If your New Year’s resolutions include “finally enter that photo competition”, consider this your friendly, mildly bossy reminder that time waits for no photographer – and deadlines certainly don’t.
Whether you’re chasing a career-changing accolade, eyeing a glossy exhibition slot or simply hoping to justify the amount you’ve spent on lenses this year, 2026 is positively bursting with competitions worth throwing your best shots at. Some offer generous cash prizes, others promise international exposure, and a few simply offer the thrill of saying “I’m an award-winning photographer” at parties. Best of all, several are free to enter.
To help you plot your year (and avoid that panicked, last-minute image export at 11:58pm), we’ve ranked the best photography awards to enter in 2026 by their submission deadlines. Scroll through, pick your targets, and get submitting, because your next big win might just be one upload away.
1. Underwater Photographer of the Year
- Deadline: 4 January at 23:59 hrs GMT
- Entry cost: Mobile and marine conversation categories free; other categories from $15/ £20
- Enter here
Based in the UK, Underwater Photographer of the Year is an annual competition open to photographers of all levels and nationalities. It offers category-specific awards and an extensive prize pool, including travel, dive packages, gear and cash. Photos can be taken in in oceans, lakes and even swimming pools.
2. Sony World Photography Awards
- Deadline: 6 January for the Open and Youth competitions, and 13 January for the Professional competition. Student deadline has already passed.
- Entry cost: Free
- Enter here
The Sony World Photography Awards 2026 is a free-to-enter global competition with four categories: Professional, Open, Youth and Student (note: the latter’s deadline has already passed). Winners can receive up to $25,000, Sony Digital Imaging equipment, and will see their work featured in the annual exhibition at Somerset House, London.
3. Siena International Photo Awards (SIPA)
- Deadline: 9 January
- Entry cost: 1 image is free. Paid entries: €30 for 3 images
- Enter here
Founded in 2014, the Siena International Photo Awards (SIPA) is open to both professionals and amateurs with categories including wildlife, nature and photojournalism. The awards ceremony is held annually in Siena, Italy and is typically accompanied by exhibitions, workshops and conferences.
4. Aperture Portfolio Prize
- Deadline: 9 January
- Entry cost: Included with an Aperture magazine subscription
- Enter here
The Aperture Portfolio Prize seeks to identify contemporary trends and highlight emerging photographers. It’s open solely to subscribers to Aperture magazine. There are cash prizes for the winner and shortlisted artists, along with opportunities for exhibition and promotion through Aperture, PhMuseum and the AIPAD Photography Show in New York.
5. World Press Photo Contest
- Deadline: 17 January
- Entry cost: Free
- Enter here
This annual contest is open to professional photojournalists and documentary photographers. It’s free to enter and features three categories: Singles, Stories, and Long-Term Projects. Prizes include a global exhibition, online promotion, inclusion in an annual yearbook, an invitation to a winners’ event in Amsterdam and cash prizes of up to €11,000.
6. LCE Photographer of the Year
- Deadline: 21 January
- Entry cost: Free
- Enter here
This annual, free-to-enter competition is open to photographers of all skill levels worldwide, with categories including action, landscape, wildlife and drone photography. The competition includes a People’s Choice Award voted on by the public, and an Emerging Talent Award for photography students. Winners will be on show at The Photography & Video Show, which returns to the NEC in Birmingham, March 14-17, 2026.
7. Applied Arts Photography Awards
- Deadline: 30 January
- Entry cost: $40 (single Image) / $65 (series)
- Enter here
This long-running Canadian competition accepts submissions across more than 75 categories, including advertising, architecture and nature/wildlife. Entries are judged based on creative merit, technical execution and suitability for end use. Winners receive extensive exposure and publication in the annual awards issue.
8. International Photography Awards (IPA)
- Deadline: 31 January (early bird), 30 June (final)
- Entry cost: From $40 for professionals, from $30 for amateurs
- Enter here
The IPA’s goal is to salute the achievements of fine photographers, discover new and emerging talent, and promote the appreciation of the craft. This contest is open to photographers aged 18 or older, from any country. Entries are judged separately within professional, non-professional and student categories.
9. World Food Photography Awards
- Deadline: 8 February
- Entry cost: Free for students and under-18s. Adults: £35 for up to 6 images for adult entrants, with further entries costing £7 each.
- Enter here
These specialist awards aim to highlight food stories worldwide, from food production to elaborate meals, through the work of a diverse judging panel. Open to both professionals and amateurs, there’s a £5,000 top prize. This year brings a new ‘Food as Home’ category and finalist exhibitions at London’s Mall Galleries and Fortnum & Mason.
10. Fine Art Photography Awards
- Deadline: 15 February
- Entry cost: Amateurs: $24 for a single entry, $29 for an amateur series. Professionals: $29 for a single entry, $34 for an amateur series
- Enter here
The Fine Art Photography Awards serves as a platform for photographers to showcase their creative vision across categories such as abstract, conceptual and landscape, based on originality, artistic voice and technical skill. This year’s grand prize is $3,000.
11. MUSE Photography Awards
- Deadline: 26 February
- Entry cost: From $40 (professional) / $30 (amateur/student)
- Enter here
The MUSE Photography Awards honor a broad range of creative work across categories like Abstract, Architecture and Fine Art. The competition rewards its top winners with $3,000 (Professional) and $2,000 (Amateur) cash prizes, along with the coveted MUSE statuette and global publicity.
12. iPhone Photography Awards (IPPAWARDS)
- Deadline: 31 March
- Entry cost: From $7.50 for a single image
- Enter here
Founded in 2007, the same year the first iPhone was released, the iPhone Photography Awards (IPPAWARDS) is the first and longest-running international photography competition specifically for images captured using an iPhone or iPad. Note that the use of any iOS app for editing is permissible, but desktop image processing programs like Photoshop are not.
13. Monovisions
- Deadline: 18 Jan (early bird), 17 May (final)
- Entry cost: From $20 for a single image; from $25 for a series
- Enter here
The MonoVisions Photography Awards 2026 celebrates black and white photography worldwide. This year the contest celebrates its 10th anniversary by offering $5,000 in cash prizes, including $3,000 for the Series of the Year and $2,000 for the Photo of the Year, across various categories like Street Photography, Fine Art and Nature.
14. Le Prix de la Photographie de Paris (PX3)
- Deadline: 18 February (early bird), 13 May (regular), 22 July (final)
- Entry cost: $30 for single images (professionals), $20 for amateurs and students. Discounts for multiple categories.
- Enter here
Established in 2007 to promote photography and discover talent, this contest open to both professional and amateur photographers, in categories like Architecture, Fine Art and Portraiture. Winners are exhibited in Paris and published in the annual PX3 book. Cash prizes include $5,000 for Professional Photographer of the Year and $2,000 for Best New Talent.
15. ND Awards
- Deadline: 26 April (early bird), 20 September (final)
- Entry cost: From $19 for a non-professional single image; from $29 for a professional series entry
- Enter here
The ND Awards celebrate artistic achievement in categories such as Fine Art, Portrait and Wildlife. With total cash prizes of $10,000, this competition offers global exposure and is open to professionals and amateurs.
Author: Tom May
Source: DigitalCameraWorld
Reviewed By: Editorial Team
