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 November until January next year. It's a small selection to spark inspiration, but there are countless others out there…
BBA Artist Prize
Deadline: November 24
Open to: Creatives of all levels
Focus: All themes welcome. “Visual excellence, storytelling, conceptual thinking, technical craftsmanship, subject depth, and understanding – these are just a few aspects that our jury of industry professionals will take into consideration.”
Fee: €49 per project
Prizes: 1st prize: €1,000 + Artsy profile + Solo exhibition at BBA Gallery + online promotion, 2nd prize: €700 + Artsy profile + online promotion, 3rd prize: €500 + Artsy profile + online promotion, Audience Award: €300 + Artsy profile + online promotion
For more information, visit the BBA Gallery website.
Sony World Photography Awards
Deadlines:
Student Competition: November 28
Open and Youth Competition: January 6, 2026
Professional Competition: January 13, 2026
Open to: Photographers of all levels
Categories:
Student Competition: Together
Open Competition: Architecture, Creative, Landscape, Lifestyle, Motion, Natural World & Wildlife, Object, Portraiture, Street Photography, Travel
Youth Competition: Open Call: Show us your best images!
Professional Competition: Architecture & Design, Creative, Documentary Projects, Environment, Landscape, Perspectives, Portraiture, Sport, Still Life, Wildlife & Nature
Fee: Free to enter
Prizes: Global press exposure, $25,000 cash prize, Sony gear, solo exhibition at the Sony World Photography Awards London exhibition, and more
For more info, visit the World Photography Organisation website.
World Street Photo Awards
Deadline: November 29
Open to: Photogrtaphers of all levels
Categories: Reflection, Weather, Geometry, Black & White, Color, Silhouette, The Decive Moment, Minimalism, Movement & Motion, Open Theme, Light & Shadow, Light & Lo Light, Mobile, Animals, Transport
Fee: €15 for the first photo, with a 10% discount automatically applied to each additional photo
Prizes: Winners will be featured in the Official Winners Gallery, published in the annual World Street Photo Awards Book, and promoted through global media and social channels, Photographer of the Year receives €500, each category winner will receive €100
For more information, visit the World Street Photo Awards website.
CUPOTY Challenge
Deadline: November 30
Open to: Photographers of all levels
Focus: Close-up, macro or micro photograph
Categories: Animals, Insects, Invertebrate Portrait, Butterflies & Dragonflies, Arachnids, Underwater, Plants, Fungi & Slime Moulds, Intimate Landscape, Studio Art, Young
Fee: 6 images for £22, 15 images for £33, 30 images for £44, for Young CUPOTY entrants aged 17 or under on July 13th 2025 is £5 for up to 15 pictures
Prizes: The overall winner receives £2,500 and CUPOTY title + trophy, Category Winners win £250 each, the Young CUPOTY winner will be awarded a SIGMA 105mm F2.8 DG DN MACRO | Art lens worth £700+ Young CUPOTY title + trophy, all top 100 participants will be featured in the CUPOTY ebook
For more information, visit the CUPOTY website.
Anthology Photography Competition
Deadline: November 30
Open to: Photographers of all levels
Focus: 'The World As You See It' – "Photography styles can include street photography, landscapes, natural world & wildlife, macro photography, lifestyle, object and still life and architectural. Technically manipulated images, such as abstract, panoramic, stitched, and composite, are also permitted."
Fee: Standard €18 from May until November 2025
Prizes: The winner will receive a €500 cash prize and editorial coverage in a future issue of Anthology magazine
For more info, visit the Anthology magazine website.
North Pacific Research Board Photography Awards
Deadline: December 1
Open to: Photographers of all levels
Categories: Seascapes, Marine Life, Human Connections, Photo Story, Youth Entries
Fee: Free to enter (maximum of 5 images)
Prizes: Best photo story: $1,000, Category winner: $700, Youth winners: two awards of $300 and $100
For more information, visit the NPRB website.
UOL Zoom World Photo Awards
Deadline: December 10
Open to: Photographers of all levels
Categories: Abstract, Architecture, Creative, Food & Drinks, Nature & Wildlife, People, Action & Motion, Black-And-White, Fashion, Landscape, Objects, Street & Lifestyle
Fee: $20 per image – $1 for every entry will be donated to promote care for our world and environment
Prizes: $1,000 cash prize
For more information, visit the UOL website.
Annual Photography Awards
Deadline: December 14
Open to: Photographers of all levels
Focus: Architecture, Fine Art, Nature, People, Special – each divided into 25 subcategories
Fee: $30 for single photo / $40 for series (up to 8 photos)
Prizes: Grand Prize: $2.500 in cash for the overall winner + Annual Photographer of the Year 2025 title, Category Winners: $500 for each of the 5 category winners + Category Annual Photographer of the Year 2025 title
For more information, visit the Annual Photography Awards website.
Mobile Photo Awards
Deadline: December 17
Open to: Phone photographers of all levels
Categories: Architecture & Design/ Still Life, Black And White, Digital Fine/ Art Visual FX, Landscapes & Wildlife, Macro/ Details, People, Portraits & Self Portraits, The Darkness, Travel & Transportation, Silhouettes, Street Photography, Water/ Snow/ Ice, The Photo Essay
Fee: 1 image $15, 3 images $30, 6 images $50, 15 images $100, 25 images $149, Photo Essay submission $29
Prizes: $3,000 Grand Prize, $250 for each Category Winner, $500 Photo Essay Prize, and much
For more information, visit the MPA website.
Blue Koi International Art Competition
Deadline: December 31
Open to: Creatives of all levels
Theme: True Blue
Focus: “Open-themed art competition dedicated to exploring Blue, in all its emotional, symbolic, and visual depth. We’re seeking work that expresses what “blue” means to you.
Whether your vision is literal or abstract, cool-toned or emotionally charged, True Blue is your opportunity to showcase artwork that resonates with this timeless color and concept. All mediums, styles, and interpretations are welcome.”
Fee: 4 images for $25, 6 images for $40
Prizes: 1st prize: $100, 2nd prize: $50, 3rd prize: exhibition, Winners will be part of the Blue Koi Online Art Exhibition
For more information, visit the Blue Koi website.
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