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Participating in photography contests is a great way for photographers to get recognition and benchmark their work against peers from around the world. Whether you are a professional photographer, a student, or an amateur hobbyist, photography contests provide the perfect platform to hone your skills and evolve your expression.

There is a wide range of photography contests that are sure to inspire photographers around the world, regardless of age or skill level. Beyond the broad international photo contests, there are many niche photography contests ranging from undersea exploration to monochromatic themes to smartphone-centric snap fests; you will undoubtedly find something that speaks to your interests and creative viewpoint. While many of these are free to enter, some photography awards and contests can have entry fees.

Tip: Be wary of little-known contests asking for significant entry fees. Always study the history of the photo contest and the coverage it received in the past years.

While participation can be its own reward, many photography competitions also offer substantial prizes in cash or kind, over and above the exposure that you gain if you were to win one of them.

With so many photography contests happening, choosing the ones worth your time and effort can be difficult. We have rounded up the best photography contests from across the world based on popularity, participation criteria, and prizes.

Here’s our list of the best photography contests that you should participate in

1. Istanbul Photo Awards

The Anadolu Agency organizes the Istanbul Photo Awards. It is an international news photography contests which aim to develop the news photography area. This contest seeks to reward hard-working news photographers around the world and has become a widely known photography contest around the globe.

The categories in this free photo contest are Photo of the year, Single News, Story News, Single Sports, and Story Sports.

Entry Fee: Free
Prize: $8,000 for Photo of the Year and first prize in Single News Category. The first prize in other categories is $5000.
Submission Dates: November 1st- January 31st

2. RHS Photographic Competition

Are you obsessed with taking snapshots of your garden? Enter this flower-photo-friendly contest, which includes categories for 11-17-year-olds and even kids under 11 years old. This photo competition is organized by the Royal Horticulture Society, which is targets the photographers, horticulturists, and garden lovers.

The categories for this nature photography contest are celebrating gardens, welcoming garden wildlife, abstract, urban gardening, etc.

Entry Fee: Free
Prize: £5,000 (approximately $6,345) for the RHS photo competition. The young winner of the RHS photo competition gets £750. There are other categories which have prizes from £150 to £500.
Submission Dates: Till 10am of 31 January, 2020. These dates may change each year.

3. All About Photo Awards

With no pre-defined theme, this photography contest offers freedom to submit your favorite photos or photo collages, and there are cash prizes for the first five winners. The winners' work will be shown in Dodho magazine, AAP magazine, Be- Art magazine, and other places.

A photographer can submit photos on any photography genre and subject. Also, the photographs taken in any mediums such as digital, analog, or any alternative process are encouraged to submit.

Entry Fee: $30 for three photos; $5 for every additional entry
Prize: The winners will receive $10,000 and press coverage in various photography magazines
Submission Dates: December 5, 2019 - January 31, 2020

4. ZEISS Photography Award

The Zeiss Photography Award is organized with the partnership of Zeiss and the World Photography Organization, which is a global platform for photography activities. And together they to support inspiring photographers around the world. Winners will be invited to London in April to participate in the Sony World Photography Awards exhibition opening.

The photographers are invited to submit photos around a particular theme which is decided every year. The theme for 2020 is 'Seeing Beyond- Discoveries.' The photographer has to submit 5-10 images which have not been published before.

Entry Fee: Free
Prize: ZEISS lenses of your choice (worth 12,000 euros) and 3,000 euros to cover travel expenses among other benefits.
Submission Dates: Till 1300 hours, GMT of February 4, 2020.

5. CAP Prize

CAP prize is an international photography competition for contemporary African photography which is held since 2012. Twenty-five photographers are shortlisted, and the CAP prize is awarded to five photographers. Submissions must consist of a sequence 10-25 photos taken in an African country or of the African diaspora.

Entry Fee: Free
Prize: International exposure at major global exhibitions such as IAF Basel, Lagos Photo, and more.
Submission Date: November 7th - February 7th

6. The Andrei Stenin International Press Photo Contest

Open to young photojournalists ages 18-33, this photo contest from Russia honors the memory of Andrei Stenin, a photojournalist who died while on an assignment. This photo competition aims to be a platform through which talented photojournalists make a name for themselves. In 2019, the competition saw 6000 entries from 80 countries.

The categories in this competition are Top News, Sport, My Planet, and Portrait. There are also yearly additions to the categories.

Entry Fee: Free
Prize: 700,000 rubles (equal to $12,383)
Submission Dates: December 22nd- February 29th

7. BigPicture Natural World Photography Competition

The BigPicture photography competition aims to showcase the rich diversity of life on Earth with the hope that these images will be a channel of inspiration to protect the environment. Award-winning photographer Suzi Eszterhas is the Jury Chair of this competition. This photography competition calls for high-quality nature, wildlife, and conservation images from around the world. The winning shots will be exhibited at the California Academy of Sciences.

The seven categories for the BigPicture Photography Competition are:

• Art of Nature
• Aquatic Life
• Winged Life
• Landscapes, Waterscapes, and Flora
• Terrestrial Wildlife
• Human/Nature
• Photo Story: Pushing the Limits

Entry Fee: $25 for up to 10 single images; $10 for one photo series.
Prize: $5,000 and $1000 cash will be awarded to the winners of the seven categories
Submission Dates: December 1st - March 1st

8. iPhone Photography Awards

Compete for the IPPA Photographer of the Year Award in 18 categories. Photographers must use an iPhone or an iPad.

The categories for this iPad and iPhone photography contest are Abstract, Animals, Architecture, Children, Floral, Landscape, Lifestyle, Nature, News and Events, Panorama, People, Portrait, Series (3 images), Still Life, Sunset, Travel, Trees, Other.

Entry Fee: $3.50 for one image and there are no limits on the no. of images you submit.
Prize: A Gold Bar from the most recognizable private gold mint in the world for the first prize winners in the 18 categories. 2nd and 3rd prize winners in the 18 categories will receive a palladium bar.
Submission Date: By March 31st

9. International Travel and Documentary Photography Competition

This photography contest, which only accepts 1,000 applicants, zoomed in on the theme of 'Inspire,' asking the visual storyteller to convey inspiration and hope to others, in 2019. Entrants can submit up to five photos in this online photography contest.

Entry Fee: $24/entry
Prize: Winners get to choose between three cameras or $3000
Submission Dates: Check website for current dates.

10. Nikon International Small World Competition

This photography competition began in 1975 as a medium to appreciate the photographers who were using a light microscope to create images. The 'Small World' competition has become the leading platform for photomicrographers. The competition is open to everyone.

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Snag the top prize in this contest with photomicrograph--a photo taken through a light microscope. Even the 11th-20th place winners are awarded $200.

The contestant can submit the photograph in any subject and can use any light microscopy techniques to capture a photograph.

Entry Fee: Free
Prize: $3,000 and a trip to Nikon's Headquarters in Japan.
Submission last date: April 30th, submissions after that will be eligible for next years competition.

11. MonoVisions Photography Awards

Leading photography magazine MonoVisions will award creative expression in the black and white medium. This black and white photography competition is also open for amateurs, and photos taken with traditional or digital mediums are accepted.

The two sections of the competition are the Black and White Series of the Year and Back and White Photo of the Year.

The 12 categories are: Abstract, Architecture, Conceptual, Fine Art, Landscapes, Nature and Wildlife, Nude, People, Photojournalism, Portrait, Street Photography, Travel

Entry Fee: $20 for a single photo; $25 for a series (maximum 8 photos with common concept & idea)
Prize: $2,000 for the top single; $3,000 for the top series
Submission Date: By May 17th.

12. The Production Paradise Spotlight Awards for Photographic Excellence

The Production Paradise Spotlight Awards for Photographic Excellence is a photography competition with a unique focus for advertising talent. The Spotlight Awards allow talented photographers more than 50 of some of the most influential creative decision-makers around the globe, acting as the judges.

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Photographers may submit imagery in 13 professional categories that include Advertising, Beauty, fashion, etc. There are also two special categories: Shot on Mobile (Capturing an Authentic Moment) and Student (Every Picture Tells a Story). Each category will have a single winner, and all 50+ judges will choose a Grand Prize winner from the professional category winners.

The competition has 13 categories like beauty, cars, advertising, fashion, etc.

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Entry Fee: 35 euros for professional photographers and 25 euros for each entry thereafter.
Prize: There is over $30,000 worth of prizes, throughout 13 categories, with a chance for one photographer to win over $7,000 in prizes, including $5000 cash.
Submission Dates: See website for current dates.

13. The Sony World Photography Awards

The Sony World Photography Awards is one of the most prominent photography contest in the world. With several categories for professional, amateur, and student photographers, these awards showcase the best of photography world every year, with the spotlight helping many winners to go on and become successful photographers. The Sony World Photography Awards is among the best free photography contests in the world.

There are four competitions under the Sony World Photography Awards:

• Professional - This competition rewards outstanding bodies of work.
• Open - The open competition chooses exceptional standalone images.
• Youth - This competition selects the best single images by upcoming photographers aged between 12-19 years-old.
• Student - The competition is aimed to provide a platform for photography students worldwide.

Entry Fee: Free
Prize: Up to $25,000 (USD) prize fund. Worldwide exposure for all winning, shortlisted, and commended photographers.
Submission Dates:

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• January 14th for professional competition
• January 7th for open competition
• Monthly competitions from June 1st to December 31st for youth competition
• November 29th for student competition

Of all the photography contests, this is the most prestigious black-and-white photography only competition. This competition has separate contests for both amateurs and professional photographers. The Monochrome Awards is one of the best photography contests for beginners who are interested in black and white photography.

The categories are:

• Abstract
• Architecture
• Conceptual
• Fashion / Beauty
• Fine Art
• Landscapes
• Nature
• Nude
• Photojournalism
• Photomanipulation
• Portrait
• Street
• Wildlife

Entry Fee: $20/entry for professionals; $15/entry for amateurs
Prize: $2,000 for professional winner; $1,000 for amateur
Submission Date: Check website for current dates.

15. Chromatic Photography Awards

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There are 20 categories of color photography in this international photography contest, which is open to both amateur and professional photographers. The awards aim to promote the best photographers in the world and recognize upcoming talented photographers. Chromatic awards gold, silver, and bronze medals for each level in each category.

The categories for this competition include Abstract, Architecture, Landscape, etc. which are the same for the amateur photography contest as well.

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Entry Fee: $20/entry for professionals; $15/entry for amateurs (if entries made by July 19, 2020)
Prize: $2,000 for professionals; $1,000 for amateurs
Submission Date: By October 25, 2020 (with $5 increased entry fee).
A photo contest entry could be just what you need to get your creative wheels turning. These photography contests encourage innovation and aim to elevate new talent in the world of photography. So get your viewfinder ready and capture that award-winning shot.

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