pages where my winning photo was published was on BBC, Los Angeles Times, The Sun, Fox News, etc. An endless list to be honest, and not to mention being on the frontpage of the National Geographic webpage for a few days.”

© Michael B. Rasmussen

VERDICT

2016 saw an explosion in the use of and interest in drones and drone photography. The timeliness of the award couldn’t have been better, and the media’s interest in the winners is proof of that. Whether or not exposure for the winners will continue at such a high clip remains to be seen. That said, the rights grab is fairly broad, and the prizes are modest.


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IAFOR Documentary Photography Award Started in 2015, the award seeks to identify and support emerging photojournalists (applicants must be younger than 31 years old or enrolled in a part-time or full-time program) and documentary photographers. Over 150 photographers from 30 countries submitted work for the 2016 contest.

DEADLINE

Early June

Winners announced: mid-July

PRIZES

£1,000 cash award

plus added to list of nominees for World Press Photo Joop Swart Masterclass, MediaStorm workshop

ENTRY FEES None

PROMISED EXPOSURE Exhibition in the UK and Japan


2016 Grand Prize winner Alexey Furman (10/7) says, “I have won prizes from numerous photography contests, including some of the biggest ones in the industry. But rarely does a photography award treat winners as great as IAFOR Documentary Photography Award does.” Furman praises the exposure the award has brought him in his nascent career. “My project, ‘Life after Injury,’ has been featured in the British Journal of Photography. The Grand Prize winner also gets nominated for the next year's Joop Swart Masterclass. It is extremely difficult to think of an award that would be that supportive of emerging photojournalists. I would definitely encourage everyone to apply.”

VERDICT

© Alexey Furman

Given the low number of applicants and the relatively rich cash award, this is a great contest for young photojournalists to sink their teeth into. The jury is top notch and their expertise spans a range of documentary styles. The 2016 winners covered topics from around the world indicating the jury’s broad appetite for subject matter.


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National Geographic Traveler Photo Contest One of the best brands in photography also has one of the most popular contests. Judges sifted through over 18,000 entries showcasing landscapes, portraits, diverse cultures and surprising moments all over the world to award ten top prizes in 2015.

DEADLINE

June 30


PRIZES

Seven-Day National Geographic Photo Expedition: Polar Bear Safari for Two at Churchill Wild-Seal River Heritage Lodge, a Nat Geo Unique Lodge of the World (~USD$20,000 value)

ENTRY FEES

$15 per entry

PROMISED EXPOSURE

Featured in National Geographic Traveler and online


Anthony Lau took the Grand Prize in 2016 for his image of a Mongolian horsemen. “National Geographic is a name immediately recognizable to a vast number of audiences, from organizations, professional photographers to even my sons (7 & 10). I am not a full time professional, but after winning the placement in this contest, a lot of different opportunities came to me, ranging from charity events, contest judges, photo talks and other projects.” But the value of the contest exceeds the prizes for Lau. “While the prizes are definitely worth the participation, I think the real deal is the opportunities and possibilities that comes after – and I would wholeheartedly recommend this contest everyone!”

VERDICT

© Anthony Lau

We’ve never liked the rights grab language which allows the use of downloadable wallpaper from the NatGeo website for all entries. But like many large circulation magazines, the photo contest targets consumers, not professional photographers who would undoubtedly cringe at this stipulation. NatGeo has unmistakable prestige and value of the 7-day cruise package is pretty sweet.


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Black & White Spider Awards The same people who produce the International Color Awards go full desaturation to bring you the Black & White Spider Awards.

DEADLINE

Late June

Winners announced: November

PRIZES

Certificate of Achievement, Winner Medal

ENTRY FEES

$35 (Professional) $30 (Amateur)

PROMISED EXPOSURE

Published in Black & White Awards Journal


Oysten Glenne Kristiansen shot medium format film on his Hasselblad 501 to take first place in the Nature category. While he enjoyed the accolades, he says “It should have been a prize either of money, travel or photo equipment in my opinion.” But in the end, he’s good humored about the win. “I have indeed tried to focus on this one prize in my CV and [I was written up] in the local newspaper, and I try to use this as a way of branding. But people ask me, ‘What did you win?’ I have to answer: Just honour!”

VERDICT

The jury list is international and diverse, and in normal circumstances, would be a cause for celebration. But we simply can’t understand why a contest that charges such a large entry fee can’t offer anything more than a piece of paper as a prize. And if you were hoping to put a copy of awards catalog, “The Journal,” on your shelf, you’re out of luck. It’s only available as a downloadable PDF.

© Oysten Glenne Kristiansen


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APA Awards APA is one of the most important trade organizations for commercial photographers with both national and local chapters around the US. Their annual awards is a veritable who’s who of commercial and advertising photography with work that you’ve probably seen in the wild.

DEADLINE

July


PRIZES

Best of Show Winner receives over $12,000 in Prizes, including the Grand Prize, a Canon EOS 5DS Camera body. The APA Awards provide over $100,000 in Prizes across 34 winners.

ENTRY FEES

Tiered by membership level. $30 (Leaders) $35 (Professionals/Associates) $40 (Supporters) $45 (Contributors) $60 (Non-members)

PROMISED EXPOSURE

Online gallery of winners at APA website


Matt Sartain, winner of the Conceptual/Altered category in 2016 says, “Often prestige is the only award, but this time I actually received a bundle of really useful prizes!” He believes the exposure from the award is one of the key differentiators. “I think there are a lot of contests out there, sometimes it's hard to tell which ones are worth the entry fee, but APA National is a trusted contest and I got a much bigger response from this win versus some of my previous wins that were not APA National.” Emerging category winner Danielle Tsi echoes the value of the exposure and prizes, “To be honest I didn't think about the prizes when I entered so I was pleasantly surprised by the long list of prizes I received. Beyond actual prizes though what makes this competition a cut above the rest is in the level of industry exposure it gives to the winners.”

VERDICT

The entry fee is relatively high (especially for non-members), but the fees are offset by a large prize pool, which seems to have pleasantly surprised the winners. Plus you’ll be competing with the cream of the crop.

© Matt Sartain

* Disclosure: PhotoShelter provides an award for the competition.


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Epson International Pano Awards Epson sponsors this contest which bills itself as the largest competition for panoramic photography. Now entering its 7th year, the contest attracts thousands of entrants from around the world in three categories.

DEADLINE

Mid-July

Winners announced: Mid-October

PRIZES

USD$3,000

Epson SureColor P-7070, Nodal Ninja 9m Carbon Fiber Pole Bundle, trophy, Triple Scoop Music voucher (open awards);

$5000 Carolyn Mitchum Fine Art Prize 2016 total prize pool valued at USD$60,000.

ENTRY FEES

$20 per image (open) $16 per image (amateur)

*Amateurs (anyone earning <$20,000) + Pros

PROMISED EXPOSURE

© Max Rive

Exhibited at The Digital Show in Melbourne


2015 Major Open Award Winner Max Rive believes the contest is efficiently run and well-regarded, but ironically thinks the prize is ill-conceived. “The main prize, the printer [Epson Stylus Pro], is so big it doesn't fit in any person’s house. I stored it in a garage somewhere and it is still there.” And while the prize didn’t directly lead to more work, he believes the association is worthwhile, saying “I'm using the title which might influence others perception about me as a photographer.”

VERDICT

The Epson Pano Awards serve a very specific niche and offer a ton of great prizes in a number of different categories with very photographer-friendly terms. You might have to leave the printer in the garage, but we’re pretty sure you can use the cash for something interesting.


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Photo Camera Clara The Camera Clara award is strictly for unpublished work taken with large format view cameras, and seeks to reward the slow process that is required through large format photography.

DEADLINE

July

Winners announced: November

PRIZES

€6,000 ENTRY FEES None

PROMISED EXPOSURE Potential exhibition


2015 First Prize winner, Yann Laubscher, was not only impressed by the organization of the prize, but also by the panel of judges. “What was important for me is the composition of the jury (personalities from the world of photography such a Michel Poivert) and of course this is one of the only awards to recognize a photographic work with large format cameras.” Laubscher says the prize money was important, “Yes the money received allowed me to continue my project. And through meeting a member of the jury, my job was put forward for other awards in France.”

VERDICT

In the digital age, it’s rare to find anyone touting the benefits of large format photography, let alone handing out a huge monetary prize. But Camera Clara does just that, and the winners’ work reflects a quietness afforded by the deliberate and slow process.

© Yann Laubscher THE 2017 PHOTOGRAPHER’S GUIDE TO PHOTO CONTESTS

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International Photography Award The International Photography Award (IPA) is an annual competition for professional, non-professional and student photographers. Its goal is to award achievements, discover new and emerging talent, and promote a general appreciation of photography.

DEADLINE

August

Winners announced: October

PRIZES

USD$10,000

for International Photographer of the Year

$5,000 for Discovery of the Year $5,000 for Deeper Perspective of the Year $2,500 for Moving Image Photographer of the Year

ENTRY FEES

$35 per image (professional) $25 per image (non-professional) $15 per image (student)

PROMISED EXPOSURE

Best of Show exhibition in multiple cities around the world; published in IPA book


Multiple-award winner Maxine Helfman regularly submits her work to the IPA, and says. “Over the years, I have entered IPA many times. My main goal has always been exposure to their outstanding roster of judges.” Helfman compliments the contest and prizes. “The winning galleries are a wonderful resource, and the contest sponsors a week of great events including IPA Best of Show, and the Lucie Awards.” London-based advertising photographer Greg White enters the contest for exposure, not prizes. “Ultimately I'm looking for exposure of my work and feel that the IPA [which is] based in the states has a global presence...I'm never really considering prizes when entering. The prizes to me are the exposure and prestige of having your name and work out there to a wider audience.”

VERDICT

The entry fee could be a little lower, but $10,000 is pretty sweet bait for entering the IPA. Winners have been previously published on websites like BuzzFeed and EYEMAZING. Plus, the exhibition and press release provide a chance to get a good number of eyeballs on your work.

© Maxine Helfman THE 2017 PHOTOGRAPHER’S GUIDE TO PHOTO CONTESTS

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Moran Contemporary Photographic Prize Founded in 1988 in celebration of Australia’s bicentennial, the Moran Prize is Australia’s richest contest with a AUD$50,000 grand prize. The only stipulation for entry is that the photographer must be an Australian citizen.

DEADLINE

Late-August Winners announced: October

PRIZES

AUD$50,000 all finalists receive $1,000

ENTRY FEES

$25 per entry

PROMISED EXPOSURE

Exhibition at Juniper Hall in Paddington NSW + traveling exhibition


You won’t find much dissent from the winners of the Moran. 2016 Winner Johannes Reinhardt says, “Winning the prize was an amazing experience and the exposure I had is incredible. It was in the news, all major newspapers around the country and naturally my facebook went a bit viral too…and we haven’t even touched the AU$50.000 prize money yet.” Suzanne McCorkell, winner of the 2014 prize, speaks highly of the generous prize and the efforts of the Moran Foundation to promote art within Australia. “[The award] has certainly promoted me as an artist within the Photographic Community, for which I am grateful.”

VERDICT

For a country with a relatively small population, Australia has a number of great photo contests, and the Moran is no exception. Although the contest is limited to Australian citizens, it is a fantastic example of an incredibly well-funded competition with restricted rights demands. It’s unclear whether the winners gain international attention, but AUS$50,000 can buy a lot of plane tickets.

© Johannes Reinhardt


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Travel Photographer of the Year The Travel Photographer of the Year (TPOTY) and the Royal Geographic Society have partnered to produce one of the premier travel photography competitions, attracting both amateurs and professionals. The competition awards a diversity of travel imagery, including a glimpse at various culture, cityscapes, landscapes, wildlife and more.

DEADLINE

Early October Winners announced: December

PRIZES

£2,500

trophy, Plastic Sandwich portfolio case for Travel Photographer of the Year

ENTRY FEES

£15 (portfolio, new talent, HD short) £7.50 (one shot, smart shot) free (young TPOTY)

PROMISED EXPOSURE

Exhibition at the Royal Geographic Society in London


2016 Travel Photographer of the Year, Marcel van Oosten, likes the contest format. “Most photography competitions do single images only, but TPOTY has several categories where you can only enter series...Shooting a great image is one thing, but trying to create a series of images that are all great and complement each other, that’s a lot more difficult. You can’t just select four of your best images of any given subject and think that it’s going to work as a series - it won’t.” Van Oosten also compliments the prizes and exposure, saying, “Some of the most prestigious photo competitions will only give you a certificate, so it’s nice if you can win some cash or a trip for instance.”

VERDICT

TPOTY is the UK’s well-known equivalent of the National Geographic competition. The prizes are decent and an exhibition at the Royal Geographic Society in London attracts tens of thousands of visitors per year.

© Marcel van Oosten Note: Van Oosten’s company, Squiver, specialises in wildlife and landscape photography tours for small groups of all experience levels to destinations worldwide.


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LensCulture Emerging Talent Awards For 10 years, LensCulture has been an advocate and voice for contemporary photography. The awards are open to anyone – from amateur to professional – who considers themselves to be an emerging artist on a global stage. LensCulture seeks to provide “exposure to talented photographers that can connect them to valuable opportunities.”

DEADLINE

Mid-October Winners announced: 4-5 weeks after deadline

PRIZES

$2500 grants (8)

ENTRY FEES

$60 for a related series of 10 images (30% discount for students)

PROMISED EXPOSURE

Digital gallery exhibition at the International Center of Photography Museum in New York City, and opportunities for exposure at over 50 international photography festivals


Grant winner Joshua Rashad McFadden speaks highly of the organization, “The LensCulture network provides many useful resources for photographers. In addition to winning the contest, photographers have access to portfolio reviews, interviews, and a wide range of type of photography.” McFadden was pleased with the interest in his work following the award, and says "After it Selma gained worldwide exposure which lead to assignments, and I travel the country to speak about my work.”

VERDICT

The Emerging Photographer Awards are slightly anomalous in that each of the 8 highly distinguished judges bequeath a grant onto a single photographer of their choice. Mechanics aside, the award, website and network undoubtedly bring positive benefits to the winners.

© Joshua Rashad McFadden


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International Color Awards The International Color Awards are the “leading international award honoring color photography.” The annual contest showcases the best professional and amateur photographers during a red carpet annual event called the Photoshow.

DEADLINE

November

Winners announced: February

PRIZES

USD$1,500

for Photographer of the Year

ENTRY FEES

$35 per image (professional) $30 per image (amateur)

PROMISED EXPOSURE Publication in The Journal


Like with many contests, 2016 International Color Awards winner Piers Golden says it’s “hard to evaluate” whether winning lead directly to more work, but he notes, “I think it definitely helps to create more of a buzz around one’s ‘brand’ & provides new opportunities to contact potential & existing clients because you have something newsworthy to announce.” In addition to a physical awards certificate, Golden notes that the Color Awards “provide editable press releases for the winners to utilise for their own P.R purposes.”

VERDICT

If anything positive can be said about the International Color Awards, it’s that they are fantastic self-marketers. They have, to their credit, amassed a noteworthy jury. And year after year, they convince thousands of photographers to pony up $35 to enter a contest that generates almost no benefit for the winners and offers scant prizes and virtually no exposure. But at least they're eco-conscious, right? The winners’ catalog, The Journal, is only available as a download.

© Piers Golden


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National Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year The National Geographic Photo Contest rallies amatuer and professional photographers from all over the world to submit their work to three categories: people, place and nature. In 2014, the contest received 22,000 entries from photographers in over 150 different countries – all of which you can see online before the judging takes place.

DEADLINE

November 4

Winners announced: December

PRIZES

10-day trip for two to the Galapagos; $2,500 for each category winner

ENTRY FEES

$15 per photo

PROMISED EXPOSURE

Publication on National Geographic website


Storm photographer James Smart won the 2015 contest with a stunning photo of an anti-cyclonic tornado near Simla, CO. He praises the massive exposure he received from the well-known publication. “There are a lot of people who follow National Geographic through social media so you get a good bit of exposure from winning. I was flown to Washington DC to the photography seminar where I got to see where they lay out the magazine, so that was very cool, something I would never see otherwise.” The win generated a few extra print sales, but no new commissions. Still, Smart is realistic about his genre saying, “Landscape/storm photography isn’t really an area where work is wanted…if you win with a portrait image then I’m sure there will be much more of a chance of getting work.”

© James Smart

VERDICT

Formerly known as the “National Geographic Photo Contest,” the current incarnation has been rechristened as the “Nature Photographer of the Year.” Gone is the $10,000 cash prize and invitation to the invite-only Photography Seminar in January. Instead, the new prize aligns itself with the Traveler contest with an extended cruise. Pros will undoubtedly bemoan the loss of the cash prize, but there are worse things than a 10day trip to the Galapagos.


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Smithsonian Photo Contest Photographers from 93 countries submitted over 26,000 images for the 12th annual contest. The Smithsonian contest is one of the few that requires a model release for images with recognizable faces.

DEADLINE

November 30 Winners announced: Spring

PRIZES

USD$2,500 Grand Prize

United Eco-skies Sustainable Travel category offers (2) round trip tickets in the US, Caribbean, Mexico and Central America

ENTRY FEES None

PROMISED EXPOSURE Publication on Smithsonian website


2015 Grand Prize Winner Albert Ivan Damanik captured an jaw-dropping image of Mount Sinabung in North Sumatra mid-eruption. He was pleased to be associated with the publication, stating “This competition is prestigious among photographers in the world. I think the prize is [good] fortune [for the fatigue I endured while photographing] the Sinabung volcano with the fierceness of its constant eruption.” Damanik recommended the contests to several friends to “to introduce us to the jury and the world.”

VERDICT

Smithsonian is a reputable magazine and the contest attracts some really stunning photography from around the world. But we still can’t get behind the onerous rights grab which allows them to use the winning photos in ways that have nothing to do with the contest.

© Albert Ivan Damanik


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Aperture Portfolio Prize The Aperture Portfolio Prize is open to anyone who is a print subscriber or online member of Aperture. The award seeks to “identify trends in contemporary photography and highlight artists whose work deserves greater recognition.”

DEADLINE

December 2

Winners announced: March

PRIZES

USD$3,000 ENTRY FEES None

PROMISED EXPOSURE Exhibition at Aperture Gallery


2016 Prize Winner Eli Durst commended Aperture for its strong promotional efforts saying, “From the time I was announced as a finalist up until the exhibition, they helped me design and publicize the show a great deal. I feel extremely thankful to have had the opportunity to work with the Aperture team.” The win has led to a number of inquiries for Durst. “a bunch of different people from the photo world, including photo editors, collectors, and other photographers, reached out to me.”

VERDICT

If it wasn’t Aperture, we’d have a hard time swallowing the “membership in lieu of an entry fee” strategy (a minimum $150 membership), which ends up being more expensive than most contests. But it’s hard to dispute the value of the brand and the important eyeballs that will see the work of the winners. Plus a number of editorial creative directors have told us this is one of the awards they pay attention to each year to discover new faces in contemporary photography.

© Eli Durst


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Wildlife Photographer of the Year The UK Natural History Museum sponsors the annual Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition to promote the discovery and understanding of the natural world through photography. Although many contests focus on the natural world, few have as rich a prize and the prestige and press to go with it.

DEADLINE

December 15

Winners announced: Mid-October

PRIZES

£10,000

plus trophy and personalised certificate

ENTRY FEES £30.00

PROMISED EXPOSURE

Exhibition at London’s Natural History Museum before touring more than 60 cities around the world. The organization estimates the contest message reaches “almost a billion people annually” through press coverage.


National Geographic contributor Tim Laman won the 2016 prize for his image of an endangered orangutan ascending a strangler fig tree. He says the cash award is “substantial enough to make it worthwhile,” and likes the favorable terms for photographers, “I especially appreciate the fact that they pay a fee for inclusion of your winning image in their book, and separately for each product they create with your picture on it, whether it be calendars, notebooks, or [refrigerator] magnets. So in the end you don’t feel exploited at all.” Finally, he thinks the exposure is unique, “Their exhibit travels to 60 venues in 20 countries, so exposure is huge. And their media connections are very good, so coverage of winners is very extensive. Far greater than any other wildlife photography contest by a mile.”

© Tim Laman

VERDICT

The monetary prize alone would be enough to warrant our recommendation. But the contest’s reputation and guaranteed exposure make this a no-brainer. This is one of the most widely respected contests in photography.


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I Shot It: The Best Photo Competition In 2013, Leica majority shareholder Dr. Andreas Kaufmann, acquired a 25.1% stake in the “I Shot It” platform, which allows users to create an account, upload photos, and enter themed competitions including landscapes, wildlife, cats, dogs, and flowers. Each category has its own specialist judge (or two at the most) who picks the winner.

DEADLINE

Rolling

Winners announced: ~2 weeks after deadline

PRIZES

varies by category

ENTRY FEES

varies by category

PROMISED EXPOSURE None


Michael Jolliffe was initially skeptical of the contest, “I did a bit of research into the terms and conditions as I was most concerned about retaining the rights to my images, which turned out that with ‘I Shot It,’ the terms were very clear and straightforward.” Jolliffe was intrigued by the prize, which he says is “outside my usual means of purchase.” His practical advice could be extended to any contest, “Weighing up the entry fee vs what the prize could do for you is very important, allowing you to be more selective in what to enter and what not to waste your time on.”

VERDICT

“I Shot It” is unique with its rolling format, sliding entry fees, and variable prizes. The level of competition is often, well, amateurish, so in some ways, it should be a no-brainer for talented photographers to enter the categories that feature rich prizes. In the black-and-white category alone, four Leica M bodies (retail value USD$8,000) are awarded each year! Hope you’re saving your pennies for that Noctilux...

© Michael Jolliffe


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PART IV

Conclusion

here are many photo contests out there – almost too many to choose from. So before entering, you should make sure it’s the right one for your business and brand. Take time to think through first why you want to enter your work and what you’d like to get out of the experience. Are you looking for exposure? Feedback? Prizes? Do you have high regards for those who have won in the past? Have you researched the jury? Make sure you read through the contest’s Terms and Conditions, FAQs, plus look at previous winners’ work to decide if it might be a good fit. Remember that some photo contests are better than others (hopefully our verdicts helped!). You’ll want to align yourself with the competitions that are well-regarded and respected in the industry.


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