Whether you're a seasoned photographer, a beginner just getting started or simply someone who loves capturing beautiful moments, submitting your work to photography 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. Even if you don't make the shortlist, the experience itself is rewarding and can push your photography to the next level.
In fact, 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 – from astrophotography and macro, to wildlife, travel, food, portrait, or conceptual photography – there's something for everyone.
The best part is that most competitions offer multiple categories, so you're likely to find a perfect match for your work. To help you get started, I've put together a list of photography competitions with open calls that are accepting submissions from February until July 2026. It's a small selection to spark inspiration, but there are countless others out there…
Hasselblad Masters 2026
Deadline: February 28
Open to: Photographers of all levels
(images can be shot on any camera, digital or film)
Fee: Free
Categories: Landscape, Portrait, Street, Architecture, Art, Project // 21 (for photographers aged 21 and under), and Wildlife
Prizes: Hasselblad X2D II 100C camera, two Hasselblad XCD lenses of your choice, €5,000 cash prize, collaboration with Hasselblad on the Hasselblad Masters Photography Book, global exposure across Hasselblad's marketing and social channels
Find more information here or visit the Hasselblad Awards website.
GDT European Wildlife Photographer of the Year
Deadline: March 1
Open to: Photographers of all levels resident in Europe and GDT members worldwide
Fee: €35, free entry in category K9 – Youth (up to 17 years)
Categories: K1: Birds, K2: Mammals, K3: Other Animals, K4: Plants & Fungi, K5: Landscapes, K6: Underwater World, K7: Humans & Nature, K8: Nature's Studio (experimental/ creative), K9: Young Photographers (up to 17 years), K10: Rewildling Europe Award (focus on Europe's wilder landscapes), K11: Fritz Polking Prize / Junior Prize – story or porfolio (8-10 images)
Prizes: Total prize fund: €45,000+ (cash and material prizes, European Wildlife Photographer of the Year: €3,000 + special safari in Kenya, Fritz Polking Prize: €2,000 + trophy, Fritz Polking Junior Prize: €1,500 + €500 voucher + troph, Rewildling Europe Award: Winner €1,000, runners-up €500, Youth K9: €500 winners, €400 runners-up, all winners invited to the awards ceremony, exhibition and festival
For more information, visit the GDT website.
ZWO Astronomy Photographer of the Year 18
Deadline: March 2
Open to: Photographers of all levels (Adult and Young Competition)
Fee: £10 fee per entrant for the Adult competition, entry to the Young competition and special prizes is free
Adult Categories: Aurorae, Galaxies, Our Moon, Our Sun, People and Space, Planets, Comets and Asteroids, Skyscapes, Stars and Nebulae
Young Categories: no separate categories, entrants need to be 15 or under
Special Prizes:
The Sir Patrick Moore Prize for Best Newcomer: For newcomers over 16 years old who have not entered the competition before. Any astronomical subject may be depicted
The Annie Maunder Open Category: Rewards innovative approaches to astronomy art
Prizes: The overall winner will receive £10,000. Winners of all other categories and the photographer named winner in the ZWO Young Astronomy Photographer of the Year competition will receive £1,500. There are also prizes for runners-up (£500) and highly commended (£250) entries. The special prize winners will receive £750. All the winning entrants will receive a one-year subscription to BBC Sky at Night Magazine
For more information, visit the Royal Museum Greenwich website.
Belfast Photo Festival
Deadline: March 2
Open to: Photographers, artists, curators, archives, and collectives from anywhere in the world
Fee: For single Project/Body of Work/Photo-book: Early bird £22 / Standard £26
Focus: “The theme for the 2026 Open Submission has been left open to interpretation, therefore removing any restrictions in regards to theme, concept or approach of a photographer or artist’s work”
Exposure: Vast international press coverage from publications and media outlets around the world. Winners, finalists and entrants have been featured in major publications such as, The Guardian, TIME Lightbox, Foam, The Financial Times, British Journal of Photography, The Telegraph, among many other national and international outlets. This kind of press exposure can lead to viral, global recognition of your work
For more information, visit the Belfast Photo Festival website.
National Geographic Traveller Competition
Deadline: March 22
Open to: Photographers of all levels residing in the UK or Ireland
Fee: Free
Categories: Urban, Wildlife, Landscape, Food, People, Portfolio, Aerial (New), Rising Star (new, emerging talent aged 18-25, broad travel theme)
Prizes: Grand Prize: 11-day self-drive trip for two to British Columbia, Canada, 30-minute mentoring session with Nat Geo Traveller (UK) Art Director & Photography Editor, subscription to National Geographic Traveller, Category Winners (8): One-year subscription to National Geographic Traveller, mentor session with Art Director & Photography Editor, publication of winning image in the magazine
For more information, visit the National Geographic website.
iPhone Photography Awards (IPPAWARDS)
Deadline: March 31
Open to: iPhone and iPad photographers of all levels
Fee: From $7.50 per image
Categories: Abstract, Animals, Architecture, Children, Citylife/Cityscape, Landscape, Lifestyle, Nature, People, Portrait, Series (3 images), Other
Prizes: All entries compete for the prestigious IPPA Photographer of the Year Award title, top 3 winners, category winners receive Gold Bar, top three winners will be published on IPPAWARDS online gallery, further prices to be confirmed
For more information, visit the IPPAWARDS website.
FMoPA 2026 International Photography Competition
Deadline: April 22
Open to: Photographers of all levels
Fee: $10 per image
Categories: People/Portraits, Places/Landscape, Nature/Science/Animals, Documentation/Photojournalism, Still Life, Abstract, and Conceptual Photography
Prizes: Overall Winner receives $1,000 cash prize and consideration for a solo exhibition, Category Winners receive at least $100 value in goods and services, Group exhibition at the Florida Museum of Photographic Arts, and more
For more information, visit the FMoPA website.
Nikon Small World Competitions
Small World Photomicrography Competition &
Small World In Motion Video Competition
Deadline: April 30
Open to: Photographers and videographers of all levels
Fee: Free to enter
Topic: Microscopy and photography through the microscope
Prizes: From £3,000 for 1st place down to $200 for Honorable Mentions, depending on specific competition
For more information, visit the Nikon Small World website.
MonoVisions Photography Awards
Deadline: May 17
Open to: Photographers of all levels
Fee: Early: single image $20, series $25, Final: single image $25, series $30
Focus: Black and white photography
Categories: Abstract, Architecture, Conceptual, Fine Art, Landscapes, Nature and Wildlife, Nude, People, Photojournalism, Portrait, Street Photography, Travel
Prizes: Black and White Series of the Year will receive $3,000, Black and White Photo of the Year will receive $2,000
For more information, visit the MonoVision Awards website.
Epson International Pano Awards
Deadline: Early bird: June 22, Final: July 13
Open to: Photographers of all levels
Awards: Amateur, Open and VR/360
Fee: Depending on Awards category, $20-$22 per image
Categories: Amateur Awards & Open Awards: Nature/ Landscapes, Aerial, Built Environment. VR/360 Awards: Open VR/360
Prizes: TBA (last year’s prize pool was worth over $50,000, including $15,000 cash)
For more information, visit the Pano Awards website.
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