International Photography Competitions Highlight Your Work: Over ten global photography contests, spanning from August to January, are now accepting entries. The majority of these contests are free and welcome participants from all backgrounds.
Photographers worldwide have several opportunities to showcase their work and win cash prizes, gear, and global exposure through various photography competitions with open calls for submissions through January 2026.
Upcoming Deadlines in August and September 2025
The Fujifilm GFX Challenge Grant Program, with a deadline of August 31, 2025, invites creatives of all levels to submit still photography or movie format projects for a chance to win a $10,000 Grant, complimentary use of a GFX system camera body and two GF lenses, mentoring, and technical assistance from Fujifilm technicians/product experts.
The KBr Photo Award, with a deadline of September 1, 2025, is open to professional photographers for documentary photography, offering a €25,000 cash award to develop the project within 10 months, a solo exhibition at KBr Barcelona and Fundación MAPFRE Madrid, and a published catalogue.
The 19th Picture Award, with a deadline of October 5, 2025, is open to photographers of all levels focusing on animals, offering €650 cash & product prizes.
The Anthology Photography Competition, with a deadline of November 30, 2025, is open to photographers of all levels focusing on 'The World As You See It', offering a €500 cash prize and editorial coverage in a future issue of Anthology magazine.
The Paris Photo-Aperture PhotoBook Awards, with a deadline of September 5th, 2025, is open to photographers of all levels in the categories of First PhotoBook, PhotoBook of the Year, and Photography Catalog of the Year.
Competitions Open Through November 2025
The Nature Photography Contest, with a deadline of November 15, 2025, invites photographers of all levels to participate in the competition offering a prestigious "Photographer of the Year" title, €2,000 cash prizes, and more.
The Center for Photographic Art (CPA) offers $5,400 in cash awards, CPA gear, online exhibition, and exhibition at CPA's historic gallery in Carmel, California, with a deadline of October 1, 2025, and open to creatives working in still photographic media.
The Amateur Photographer of the Year (APOY) competition, which closes on February 2, 2026, is currently open and invites photographers worldwide.
Global Competitions Open Through January 2026
The Fine Art Photography Awards, open now and closing on October 12, 2025, offers $5,000 in cash prizes across 20 categories including Abstract, Nature, Fashion, and Travel, open to amateurs and professionals globally with entry fees starting at $19.
The World Sports Photography Awards, entry details for 2025 are to be confirmed, but the previous competitions featured multiple sports categories and were free to enter.
Several competitions under the Sony World Photography Awards brand are open until early January 2026: the Student Competition (deadline November 28, 2025), Open and Youth Competitions (deadline January 6, 2026), and Professional Competition (deadline January 13, 2026). These contests cover many categories (architecture, creative, documentary, environment, wildlife, portraiture, etc.) and offer prizes including $25,000 cash, Sony gear, global press exposure, and exhibitions in London.
The South Carolina Department of Environmental Services Coastal Photography Contest is accepting submissions through August 31, 2025, for photos of the South Carolina coast, suitable for all skill levels and featuring prizes such as publication on a Tide Table poster and agency website exposure.
The Top Photo Awards: Hidden Gems of Earth Nature Photo Contest has a deadline of January 16, 2026, with prizes for nature-themed photos.
Additional notable contests with upcoming deadlines in late 2025 include The Knights of Art Fine Art Photography Awards, The Abbey Road Music Photography Awards, and several themed calls for exhibitions and juried competitions listed with deadlines ranging from July to September 2025.
These competitions vary in theme, categories, entry fees, and prize types, offering many opportunities for photographers internationally at all levels through January 2026.
- Photographers can submit their work for a chance to win the Fujifilm GFX Challenge Grant Program, which has a deadline of August 31, 2025.
- The KBr Photo Award, with a deadline of September 1, 2025, is open for professional photographers focusing on documentary photography.
- The 19th Picture Award, with a deadline of October 5, 2025, invites photographers of all levels to submit their animal-focused photographs.
- The Anthology Photography Competition, with a deadline of November 30, 2025, accepts submissions on the theme "The World As You See It".
- The Paris Photo-Aperture PhotoBook Awards, with a deadline of September 5th, 2025, is open for entries in the categories of First PhotoBook, PhotoBook of the Year, and Photography Catalog of the Year.
- The Nature Photography Contest, with a deadline of November 15, 2025, offers a "Photographer of the Year" title, cash prizes, and more for nature photographs.
- The Center for Photographic Art offers cash awards, gear, online and gallery exhibitions for still photographic media entries, with a deadline of October 1, 2025.
- The Amateur Photographer of the Year competition, open until February 2, 2026, invites worldwide submissions.
- The Fine Art Photography Awards, open until October 12, 2025, offers cash prizes across 20 categories and is open to both amateurs and professionals globally.
- The World Sports Photography Awards, with details for 2025 yet to be confirmed, feature multiple sports categories and were free to enter in previous years.
- The Sony World Photography Awards, open until early January 2026, offer various contests, covering categories like architecture, creative, documentary, environment, wildlife, portraiture, and more, with prizes such as cash, Sony gear, global press exposure, and exhibitions in London.
