The Close-up Photographer of the Year (CUPOTY) competition is back for its seventh edition, celebrating the best in close-up, macro and micro photography.
The contest is now officially open and is searching for the recipient of this year's crown, along with the grand prize of £2,500 (approximately $3,372 / AU$5,227) along with other prizes.
Close-up Photographer of the Year was founded in 2018 by Tracy and Dan Calder. It is the largest competition in the world dedicated to close-up, macro and micro photography.
Photographers from all levels and corners of the globe are invited to showcase their finest close-up work, captured with any camera, camera phone or even microscope.
Submissions must originate from a photographic image and generative AI is strictly prohibited, ensuring that the spotlight remains on real-world creativity and technical mastery.
In addition to cash prizes, you can win other rewards that support your photographic journey – including licenses for photo editing software, accessories and gear.
Each of the 10 main category winners will receive £250 ($337 / AU$523) and a universal license for all three Affinity apps. Additionally, the Insects category winner will receive a Cygnustech Diffuser.
Meanwhile, the Young Close-up Photographer of the Year will go home with a Sigma 105mm f/2.8 DG DN Macro | Art lens and the Young CUPOTY trophy.
We all know the saying, "the early bird catches the worm", and CUPOTY's early bird deadline is June 15 2025 – enabling you to save 10% on entry fees. But don't worry if you want to take a bit more time for your selection, as the final entry deadline is July 13. And after you've registered via the website, a final picture submission is possible until July 20.
The competition categories are as follows:
• Animals (supported by Affinity Photo)
• Insects (supported by Cygnustech)
• Invertebrate Portrait (supported by Zerene Stacker)
• Butterflies & Dragonflies
• Arachnids
• Underwater
• Plants
• Fungi & Slime Moulds
• Intimate Landscape
• Studio Art
• Young CUPOTY for under 18s (supported by Sigma UK)
"Each year we are astounded by the creativity and technical skill showcased by photographers from around the globe," says competition co-founder, Tracy Calder.
"CUPOTY is a celebration of the extraordinary details that often go unnoticed, and we can't wait to see the submissions for our seventh year."
For full details on categories, prizes, and how to enter, visit the official Close-up Photographer of the Year website.
You might like...
If you are into macro photography, check our guide to the best camera for macro photography and best macro lenses. We also have supporting tutorials like how to use natural lighting effects to introduce drama to your macro photography scenes, or 4 macro hacks for your camera, lens and phone.
You must confirm your public display name before commenting
Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.
