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 July 2026 until January 2027. It’s a small selection to spark inspiration, but there are countless others out there…
Latest Videos FromTravel Photographer of the Year
For more information, visit the TPOTY website (Image credit: Travel Photographer of the Year 2024. Image © Marsel van Oosten)
Deadline: TPOTY Pass: July 16, Final: October 12
Open to: Photographers of all levels
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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
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Le Prix de la Photographie de Paris (PX3)
For more information, visit the PX3 website (Image credit: PX3 / Alexandre Brisson)
Deadline: July 22
Open to: Photographers of all levels
Fee: €30 for single images, €50 for series (professionals), €20 for single images, €40 for series (amateurs and students), discounts for multiple categories
Categories: Advertising, Analog, Architecture, Book, Fine Art, Nature, Portraiture, Press
Prizes: Up to €11,500 in cash prizes, exhibitions in Paris, Athens, Ostuni & Budapest, publication in the PX3 Annual Book, extensive global exposure
For more information, visit The Illume website (Image credit: The Illume)
Deadline: July 31
Open to: Photographers of all levels
Fee: Free
Sports categories: Adventure, Aerial, Bike, Climb, Skate, Snow, Surf, Trail
Themed categories: Close-Up, Emerging, Innovation, Lifestyle, Masterpiece, Playground, RAW, Spirit
Prizes: Leica cameras, Angelbird storage gear, global exhibition tour, photobook feature
RMetS Weather Photographer of the Year 2026
Find more information visit the RMetS Weather Photographer of the Year website (Image credit: Shuchang Dong and Geshuang Chen, Standard Chartered Weather Photographer of the Year 2025)
Deadline: August 20
Open to: Photographers of all levels
Fee: Free
Categories: Weather Photographer of the Year (most striking weather images in action), Mobile Weather Photographer of the Year (must be captured on a smartphone or tablet), Climate Award (a compelling story about our changing climate)
Special: Public Favourite Award – decided by a global public vote
Prizes: £2,000 prize pool; winning work is showcased by media partners The Royal Meteorological Society, My Modern Met and ITV Weather
Last year’s top prize went to Kirstin Jones for a powerful image revealing one of the ocean’s most invisible threads: “ghost gear” – you can read the story here. For more information, visit the Yachting Monthly website (Image credit: Kirstin Jones/Brian Black Memorial Award)
Note: The Digital Camera World team will join the judging panel
Deadline: August 30
Open to: Photographers of all levels living in the UK
Fee: Free
Theme: “Our Inspiring Seas”
Categories: Adult photo competition, Article competition, Junior photo competition (under 16 years)
Prizes: £3,000 prize pool – Winning article: £1,500 cash prize, publication in Yachting Monthly (print+online), interview on The Sailing Podcast; Adult photo competition: camera equipment worth £750; Junior photo competition: camera equipment worth £500
Charity contribution: The Black Memorial Award donates £500 to Sea-Changers.
Botanical Photographer of the Year
For more information, visit the BSBI website (Image credit: Botanical Society of Britain & Ireland / Reuben Hayden)
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
For more information, visit the Wellcome Photography Prize website (Image credit: Dream to Cure Water, By Ciril Jazbec. All images courtesy of Wellcome Photography Prize 2025)
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
For more information, visit the Insta360 website (Image credit: 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
For more information, visit the World Photo website (Image credit: 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
For more information, visit the Oppo Photography Awards website (Image credit: OPPO)
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
For even more inspiration, browse the best photography awards and contests.