Whether you're a seasoned photographer, a beginner just getting started or someone who loves capturing beautiful moments, submitting your images to photo competitions is one of the best ways to gain exposure and recognition.
Entering competitions isn't just about winning – though prizes and publicity are great bonuses! It's also a chance to dive into your archives, rediscover your best images and refine your personal style. Many photographers say competitions were the stepping stone that helped them build a name, grow their audience or land their first big feature.
And with so many open calls across all genres – there's something for everyone. So, here's a list of photography competitions with open calls that are accepting submissions from September 2026 until February 2027. It's a small selection to spark inspiration, but there are countless others out there...
AAP Magazine #61: Street
Deadline: Early bird: September 8, General: September 29
Open to: Photographers of all levels
Fee: Early bird: $30 for 3 images, Regular: $35
Focus: Street photography
Prizes: $1,000 in cash awards, publication in AAP Magazine #61, extensive press coverage, and international exposure
Photo Vogue: Brave New Visions: Creativity as Rebellion
Deadline: September 11
Open to: All artists aged 18 and above
Fee: Free
Focus: Photography, video, and multimedia projects across all genres, including fashion, documentary, portraiture, fine art, and experimental practices. "We are looking for work that expresses a clear point of view, whether through the ideas it explores, the emotions it evokes, or the strength of its visual language. This can take many forms, from powerful storytelling to images that stand out for their aesthetic impact."
Prizes: $12,000 in total grants awarded to three artists, presentation at the next PhotoVogue Festival, potential publication across Vogue's global editions, participation in PhotoVogue Virtual Portfolio Reviews
The 2026 Arnold Newman Prize
Deadline: September 23
Open to: Photographers of all levels aged 18 years and older
Fee: $65
Focus: New Directions in Photographic Portraiture
Prizes: $20,000 Grand prize, three finalists receive a $500 stipend each, all artists recognized in the Top Ten will be included in the online exhibitions hosted by Maine Media, Top Ten will be featured in a professionally produced publication celebrating the work of the Prize recipient, three Finalists, and six additional photographers recognized in the Top Ten.
Botanical Photographer of the Year
Deadline: September 30
Open to: Photographers of all levels
Fee: Free
Focus: Britain and Ireland's wild plants
Categories: Intrepid: Plants in wild, hard-to-reach, or dramatic landscapes, Inquisitive: Close-up shots highlighting the fascinating and minute features that are often used in ID, Inclusive: People interacting with plants, urban botany, or community recording, Open: For entries that fall outside the above.
Special: Young Botanical Photographer of the Year for an entry into any category, aged 18 or under
Prizes: To be announced
Fine Art Photography Awards
Deadline: Early deadline: October 11, Final deadline: February 14
Fee: Amateur: Early deadline: 19$ single image, $24 series; Professional: $24 single image, $29 series, category fee: $10
Open to: Photographers of all levels
Amateur & Professional categories: Abstract, Architecture, Conceptual, Experimental, Fashion, Fine Art, Landscape, Nature, Night Photography, Nudes, Open Theme, Panoramic, People, Photojournalism, Photomanipulation, Portrait, Seascape, Street Photography, Travel, Wildlife / Animals
Prizes: Amateur: Grand Prize $2,000, Professional: Grand Prize $3,000
Travel Photographer of the Year
Deadline: October 12
Open to: Photographers of all levels
Fee: From £14, entry is FREE for young photographers aged 18 and under
Portfolio categories: Adventures & Journeys, Cultures, Traditions & Celebrations, Landscapes – Nature & Urban, Wildlife, Sealife, Birdlife
One Shot categories: In Nature, People of the World, Street, Travel in Black & White,
Special Awards: Travel Photographer of the Year, Young Travel Photographer of the Year, Travel Image of the Year, Rising Talent Award, People’s Choice Award
Prizes: Cash prizes from £1,000 to £200, industry portfolio reviews, media exposure, and more
Wellcome Photography Prize
Deadline: October 21
Open to: Photographers of all levels
Fee: Free
Focus: Issues on health, science, and the human experience
Categories: Striking solo photography, A storytelling series, The marvels of scientific and medical imaging
Prize: £10,000 for each Category Winner, 22 entries from across the three categories will be awarded £1,000 each, extensive international media coverage
Insta 360 Global Awards
Deadline: October 30
Fee: Free
Open to: Photographers and videographers of all levels
Requirement: Entries must be shot on Insta360 or Antigravity products
Format: Videos: 30sec-3min MP4/MOV, single image only under 20MB
Categories: Street, Travel, Life, Portrait, Sports, Night
Prizes: $150,000+ prize pool with over 100 winners to be announced
Sony World Photography Awards
Deadline: November 27 (Student), January 5 (Youth + Single Images), January 12 (Series)
Fee: Free
Open to: Photographers of all levels
Competitions: Series (previously Professional competition), Single Image (previously Open competition), Student, Youth
Categories: up to 10 different categories depending on competition
Prizes: Cash prizes up to $25,000, top-tier Sony equipment, and global exhibition opportunities
OPPO Photography Awards
Deadline: December 31
Open to: Photographers and videographers of all levels, shooting with OPPO, OnePlus, or realme devices
Fee: Free
Theme: "Super Every Moment"
Categories: Me, Journey, Video, Zoom, Live, Snap
Prizes: $76,500 prize pool across 38 awards
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