Photography contests are a great way to showcase your images to the world. You can share your photos with a wider audience by entering these competitions. And you perhaps get some feedback from professionals or fellow photographers.
You might not win any money. But posting your images on the competition’s website has a lot of benefits. We’ve updated our page for the best daily, monthly, and yearly photo contests. Check back often for updates!
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What Are the Best Photography Contests to Enter in 2024?
These 23 best photography contests feature impartial judging, clear criteria, and diverse categories. These best photo contests for 2024 all encourage creativity, originality, and technical skill. For your convenience, we have split this list into multiple categories:
Read the fine print for photo submission guidelines. You want to be sure you’re sending photos in the proper size and format. Most contests don’t accept purely AI-generated images but may allow AI edits.
You can enter Guru’s daily and Life Framer’s monthly contests as much as you like. And we’ll update the 2024 photo contest deadlines as they come up. Don’t miss out on competing for prestigious awards and prizes! We hope you are inspired and have fun with them.
Contests for Beginners
1. GuruShots Photography Contests
- Deadline: New challenge every day
- Fee: Less than $10
- Prizes: $2 – $2000
GuruShots takes a unique approach to photography contests. A new photo challenge is posted daily, and it’s up to each individual to decide how many challenges to enter.
Some of the winning artworks are exhibited in galleries worldwide. For a fee (less than $10), you can enter the exhibition challenge and submit four images.
The GuruShots website and application also lets you connect with photographers worldwide. Besides winning prizes, you can gain exposure and feedback from other artists, which can help you improve as a photographer.
2. Life Framer Competitions
- Deadline: End of each month
- Fees: $20 to $100
- Prizes: A $24,000 prize fund is shared between the monthly winners. Each month, the 1st and 2nd prize winners have their images exhibited and published.
Life Framer competitions are suitable for photographers from all photo niches.
Every month, a new photo category is introduced. These include black-and-white, street photography, nightlife, world travelers, and animal kingdom. Industry-leading photographers judge each category individually.
Entering one image costs $20, three costs $30, and four costs $40. But you can enter up to 10 images when you upgrade to a premium membership ($100).
The membership also allows you to receive detailed feedback on your photos. This can significantly help to improve your photography.
3. iPhone Photography Awards 2025
- Deadline: March 31, 2025
- Fee: $5.50 to $75.50
- Grand Prize: TBA
- 1st Place Prize: TBA, one gold bar for each category, publication, and certificates
- 2nd Place Prize: TBA, one platinum bar for each category, publication, and certificates
- 3rd Place Prize: TBA, one platinum bar for each category, publication, and certificates
This is the world’s first and most respected iPhone photo contest. The IPP Awards are the Oscars of the mobile photography world. They have launched the careers of many iPhone photographers globally.
This coming year marks the 17th award since the contest started. Last year, thousands of entries were received from more than 140 countries. There are 18 categories to join, including architecture, portrait, abstract, and travel.
The rules of this photo contest are simple. Every image must be taken from an iPhone or iPad and submitted no larger than 1,000 pixels. You can submit one, three, five, 10, 20, or 25 images for fees between $5.50 and $75.50.
Check out our Urban Smartphone Mininamilist eBook to help perfect the images you take with your smartphone camera.
4. Amateur Photographer of the Year Competition
- Deadline: TBA for 2024
- Fees: £8 (1 image), £20 (4 images), £36 (12 images), £80 (40 images)
- Eligibility: USA, UK, or EU Photographers
- Grand Prize after 10 rounds: £1,000 MBP voucher
- Each Round: 1st Place – £500 MBP voucher, 2nd Place – £100 MBP voucher, 3rd Place – £50 MBP voucher
- Young AOP Prize: £500 MBP voucher
The Amateur Photographer of the Year Competition provides a great platform for beginners and amateur photography enthusiasts. Its unique format encourages experimentation in different genres of photography.
You will have ten subjects over ten months to submit work for. There will be winners for each subject and overall winners who have scored high points consecutively across each competition. These categories include black and white, travel, macro, landscape, and more.
This format is ideal if you need an extra boost to try new genres of photography. It is also perfect for photographers who have a lot of creativity but find it hard to direct.
5. Anthology Creative Awards
- Early Deadline: July 2024
- Final Deadline: 30th November 2024
- Fees: €12 (earlybird), €18 (standard)
- Grand Prize: €500 and publication opportunity
Anthology Creative Awards is open to photographers working at any level. Therefore, it is a great platform for beginners to test their favorite photos. Themes are kept open and broad, so your strongest images will likely be eligible.
There are also no restrictions on eligibility for photographers. You can enter if you work from anywhere in the world, and there is no limit to how many photos you can enter.
Anthology suggests looking at previous winners and their magazine, Anthology, before entering. This will give you a good idea of the kind of work they like and the type of photography that is likely to win in the future.
Contests for Black and White Photographers
6. MonoVisions Black & White Photography Awards
- Early Deadline: January 21, 2024
- Final Deadline: May 19, 2024
- Fees: $20 or $25 (single), $25 or $30 (series)
- Black-and-White Series of the Year: $3,000 award
- Black-and-White Photo of the Year: $2,000 award
This photo contest is meant to discover the best black-and-white photographers. (Only monochromatic submissions are allowed.) You can enter photos taken with both digital and analog cameras.
Apart from the two main categories (single and series), there are 12 subcategories. These include abstract, conceptual, and nude photography and other standard subcategories.
The entry fee for a series is $30, and for a single image, it is $25. There is an early-bird discount for entries submitted before January 21.
7. Monochrome Photography Award
- Early bird Deadline: July 7, 2024 (cheaper fee)
- Deadline: TBD (November 2024)
- Fees: $17 to $27
- Professional Section Prize: $2,000, certificate, and exhibition
- Non-Professional Grand Prize: $1,000, certificate, and exhibition
- 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Category Winners: Certificate and exhibition
Are black-and-white photos your thing? Then this is the photo competition for you. There are 13 categories to enter, including landscape, fashion, and abstract photos.
If you are in the top three of any of them, you will receive a certificate and an exhibition of your work. All winners and honorable mentions will also be included in the Monochrome Photography Awards Annual Book.
Before the early bird deadline, each image costs $22 for professionals and $17 for amateurs; after that, the submission price jumps by $5.
The only rule is that the image must be black-and-white in film or digital. Toned images like selenium or sepia are also accepted. So start getting creative. This is your time to shine.
Contest for Portrait Photographers
8. LensCulture Portrait Awards
- Deadline: February 14, 2024
- Series Award Winners 1st Place Prize: $3,500
- Series Award Winners 2nd Place Prize: $2,000
- Series Award Winners 3rd Place Prize: $1,000
- Single Image Award Winners 1st Place Prize: $2,000
- Single Image Award Winners 2nd Place Prize: $1,000
- Single Image Award Winners 3rd Place Prize: $500
LensCulture’s mission is to discover talented photographers. They look for creative photographs from worldwide. You can submit one entry for free and more with various fees. Plus, enrolled students receive a 30% discount.
This photo contest is open to every type of portrait photography. That includes studio, candid, conceptual, or self-portraits. They appreciate every approach to portraiture. But it has to be executed in an imaginative and refined way.
The winners are offered professional visibility. Their photos are featured at international photo festivals like Photo London 2025.
They also receive press coverage from magazines worldwide. This includes The Telegraph, The Guardian, Washington Post, and The British Journal of Photography.
Read our Creative Portrait Concepts eBook to see how to take your portraits to another level.
9. Taylor Wessing Photographic Portrait Prize 2024
- Deadline: 7th May 2024
- Fee: TBA
- Professional Grand Prize: TBA and exhibition
- Non-Professional Grand Prize: TBA and exhibition
- 6 Professional Category Winners: TBA and exhibition
- 6 Non-Professional Category Winners: TBA and exhibition
The Taylor Wessing Photography Portrait Prize is the leading international photo contest. As the name suggests, it focuses on portraiture.
This Prize promotes and celebrates the very best in contemporary portrait photography. It does so through its established reputation.
Talented professionals, amateurs, and emerging artists can submit their work. The jury selects the best images—many of which are being shown for the first time.
They touch on ideas and concepts surrounding portraits. But they also explore other themes. A range of moods, settings, characters, and expressions are present.
All submissions become an exhibition. This year’s exhibition features 59 images from the winners. Besides first, second, and third place winners, they have introduced an £8,000 commission.
You can view the 2023 portrait winners’ photos and buy the Taylor Wessing Photo Portrait Prize book.
Contests for Wildlife and Landscape Photographers
10. BigPicture Natural World Photography Awards 2024
- Deadline: March 1, 2024
- Fee: $25 (up to 10 images), $15 (story submissions)
- Winner: $5,000 and is featured in the California Academy of Sciences annual exhibit
- Category Winners: $1,000
This natural photo award focuses on the world’s natural diversity. And it aims to inspire action to conserve it. The contest accepts nature, wildlife, and conservation images from all around the world. They’re organized into seven categories.
This includes abstract expressions of nature, such as photos from under a microscope. Aquatic life, landscapes, wild animals, and human interactions with nature are also welcome.
You can enter up to 10 single images or six to eight images in the Photo Story category. Entrants are limited to up to 10 photo submissions per email address.
Check out our Wonderful Wildlife eBook to capture those decisive moments in nature.
11. International Landscape Photographer of the Year
- Deadline: TBA (November 2024)
- Fee: $25 per image (every 5th one free)
- Photographer 1st Prize: $5,000, trophy, NiSi 100mm V7 Professional Filter Kit and Explorer EX-ACPROKIT Ascent tripod
- Photographer 2nd Prize: $1,000, trophy, NiSi 100mm V7 Advance Filter Kit, and Explorer EX-EXPPRO Expedition Pro tripod
- Photographer 3rd Prize: $500, trophy, NiSi 100mm V7 Starter Filter Kit, and Explorer EX-EXP Expedition tripod
- Photography 1st Prize: $2,000 and a trophy
- Photography 2nd Prize: $1,000 and a trophy
- Photography 3rd Prize: $500 and a trophy
- 5 Category Special Awards: Special photo print
- Top 101: Certificate and PDF of awards book
If you shoot landscapes, enter the International Landscape Photographer of the Year award. This will be their eleventh year, and it’s still going strong.
The limitations are set to four images per applicant. This is so the experience gained from the competition is easily accessible.
The jury rates the images between 1 and 100 from all these submissions. They choose the top 101 images and move to the second round of judging. First, they find the best images and search for the best landscape photographers.
There is a Photographer of the Year, a Photo of the Year, and five special subject awards. The special categories are black and white, aerial, snow and ice, desert, and seascape.
Each section undergoes a rigorous selection process. The top winners are published and receive a copy of the Landscape Photographer of the Year publication.
The cost is $25 per image, so the maximum you can spend is $125. The images also have to be captured within a year of submission.
The best thing about this photo contest is that you are not restricted in photo manipulation. Just make sure you do it yourself. No AI-generated images are allowed.
Take our Epic Landscape Editing course to ensure your photo entries look stunning.
12. World Nature Photography Awards
- Deadline: March 30th, 2024
- Fee: £30 (6 images)
- Grand Prize: $1,000
In its fifth year, the World Nature Photography Awards continues to provide a great platform for wildlife photographers of every skill level. They provide a wide range of categories, so whatever your niche is in nature photography, you will find a space here.
This competition also has an ecological approach. They ask that none of the images feature captive or restrained animals. They also plant one tree for every entry, a great way to aid the planet using their platform.
There are also professional and amateur categories. This means anyone of any difficulty can enter, even photographers who may have gone on their first safari trip.
13. The Nature Photography Contest
- Deadline: November 15th, 2024
- Fee: €10 each photo
- Grand Prize: €1,000
- Category Winners: €100
The Nature Photography Contest aims to ‘raise awareness of how crucial it is to protect our planet.’ It does this by selecting and displaying beautiful images from around the world. The top images are selected by working photographers at the top of their field.
Like the previous competition, this contest plants a tree for every submission. The difference here is that the winner gets to pick the location where all the trees get planted. This is a great way to promote a sustainable future.
There is a Funny Nature category for wildlife’s comical moments. You can submit your images in as many categories as you want. This competition is also open to landscapes and macro, encompassing all facets of nature.
Contests for Professionals
14. International Photography Awards (IPA 2024)
- Deadline: TBD, open for 2024 submissions
- Fee: $20 to $65
- International Photographer of the Year Prize: $10,000, trophy, exhibition, and publication
- Discovery of the Year Prize: $5,000, trophy, exhibition, and publication
- 11 Professional Category Winners: $1,200, exhibition, and publication
- 11 Non-Professional Category Winners: $600, exhibition, and publication
- Prizes for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Prize Winners in Subcategories: Certificate, exhibition, publication, and ticket to the gala
The International Photography Awards is one of the highest-paying photo contests around. It is also the only place you can land a Lucie Statue. This year will see the 21st annual photo contest.
There are 11 categories to choose from for professional and non-professional photographers alike. They cover everything, including advertising, editorial, and sports. A “special” category also covers niche photography like AI.
The top winners receive a travel allowance and accommodation to collect their awards in New York.
This photo contest is the primary funding mechanism for the Lucie Foundation. It is a non-profit, charitable foundation to honor the masters of photography.
ND Entry fees range from $20 to $65 for single or multiple images. All winning images are published in a high-quality International Photography Awards book.
15. 2024 Aperture Portfolio Prize
- Deadline: January 5, 2024
- Fee: An Aperture Magazine subscription (starts at $9.99/month)
- 1st Prize: $3,000 cash prize, $1,000 gift card for camera gear, an exhibition in New York, feature, and publication
- 4 Shortlisted Artists: Feature and online publication
- All 25 Finalists: Virtual portfolio review
This contest is looking for new photography talents. It finds those who deserve recognition in contemporary photography.
After getting a magazine subscription, you must upload 10 to 15 photos you want to enter. This contest is unique because you must also submit a resume, a photographer’s bio, and a statement about your photo work.
The jury looks at consistency, fresh ideas, and technical aspects. They want a unique approach to the subject. The theme is not further specified. It is up to each person to be as innovative as possible with their photos.
16. ND Awards 2024
- Early Deadline: April 28, 2024 (lower fees)
- Final Deadline: September 22, 2024
- Fee: $19 to $34, extra $10 per category
- Professional Grand Prize: $3,000 (and $500 for category winner), magazine feature, and publication
- Non-Professional Grand Prize: $2,000 (and $400 for category winner), magazine feature, and publication
- 6 Professional Category Winners: $500, magazine feature, and publication
- 5 Non-Professional Category Winners: $400, magazine feature, and publication
The Neutral Density (ND) awards aim to promote photography. They do this by presenting photographers to audiences all over the globe.
This award showcases some of the world’s most outstanding imagery—yours could be in it! The winning image receives recognition, prestige, and publicity.
This photo contest is the perfect place for professional photographers. It allows them to compete across six main categories. These include fine art, nature, and architecture.
Five categories are available for amateur photo submissions. A respected jury judges both competitions. It consists of acclaimed gallery owners, publishers, editors, and photographers.
These awards have existed since 2014. ND magazine and its community initiated this photo contest.
17. Sony World Photography Award 2024
- Deadline: January 12, 2024 (professional and open) and January 5, 2024 (youth), January 5, 2024 (student)
- Fee: Free, $14.95 to $44.95 (optional multiple youth entries)
- Professional Photographer of the Year: $25,000, Sony digital imaging equipment, exhibition, and more
- Open Photographer of the Year Prize: $5,000, Sony digital imaging equipment, exhibition, and more
- Category Winners: Sony digital imaging equipment, exhibition, and more
- Professional 2nd and 3rd Place: Exhibition, publication, and more
- Student Photographer of the Year Prize: Sony digital imaging equipment, exhibition, and more
- Overall Winning University: Sony digital imaging equipment worth $30,000
- Youth Photographer of the Year: Sony digital imaging equipment, exhibition, publication, and more
- Shortlist: Exhibition, publication (student), and more
The Sony World Photography Award has four simultaneous photo contests. They are Professional, Open, Student, and Youth. Each one has a different prize combination of cash and Sony imaging equipment.
Who wouldn’t enjoy $25,000 or $5,000 and camera gear? That’s a lot to help you continue to take stunning shots.
One of the other great things about this competition is the traveling exhibition. No matter which country I find myself in, I always notice the Sony World Photography Award image.
The submitted images must have been taken within a year of submission. You can send at least five and up to 10 images, so don’t be shy.
We love this competition because it is free to enter. That’s right, free. You can also choose from 20 different categories. Youth entrants can buy image bundles to submit as many as they want.
18. Istanbul Photo Awards
- Deadline: January 17, 2024
- Fee: Free (professionals only)
- Prizes: $1,000, $1,500, and 3,000, $6,000 and Sony A7III body, depending on the category, two $1,000 awards for the contest’s 10th anniversary, exhibition, and publication
Anadolu Agency organizes this international news photo contest. The idea first came from capturing Istanbul’s diverse culture from different perspectives. Over time, the Istanbul Photo Awards has become a widely known news photo contest.
One of the biggest perks of this photo competition is that it’s free. You can take part in 10 categories with single photos or a photo series (consisting of 10 images). The jury comprises nine photographers involved in either photojournalism or news editing.
The winners’ works are published in a photobook and exhibited in several cities worldwide. This includes Istanbul, New York, and Tokyo. If you are a photojournalist, this contest is worth a try!
19. PhMuseum Photography Grant
- Deadline: February 15, 2024
- Fee: $25
- 1st Prize: $4,000, exhibition, and more
- 2nd Prize: $2,000 and exhibition, and more
- New Generation Prize: $2,000, exhibition, and more
- Other: Various exhibitions, residencies, portfolio reviews, and more
This competition focuses on the importance of visual storytelling. Photographers with both a classic approach and innovative projects are welcome to enter.
You can enter one or more photo projects centered around a specific theme. The entry fee is $39, but you get an early bird discount ($30) if you apply before the early bird deadline.
An independent jury with various photo backgrounds reviews the submissions. This contest is a great opportunity if you are outstanding in narrative photography. And who wouldn’t be happy about extra cash you can invest in your artwork?
20. Communication Arts Photography Competition 2024
- Deadline: March 1, 2024
- Fee: $20 to $80
- Category Winners: Personalized award of excellence and award certificate
Most photography contests come with cash prizes. The communication arts photo competition stands out as being one that doesn’t. But don’t let that put you off. It is still a revered photo contest.
Your images must have been captured or published between March 2023 and March 2024 to be eligible. Contest fees range from $20 to $80 for photos, depending on the category (nine total).
Besides winning a personalized excellence award, your image is distributed worldwide in digital and print formats. This is in the Communication Arts Photography Annual.
A distinguished jury of designers, art directors, and photographers choose the winning images. If you’re looking for one of the most coveted awards in the photo industry, you have found it. Submit today!
21. Nikon Small World 2025
- Deadline: April 30, 2025
- Fee: Free
- 1st Prize: $5,000
- 2nd Prize: $3,000
- 3rd Prize: $1,500
- 4th Prize: $800
- 5th Prize: $600
- 6th Prize: $400
- 7th to 10th Prizes: $300
- 11th to 20th Prizes: $200
- Honorable Mentions: $100
The Nikon Small World photo contest offers the greatest chance of winning a cash prize. Whether you place first or 20th, you’ll still win money. A video contest (Small World In Motion Video Competition) also exists.
This photo competition is about photomicrography (which differs from macro photography). This is the discipline of photographing through a light microscope.
As a long-standing camera manufacturer, Nikon has run this competition since 1975. That’s longer than I’ve been taking photos, let alone being alive.
Anyone can enter, and they do in droves. They receive submissions from almost every continent on the planet. There are no restrictions. And you don’t have to use Nikon cameras or microscopes.
Each participant can upload three images for free. Even if you don’t want to enter, check out the previous winners. The images are stunning, and they might motivate you to apply.
Maybe you’re not ready to invest in photomicrography. Our Macro Magic course can help you take the first few steps toward discovering the hidden beauty around you.
22. IPA One Shot Photo Contest: Searching for Peace
- Deadline: May 1, 2024
- Fee: $20 (20% discount for each extra category submission)
- Grand Winner: $2,500
- Category Winner: $500
- Total Cash Prizes: $4,500
- A curated collection of the submitted images will be showcased in an online exclusive e-book.
The IPA’s One Shot photo contest is an annual competition. It invites photographers worldwide to submit their best single image capturing a compelling moment or story.
The contest celebrates the power of a single image to convey emotion, provoke thought, or inspire action. This year’s photographers are invited to capture the essence of peace in various aspects of life. There are four categories:
- Capturing peaceful moments in daily life
- Showcasing the serene beauty of nature
- Finding moments of peace amidst conflict and hardship
- Expressing your vision of peace
Participants can showcase their creativity and skill across various genres. This includes landscape, portrait, documentary, and conceptual photography. The focus is on excellence and originality.
An esteemed IPA Jury Panel selects winners. The panel comprises over 80 recognized gallerists, photo editors, directors, and collectors. It also features photographers and other prominent photographers.
The One Shot contest serves as a platform for photographers to gain exposure and connect with fellow enthusiasts. Photographers can elevate their craft through the pursuit of visual storytelling excellence.
23. LensCulture Art Photography Awards 2025
- Deadline: TBA (December 2024)
- Fees: Free to $45 (30% discount for students), optional $25 for written review
- Series Award Winners 1st Place Prize: $3,500, exhibition, and more
- Series Award Winners 2nd Place Prize: $2,000, exhibition, and more
- Series Award Winners 3rd Place Prize: $1,000, exhibition, and more
- Single Image Award Winners 1st Place Prize: $2,000, exhibition, and more
- Single Image Award Winners 2nd Place Prize: $1,000, exhibition, and more
- Single Image Award Winners 3rd Place Prize: $500, exhibition, and more
The LensCulture Art Photography Awards recognize creativity. And it pushes the boundaries of traditional photography. It brings attention to diverse and thought-provoking art captured through the camera lens.
Both new and experienced artists can show off their work. You can enter one free image, up to 10 ($45).
They accept all sorts of photography styles. You can submit anything from portraits to experimental photos. This gives artists a chance to share their unique perspectives.
Experts in photography and art judge the awards. It highlights photographers who tell compelling stories through their images. Prizes include exhibitions, projections, and features to help kickstart or boost photography careers.
All entrants will receive benefits, including a LensCulture portfolio account and the opportunity to have their work shown to a wider audience through their website and the press.
Conclusion: Best Photography Contests
We hope you enjoyed our collection of the best photo competitions for 2024. Entering photography contests is not only fun. It’s a way to test your photos in a competitive environment.
It is also an excellent way to gain recognition and win cash prizes for your art. So enter one yourself! Or, if you don’t want to enter one, check out the winners for inspiration to propel your work!
If you want to improve your chances of winning, try our Wow Factor video course or master composition with our Intuitive Composition eBook! Or check out our Effortless Editing With Lightroom course to fine-tune your work.
