Photography Contest

LumEarth Photo Awards 2026

Deadline |
03/31/26Theme |
Visual stories about the planetTerritory |
WorldwideEligibility |
Open to allEntry Fees |
Between $12 and $18Prizes |
Cash PrizeHost |
LumEarth Photo AwardsLumEarth Photo Awards 2026 is now open for submissions, inviting photographers worldwide to share powerful visual stories about the planet we share—its beauty, fragility, and the changing relationship between people and nature.
Open to all levels, LumEarth is an independent international photography festival built to spotlight meaningful work and elevate photographers through global visibility and publication.
The competition spans a broad set of contemporary and nature-driven categories, including Color, Black & White, Mobile, Wildlife, Landscape & Nature, Human & Environment, Climate Change, Agriculture & Rural Life, Macro & Details, Water & Life, Architecture, Aerial & Drone, Minimalism, and Birds.
Whether you shoot with a flagship camera or a phone, LumEarth welcomes images that combine craft, clarity, and impact.
At the top of the program is the Grand Award: LumEarth Photographer of the Year, which includes a $1,000 cash grant, the official title, a double-page feature in the LumEarth Annual Book, and extensive international media exposure.
Category winners and honorable mentions receive digital certificates, prominent online gallery features, and publication opportunities in the Annual Book—giving selected photographers lasting credentials and a high-quality showcase for their portfolio.
All entries are reviewed by an international jury of acclaimed photographers and visual professionals, including Georgina Goodwin, Yvonne Albe, Keyvan Jafari and Olle Amcoff, alongside other distinguished global photographers.
Judging is conducted online and focuses on creativity, storytelling strength, technical execution, and overall impact.
LumEarth is independently run and maintains strict separation between funding and judging.
Entry fees support operations and ensure the festival remains free of corporate influence over results.
Fees are set as follows:
Early Bird (limited time):
$12 / Single Image
$15 / Series (up to 5 images)
Standard Entry:
$15 / Single Image
$18 / Series (up to 5 images)
Open to all levels, LumEarth is an independent international photography festival built to spotlight meaningful work and elevate photographers through global visibility and publication.
The competition spans a broad set of contemporary and nature-driven categories, including Color, Black & White, Mobile, Wildlife, Landscape & Nature, Human & Environment, Climate Change, Agriculture & Rural Life, Macro & Details, Water & Life, Architecture, Aerial & Drone, Minimalism, and Birds.
Whether you shoot with a flagship camera or a phone, LumEarth welcomes images that combine craft, clarity, and impact.
At the top of the program is the Grand Award: LumEarth Photographer of the Year, which includes a $1,000 cash grant, the official title, a double-page feature in the LumEarth Annual Book, and extensive international media exposure.
Category winners and honorable mentions receive digital certificates, prominent online gallery features, and publication opportunities in the Annual Book—giving selected photographers lasting credentials and a high-quality showcase for their portfolio.
All entries are reviewed by an international jury of acclaimed photographers and visual professionals, including Georgina Goodwin, Yvonne Albe, Keyvan Jafari and Olle Amcoff, alongside other distinguished global photographers.
Judging is conducted online and focuses on creativity, storytelling strength, technical execution, and overall impact.
LumEarth is independently run and maintains strict separation between funding and judging.
Entry fees support operations and ensure the festival remains free of corporate influence over results.
Fees are set as follows:
Early Bird (limited time):
$12 / Single Image
$15 / Series (up to 5 images)
Standard Entry:
$15 / Single Image
$18 / Series (up to 5 images)
Featured Photo Contest
All About Photo Awards 2026
$5,000 cash prizes, a prestigious jury panel, extensive press coverage and global recognition
© Steve McCurry
Best Photography Contests in 2025
Each year, there are hundreds of photography competitions all over the world, so we've decided to select for you the best of the best! Our selection of the best photo contests in 2025 is thoroughly curated to help you, whether you are a professional photographer or an amateur, to help find your next creative breakthrough. These all-star competitions offer the greatest opportunities for international exposure and/or incredible financial benefits. Some of them are closing soon, so get your photo submissions in!
ENDS 02/09/26
The Center for Photographic Art (CPA) is excited to announce the 2026 Members’ Juried Exhibition! This year, we are offering $2,400 in awards and prizes.
ENDS 02/15/26
Art is born out of passion. Fine Art photography is a perfect instrument, which allows a person to communicate with the world and share their vision. It results from the author's deep sensitivity, a need to express feelings through image.
ENDS 02/17/26
Be Featured in our January 2026 Online Juried Solo Exhibition!
ENDS 02/19/26
The PhMuseum Photography Grant is an annual initiative that recognises the importance of photography and visual storytelling.
ENDS 02/28/26
If you're a passionate amateur or professional photographer, we invite you to share your photographic project with us.
ENDS 02/28/26
Guest Room aims to spark collaboration.
ENDS 02/28/26
Win a Hasselblad X2D II 100C, two XCD lenses of choice, €5,000 and the coveted Hasselblad Masters title.
ENDS 03/01/26
Full Tuition, a Leica camera system on loan for the academic year and an opportunity to present their work at the Leica Store in New York City’s Meatpacking District.
ENDS 03/01/26
The prize fund totals more than €5,000, of which €1,500 are reserved for the Main category first place winner.
ENDS 03/02/26
The biennial Belfast Photo Festival provided the perfect platform for gaining exposure to an international audience, with previous editions having welcome over 100,000 visitors from all over the world
ENDS 03/04/26
Earth Photo 2026 is now open for entries, inviting photographers and filmmakers of all ages, working anywhere in the world, to submit compelling visual stories about our planet.
ENDS 03/04/26
BUDAPEST INTERNATIONAL FOTO AWARDS is an international platform for photographers from all levels and genres to share their best images with the creative community in Hungary and Eastern Europe.
ENDS 03/15/26
‘On the Block’ celebrates the unposed, unfiltered, and fleeting moments that define the art of documenting everyday life, whether in dense urban streets or sleepy rural towns.
ENDS 03/21/26
The FORMAT Portfolio Review is returning in 2026. It will take place online on Friday 20 and Saturday 21 March.
ENDS 03/31/26
Entries are open worldwide to photographers using an iPhone or iPad. Photos should not be published previously anywhere. The posts on personal accounts (Facebook, Instagram etc.) are eligible.
ENDS 03/31/26
Selected photobooks will be featured in Der Greif’s Articles section, including a dedicated editorial feature highlighting the project, its context, and the maker(s).
ENDS 04/16/26
The main grant is open to professional photographers worldwide, one $30,000. grant
ENDS 04/16/26
Emerging Photographers (under 30 year old ) 2 X $ 5000 grants.
ENDS 05/07/26
The 2026 Virginia Prize, worth €10,000, will be awarded to its winner in November 2026.
ENDS 05/17/26
MonoVisions Photography Awards are an international open call for photographers using black and white medium to express their visual language.
ENDS 05/31/26
This season will feature five main categories, with ‘Family’ serving as the primary theme.
ENDS 06/15/26
Submit your best photographs now and get your chance to be one of the winners awarded in Siena!
ENDS 06/30/26
The IPA recognizes photography’s leading talents who are creating, shaping and defining the world of photography today.
ENDS 07/22/26
Submit your best work to our photo competition for a chance to win up to $11,500 in cash prizes, be selected by our curators for the PX3 exhibition in Paris and inclusion in the Annual PX3 book.