The Photographers Giving Back Photo Award was founded in Sweden in 2008. The purpose of this event is to enhance journalistic photography and to strengthen the position for the professional photographer. It is also intended to inspire young and new photographers and get more people interested in photography.

Compete for cash prizes and the honorable bronze statues. Professional as well as amateur photographers worldwide are welcome to participate in The PGB Photo Award.

Participating pictures must have been taken during the year 2009. They do not need to have been published.

For each submitted picture there is an entry fee of US$10.

CATEGORIES FOR THE 2010 CONTEST

You may enter as many single pictures and picture stories as you like in each category. You may also submit the same picture to several categories. The jury has the right to move a picture from one category to another. They may also award a single picture selected out of a picture story.

1. PICTURE OF THE YEAR Singles category

You cannot sign up for the Picture of the Year category. Qualification is automatic when you enter the contest The Photo Award. The jury will select one picture from all submitted entries.

The Award carries a cash prize of $10.000 USD and a bronze statue.

2. SPOT NEWS PICTURE OF THE YEAR Singles category

The category Spot News Picture – refers to a single image of an unscheduled event where no advance planning is possible. The image should not be staged or arranged.

The Award carries a cash prize for the 1:st prize winner of $1.000 USD and a bronze statue. 2nd and 3d prize winners will receive the honorable bronze statue.

3. GENERAL NEWS PICTURE OF THE YEAR Singles category

The category General News Picture – refers to a single image of an event that is planned or organized. The Award carries a cash prize for the 1:st prize winner of $1.000 USD and a bronze statue. 2nd and 3d prize winners will receive the honorable bronze statue.

4. FEATURE PICTURE OF THE YEAR Singles category

Feature Picture – refers to a picture without news character. It can show an everyday situation or be arranged. It can be taken in a home setting or at work. The Award carries a cash prize for the 1:st prize winner of $1.000 USD and a bronze statue. 2nd and 3d prize winners will receive the honorable bronze statue.

5. PICTURE STORY OF THE YEAR Picture story category

The category Picture Story – The story should contain at least three pictures in each picture story. There is no maximum limit for the picture story. The picture story has to be taken during the year of 2009. No pictures taken before 2009 are allowed in the picture story. The Award carries a cash prize for the 1:st prize winner of $1.000 USD and a bronze statue. 2nd and 3d prize winners will receive the honorable bronze statue.

6. PORTRAIT OF THE YEAR Singles category

A portrait picture refers to a picture of one or more people. The picture can be close-up, half or whole figure and with or without surroundings. The Award carries a cash prize for the 1:st prize winner of $1.000 USD and a bronze statue. 2nd and 3d prize winners will receive the honorable bronze statue.

7. SPORTS ACTION PICTURE OF THE YEAR Singles category

The category Sports Action Picture of the Year refers to a picture taken at a sports event at the venue where the competition is held. The picture cannot be arranged and the photographer cannot have influenced the situation. The Award carries a cash prize for the 1:st prize winner of $1.000 USD and a bronze statue. 2nd and 3d prize winners will receive the honorable bronze statue.

8. SPORTS FEATURE PICTURE OF THE YEAR Singles category

The category Sports Feature Picture refers to a sports picture taken outside of a sport venue and outside of the exact moment of competition. The picture may be arranged. The Award carries a cash prize for the 1:st prize winner of $1.000 USD and a bronze statue. 2nd and 3d prize winners will receive the honorable bronze statue.

9. SPORTS PICTURE STORY OF THE YEAR Picture story category

The category Sports Picture Story of the year refers to a picture story from the world of sports. At least three pictures have to be included in the picture story. There is no maximum limit for the picture story. The picture story has to be taken during the year of 2009. No pictures taken before 2009 are allowed in the picture story. The Award carries a cash prize for the 1:st prize winner of $1.000 USD and a bronze statue. 2nd and 3d prize winners will receive the honorable bronze statue.

10. NATURE PICTURE OF THE YEAR Singles category

The category Nature Picture refers to a picture with nature elements. A picture where animals and/or nature dominate rather than people.

The Award carries a cash prize for the 1:st prize winner of $1.000 USD and a bronze statue. 2nd and 3d prize winners will receive the honorable bronze statue.

11. NATURE PICTURE OF THE YEAR ENVIRONMENTAL Singles category

The category Nature Picture Environmental refers to a picture with nature and evironmental elements. A picture where environmental issues are in focus. The picture must consist of a caption explaining the background of the issue.

The Award carries a cash prize for the 1:st prize winner of $1.000 USD and a bronze statue. 2nd and 3d prize winners will receive the honorable bronze statue.

12. NATURE PICTURE STORY OF THE YEAR Picture story category

The category Nature Picture Story of the year refers to a picture story from the world of Nature. Could be either landscape, animal or environmental. There is no maximum limit for the picture story. The picture story has to be taken during the year of 2009. No pictures taken before 2009 are allowed in the picture story. The Award carries a cash prize for the 1:st prize winner of $1.000 USD and a bronze statue. 2nd and 3d prize winners will receive the honorable bronze statue.

Competition Link / Set Reminder

As one of the largest photographic events existing today, The Sony World Photography Awards (SWPA), reach far beyond an awards programme for the still image. The SWPA is a convergence of festival events, focused photographic agendas, exhibitions, awards schemes, student programmes and an industry-led gala evening ceremony which marks the pinnacle of the week-long event in April 2009.

The Sony World Photography Awards Gala and central exhibitions that support the awards’ nominees and honourees, occurs once a year in the prestigious Palais des Festivals in Cannes, France. The evening welcomes some of the most influential names in the photography industry, from press and media to gallerists, publishers, agents, critics, aficionados and the renowned artists themselves.

From fine art to applied photography in fashion, advertising and sport to humanistic and documentary photography of people, social, cultural and current affairs to the environmental image of landscape, wildlife and ecology, there are few subjects or genres left undiscovered. The celebration of the still image – its roots, conception, adaptation and continuous evolution – is a constant parallel, unifying all categories of the Sony World Photography Awards.

This impressive union of distinct photographic genres has spurred many of the industry’s elite to actively support the SWPA. A very select group of these heavyweights have been invited to form the World Photographic Academy. To date, close to 100 members from the photographic community belong to this academy, from leading international agencies, guilds, galleries, publishing houses, foundations, press and of course renowned photographers themselves, such as Elliott Erwitt, Tom Stoddart, Susan Meiselas, Stuart Franklin, Mary-Ellen Mark and many more.

Beyond the week-long celebration in Cannes, the Sony World Photography Awards continuously create ways in order to support and further promote its existing industry network, the newly discovered photographers and those studying the craft. These many year-long initiatives include the Student Programme, The Sony World Photography Awards Global Tour and the Online World Photography Awards Magazine, Galleries and Store.

Professional Competition

The Sony World Photography Awards are entirely international, welcoming professional photographers from across the globe to submit their photographs into a highly competitive awards programme.

As an entering professional photographer, you will be judged by the World Photographic Academy in the hopes of being recognized by leading industry figures and taking the stage in Cannes to receive one of the 12 prestigious category awards and, the most coveted prize, L’iris d’Or, given to The Sony World Photography Awards Photographer of the Year, with the recipient taking, amongst other things, prize money of $25,000.

Submitting your images: There are 12 categories in the professional programme, spread across 3 main photographic genres; to view the categories please click on the link to the left. Each photographer may submit up to a total of 10 images into a single professional category. Professionals will be judged on a body of images representing a photographic series or story. Professional photographers may enter bodies of work in more than one category.

The Judging Process: Your images will go through critical rounds of selections by the official 2010 Judging Committee, comprising selected World Photographic Academy members.

A shortlist of 7 photographers in each of the 12 categories will be selected and announced in February 2010.

Of the 7 short-listed photographers in each category, three finalists will then be selected and named as either the first, second or third place winners of each category given. The announcement of the 36 total winners will be made in March 2010.

For the final stage of judging, one single photographer will be chosen by the Honorary Judging Committee from the 12 First Place category winners. This photographer will be announced and awarded in Cannes as the recipient of the 2010 L’iris d’or.

The awards: All 36 Category finalists, will be showcased as part of the official 2010 Finalists exhibitions in Cannes, published in the winner’s book and announced to the worldwide press as Sony World Photography Awards Category Finalists. These finalists will also be part of an annual SWPA Global Tour, have the opportunity to be represented and promoted by the World Photography Gallery, showcased on the SWPA website for all of 2010 and much more.

The first place winner of each category will be flown out to Cannes, receive 2 nights accommodation in a luxury hotel on the famous Croisette and receive VIP tickets to attend the evening gala awards ceremony, taking place on the 15th of April, 2010. The winner will also receive week-long passes to attend the World Photography Festival screenings, workshops, exhibitions, talks and other events taking place throughout the city of Cannes from the 13th – 18th of April 2010.

Professional Categories

There are 12 professional categories across three distinct genres:

PHOTOJOURNALISM & DOCUMENTARY: CURRENT AFFAIRS; SPORT; CONTEMPORARY ISSUES; ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

COMMERCIAL: ADVERTISING; FASHION; MUSIC

FINE ART: PORTRAITURE; CONCEPTUAL & CONSTRUCTED; NATURAL HISTORY; LANDSCAPE; ARCHITECTURE

Professional Prizes

Winner of “L’iris d’Or” – Best overall photograph will receive:
Recipient of the title “Sony World Photography Awards Photographer of The Year”
$25,000
Entry into the “World Photographic Academy”
Exhibition showcase of winning image and 25 picture portfolio at the 2011 Sony World Photography Awards
Winning image will be exhibited on the Sony World Photography Awards’ website and promoted to creatives worldwide
Flights to Cannes, and 2 nights accommodation in a hotel on the famous Croisette and receive VIP tickets to attend the evening gala awards ceremony, taking place on the 15th of April, 2010
Sony Gift

Winners of each individual category will receive:
Recipient of the title “Sony World Photography Awards category name Photographer of The Year”
Flights to Cannes, and 2 nights accommodation in a hotel on the famous Croisette and receive VIP tickets to attend the evening gala awards ceremony, taking place on the 15th of April, 2010
Winning image will be exhibited on the Sony World Photography Awards’website and promoted to creatives
Sony Gift

Amateur Competition

The Sony World Photography Awards are entirely international, welcoming people from across the globe to submit their photographs into an exciting amateur competition, which is run alongside the Professional Awards.

As an amateur photographer, you also have the opportunity to be judged by the World Photographic Academy in the hopes of taking the stage in Cannes to receive one of the most sought after prizes in the competition: The Sony World Photography Awards Amateur Photographer of the Year.

Submitting your images: Each photographer may submit up to a total of 3 photographs into the competition for free. The 3 photographs can be submitted into any one amateur category or spread across two – three different categories; to view the categories please click on the link to the left.

The Judging Process: Your images will go through various pre-selection rounds by our officially selected 2010 Pre-Selection Committee, iStock – iStockphoto LP is the world’s leading royalty-free stock destination. Browse more than 4 million photos, vector illustrations, video footage and Flash files. iStock pioneered the micropayment photography business model in 2001, selling images starting at $1.

If your image is selected to go into the top 400, you will then be judged by the 2010 Judging Committee, comprising selected World Photographic Academy members.

A shortlist of top ten amateur photographers per category will be announced in February 2010.

The 8 Category Winners, will be showcased as part of the official 2010 Finalists exhibitions in Cannes, be published in the winner’s book and be announced to the worldwide press as Sony World Photography Awards Category Winners in March, 2010. These winners will also have the opportunity to be part of an annual SWPA Global Tour and showcased on the SWPA website for all of 2010.

One grand prize winner will be selected from the 8 category winners by the 2010 Judging Committee and be awarded The Sony World Photography Awards Amateur Photographer of the Year.

The overall winner and a guest will be flown to Cannes, receive two nights’ accommodation in a luxury hotel on the famous Croisette, receive VIP tickets to attend the evening gala awards ceremony on the 15th of April, 2010, and collect their prize of $5,000 and a Sony gift. The winner will also receive week-long passes to attend the World Photography Festival screenings, workshops, exhibitions, talks and other events taking place throughout the city of Cannes from the 13th – 18th of April.

Amateur Categories

Architecture
Conceptual & Constructed
Documentary
Fashion
Landscape
Music
Natural History
Portraiture
Sport
Campaign Award

Amateur Prizes

Winner of the Best overall photograph will receive:
Recipient of the title “Sony World Photography Awards Amateur Photographer of The Year”
$5,000
Winning image will be exhibited on the Sony World Photography Awards’ website and promoted to creatives worldwide
to Cannes, and 2 nights accommodation in a hotel on the famous Croisette and receive VIP tickets to attend the evening gala awards ceremony, taking place on the 15th of April, 2010
Sony Gift

Winners of each individual category will receive:
Recipient of the title “Sony World Photography Awards Amateur category name Photographer of The Year”
Exhibited in the Winner’s Exhibition and published in the Winner’s Book
Winning image will be exhibited on the Sony World Photography Awards’website and promoted to creatives
Sony Gift

Competition Link / Set Reminder

The editors of NATURE’S BEST PHOTOGRAPHY magazine invite all photographers to enter the 2009 NATURE’S BEST PHOTOGRAPHY WINDLAND SMITH RICE INTERNATIONAL AWARDS competition.

More than $15,000 in cash and prizes will be awarded. The winning photographs will be published in the Awards 2009 Collector’s Edition of NATURE’S BEST PHOTOGRAPHY, and may be selected for our annual exhibition at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of Natural History in Washington, DC, and displayed in other locations and photo gallery presentations related to the Awards competition. Entries are judged on technical quality, originality, and artistic merit. Enter a TOTAL of up to 20 images for one entry fee ($25 US no foreign checks).

DEADLINE: UPLOAD OR POSTMARK NO LATER THAN MAY 4, 2009

CATEGORIES:
The Nature’s Best Editors reserve the right to move a submission from one category to another as they see fit.
ANIMAL ANTICS:
Wildlife in humorous or surprising situations.
ART IN NATURE:
Naturally occurring artistic compositions (colors, forms, textures, etc.) in nature.
BIRDS:
Wild birds in native habitats displaying plumage, mating rituals, nesting, feeding, or other behaviors.
CAMERA CLUB:
Up to 20 photographs may be submitted as a group entry by a camera club. Each individual image in a camera club submission must fit within one of the contest categories, without exception. NOTE: Each individual member can contribute no more than three (3) images to the group submission. The entry will be judged as a portfolio and selected on the overall excellence of the entire group of images. Participating club members are also permitted to submit their own entry (up to 20 images) separate from the Camera Club entry, and may include the same images in both submissions.
CREATIVE DIGITAL:
Any nature-related image or combination of images that is created and/or manipulated using digital/electronic technology (such as Adobe® Photoshop®). Let your imagination go wild! Please provide the details on all techniques used. EXCEPTION: Panoramic images created by digitally stitching two or more images together may be entered into other categories as appropriate.
ENDANGERED SPECIES:
Plants or animals that are listed as endangered species by the IUCN. Please visit www.redlist.org to confirm the endangered status of a species before submitting to this category.
ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES:
Images that document current environmental issues, such as pollution, global warming, loss of habitat, etc.
INDIGENOUS CULTURES:
People living within their ancient historic communities, practicing their traditional culture: dress, arts/crafts, dance, rituals, hunting/gathering, food preparation, examples of sustainable living, etc.
LANDSCAPE:
Dramatic scenes and unusual perspectives of land providing expansive views.
OCEANS:
The fascinating world of the sea: tide pools, coral reefs, marine life, waves, etc. Photos taken above the ocean’s surface, related to ocean life, are also welcome.
PEOPLE IN NATURE:
People enjoying the outdoors: backpackers, kayakers, divers, hikers, etc., in natural settings.
PLANT LIFE:
Flowers, trees, and other flora in natural habitat. May include wide vistas.
SMALL WORLD SPECTACULARS:
Shots of plants, animals, and miniature landscapes taken with macro lenses.
WEATHER:
From dramatic storms to tranquil skies—weather in all its fury and forms. (Tornados, hurricanes, floods, rain, wind, cloud formations, etc.)
WILDLIFE:
Wild animals (mammals, reptiles, amphibians, etc.—birds are a separate category, see above) photographed in their natural habitat (no captive animals).
YOUTH PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR:
An entry of up to 20 photographs may be submitted by photographers 18 of age or younger. Each individual image in a youth submission must fit within the contest categories, without exception. NOTE: Please be sure to include your date of birth and current age on your entry form.
ZOOS & AQUARIUMS:
Images may include animal portraits, behavior, zookeepers working with animals, visitors (may require model release), special events, etc. All photographs must have been taken at zoos and aquariums belonging to the World Association of Zoos & Aquaria (WAZA). See the complete WAZA list at www.waza.org.

Competition Link / Set Reminder

Renaissance is an international photography competition to raise money for the Lavender Trust at Breast Cancer Care.

Martin Parr, Eamonn McCabe and Charlie Waite are the judges; over £5,000 in cash prizes to be won and 60 finalists will be exhibited at a celebrity private view in March 2009. All proceeds go to the charity.  Last year’s competition raised £30,000 and was featured in the Times, the Evening Standard and various photography magazines.

The 2009 competition runs until 11 January 2009.  It is open to both amateur and professional photographers.

The theme is Moments that Matter and there are 3 categories:
- Emotion
- The Human Body
- The World We Live In

Prize money
There are lots of opportunities to win something. The overall winner of the competition will receive the Renaissance Prize of £3,000. The winner in each category will receive the category prize of £500. The runner-up in each category will receive £250.

Exhibition
And for 60 finalists, there is an additional benefit of getting real exposure with an exhibition in a leading London gallery where your work will be sold. You’ll even get a share of the proceeds.

Competition Link / Set Reminder

Wanderlust are now inviting entries for this year’s edition of the UK’s longest-running amateur photography competition. This year, there are two categories:

Amateur – open to amateur photographers only. Photographs may be submitted for one or more of the following categories: People; Wildlife; Landscape; Travel Icons

Portfolio – open to amateur and professional photographers. Photographs may be submitted for one of the following categories: People; Wildlife; Landscape; Travel Icons. We’re after a set of five eye-catching images, all themed to fit one of the four categories.

As always, we have fantastic prizes up for grabs for this year’s winners. The Mexico Tourist Board and British Airways will whisk the top photographer (and a companion) in each of the four amateur categories to the wave-lapped shores, Mayan delights and dusty badlands of Mexico, on a mission to capture some of its magic.

The winner of the Portfolio category will walk away with £5,000.

The Amateur competition is free to enter; the Portfolio competition has an entry fee of £10.

The winners and short-listed entrants will see their images printed in Wanderlust and The Independent, and exhibited at Destinations 2009, the UK’s top holiday and travel show. There are also great Nikon cameras to be won.

Sound good? Then get snapping!

THE CLOSING DATE FOR ENTRIES FOR THE 2008 COMPETITION IS 1 DECEMBER 2008

NEW CATEGORY ALERT!
This year, alongside the People, Wildlife and Landscape categories, we’ve introduced a new theme. The fourth category will be Travel Icons – classic shots of places, events and people that have achieved an iconic visual status in the world of travel. Whether its an original shot of Machu Picchu, a cowboy riding across the US plains or sari-shopping women in an Indian market, these shots should sum up the essence of the destination.

Competition Link / Set Reminder

PNY Technologies, Inc. announced that they will donate $100,000 to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital as part of the 2008 Thanks and Giving campaign to help find cures for pediatric cancer and other deadly diseases.  PNY also unveiled a family photo contest to raise additional money for the hospital.

St. Jude, located in Memphis, Tenn., is the only pediatric cancer research and treatment facility where no child is ever turned away because of the family’s inability to pay.  With an average of 5,400 patient visits annually and research findings shared with doctors and scientists worldwide, the hospital depends on corporate and public contributions for it to thrive. 

PNY is encouraging parents and customers to donate through its “Let Our Memory Capture Your Memories” photo contest by including donation and contest information in specially marked packages of select SD memory cards and USB flash drives. Parents can submit a favorite photo of their child to the contest and encourage their friends and family to vote for the photo. The program runs through January 31, 2009.  PNY will donate $20,000 to St. Jude in the winner’s name.

“PNY is extremely proud to join St. Jude in its efforts to improve the lives of so many families around the world.  We’re also very thankful for the healthy children in our lives and believe supporting this outstanding organization is a great way for us to help further their cause,” said Tony Gomez, vice president of sales and marketing for PNY.  “Our goal is to raise another $50,000 for St. Jude through the family photo contest.  It is also a fun way for parents to share the wonderful childhood memories they have captured on PNY SD cards and USB flash drives.”

Grand prize winner
The top 10 photos receiving the most votes will be submitted to a panel of judges who will select
the Grand Prize Winner. PNY will donate $20,000 to St. Jude in the winner’s name.
The winner will receive a PNY prize package valued at $500.

Competition Link / Set Reminder

The second Sony World Photography Awards is now open for entries.

The Sony World Photography Awards 2009 is a truly global competition which honours both professional and amateur photographers.

In addition to the 12 categories for professional photographers and the nine categories for amateurs, the Sony World Photography Awards are delighted to announce the partnership with The Prince’s Rainforests for the PRP Awards which complements this year’s theme of the environment.

Professional photographers will be submitting their portfolios in the hope of being selected for a fully-funded project to document the rainforest regions of the world. Amateur photographers will also be invited to submit their images for a global awareness campaign, using photography to educate and inform.

Also new to this year’s awards:

* An extended university programme which has grown from 10 universities in Europe in the inaugural year of the awards to 60 universities across six continents. The brief for this year’s student competition is to produce one image which highlights a single environmental issue specific to their country.

* The Festival @ The Sony World Photography Awards: a week-long festival of photography that takes place throughout the city of Cannes. Through talks, seminars, screenings, networking events, book signings and many other programmes and events, The World Photography Awards have created a programme for the photographic community to participate and network through. The Festival @ SWPA is also creating a new annual cultural event for the general public and all who enjoy contemporary art.

* A new category list for professional photographers spreading across the three photographic genres – photojournalism and documentary, commercial and fine art

* The introduction of the Sony Campaign Award for amateur photographers, which joins together a global obsession for football with the enthusiasm and passion of photography. Amateur photographers are invited to enter the Campaign Award with a single image that captures the beauty and spirit of football in unexpected places, with the winner having the chance of being one of the photographers used in Sony’s forthcoming digital imaging 2009 campaign work.

* A global touring exhibition – Discovering a World of Images – showcasing images by the 2008 winners and finalists which through the course of a year will visit Belgium; Cologne; Tokyo; Delhi; New York; Singapore; Rio de Janeiro; Moscow and Melbourne.

The Sony World Photography Awards welcome submissions from every corner of the world. Last year – the first year of the awards – over 70,000 entries were received from 178 countries. For both professional and amateur photographers, the categories cover a broad range of subjects from photojournalism to sport, architecture to fashion, offering an all-encompassing competition for the photographic world.

Now, in just their second year, the awards have grown to become much more than an awards programme. It is a mix of festival events, exhibitions, award schemes and student programmes throughout the year. In April 2009 the WPA will host Festival @ The Sony World Photography Awards, a week-long celebration of photography at the Palais des Festival in Cannes attended by some of the most influential names in the photography industry from around the world. The highlight of the week is the awards ceremony gala dinner when the winners in all the categories will be honoured and the Sony World Photography Awards Photographer of the Year will be announced.

Through its many initiatives, the Sony World Photography Awards aim to unite the international photographic community.

World Photographic Academy
The awards are judged by the World Photographic Academy which today comprises close to 100 of the world’s leading photographers including Elliott Erwitt, Mary-Ellen Mark, Susan Meiselas, Bruce Davidson and Tom Stoddart; gallery owners; picture agencies; international Guilds; picture editors; critics and publishers. Their role is to promote excellence in photography and set the standard for award selections.

Key dates
2008
22 September Professional and amateur categories open for submissions
9 October Global tour opens in Tokyo
31 October Student Focus participating universities announced
25 November WPA Judges announced
2 December Global tour opens in New York
31 December Closing date for professional and amateur categories
2009
24 February Amateur and professional awards shortlist announcement
3 March Student Focus winners’ announcement
17 March Amateur and professional winners’ announcement
14-19 April Festival @ The Sony World Photography Awards – exhibitions and events in Cannes
16 April Sony World Photography Awards gala evening and ceremony

Amateur Categories & Prizes

• Architecture
• Conceptual & Constructed
• Fashion
• Landscape
• Music
• Natural History
• Portraiture
• Sport
• Campaign Award

One grand prize winner will be selected from the 8 category winners by the 2009 Judging Committee  and be awarded The Sony World Photography Awards Amateur Photographer of the Year.

The overall winner and a guest will be flown to Cannes, receive two nights’ accommodation in a luxury hotel on the famous Croisette, receive VIP tickets to attend the evening gala awards ceremony on the 16th of April, 2009, and collect their prize of $5,000  and a Sony gift.  The winner will also receive week-long passes to attend the World Photography Festival screenings, workshops, exhibitions, talks and other events taking place throughout the city of Cannes from the 14th – 19th of April.

Professional Categories & Prizes

Photojournalism & Documentary:

• Current Affairs / Spot News
• Sport
• Contemporary issues
• Arts and entertainment

Commercial:

• Advertising
• Fashion
• Music

Fine Art:

• Portraiture
• Conceptual & Constructed
• Natural History
• Landscape
• Architecture

Winner of “L’iris d’Or” – Best overall photograph will receive:
Recipient of the title “Sony World Photography Awards Photographer of The Year” $25,000
Entry into the “World Photographic Academy”
Exhibition showcase of winning image and 25 picture portfolio at the 2010 Sony World Photography Awards.
Winning image will be exhibited on the Sony World Photography Awards’ website and promoted to creatives worldwide.
Flights to Cannes, and 2 nights accommodation in a hotel on the famous Croisette and receive VIP tickets to attend the evening gala awards ceremony, taking place on the 16th of April, 2009.

Winners of each individual category will receive:
Recipient of the title “Sony World Photography Awards category name Photographer of The Year”
Flights to Cannes, and 2 nights accommodation in a hotel on the famous Croisette and receive VIP tickets to attend the evening gala awards ceremony, taking place on the 16th of April, 2009.
Winning image will be exhibited on the Sony World Photography Awards’ website and promoted to creatives

Competition Link / Set Reminder

In 1999, British publisher Hodder Headline (now Hachette Livre) held a global photographic competition called M.I.L.K. (Moments of Intimacy, Laughter and Kinship). Inspired by the 1950s landmark photographic exhibition, ‘The Family of Man’, M.I.L.K. began as an epic global search to find unique and geographically diverse images on the themes of friendship, family and love. It was not only the richest in photographic history, but also one of the most significant, drawing participation from 17,000 professional and amateur photographers in 164 countries. In total over 40,000 images were received by M.I.L.K., including at least four Pulitzer Prize winners. The 300 winning images were chosen by the Chief Judge, Magnum photographer Elliott Erwitt, and were the basis for three books entitled Family, Friendship and Love and an international touring exhibition launched at New York’s Grand Central Terminal in 2001.

To celebrate the 10th anniversary of the original M.I.L.K. competition, M.I.L.K. Licensing, again in association with Elliott Erwitt, is conducting a new competition founded on the themes of friends, families, lovers and laughter to create a new collection of 150 images. The 150 winning images will be published in a new book entitled Fresh M.I.L.K.: Friends, Families, Lovers & Laughter in Fall 2009, and on selected licensed products.

We are seeking outstanding images that capture authentic, spontaneous and humorous moments shared between friends, families and lovers around the world. The judges will select images on the basis of the following:

Images that celebrate friendship, family and love.
Images that tell stories and convey real emotion.
Images that evoke a humorous response.
Technical quality.

The Prizes

The total prize pool is US$125,000 made up as follows:

One Grand Prize winner will receive US$50,000; All 150 winners, including the Grand Prize winner, will receive US$500 for each winning image.

All prize money will be treated as a non-refundable advance against future royalty earnings. Photographers will retain copyright in their images but in order to become prize winners they must grant M.I.L.K. a 10-year non-exclusive licence for the use of their image in book publications and selected licensed products in exchange for ongoing royalty payments. All 150 winners will share equally in royalty income which will be reported, and any monies owing paid, annually.

The competition closes on 31 December 2008

Competition Link / Set Reminder

The International Aperture Awards is Running the World’s Richest On-Line Photographic Competition With a Total Prize Pool of USD$200,000 and a Massive USD$100,000 for the Winning Image! Early Entry Fee is $250 during September, Regular Entry Fee $290. Online Entries Open Monday 1st September and Close Wednesday 29th of October.

The International Aperture Awards on-line photography competition is open to ALL professional and aspiring photographers, photographic students and anyone with a hidden gift for capturing a winning photograph. Enter up to four images from the following categories for your chance to win – People and Portrait; Sport; Landscape; Science and Nature; Commercial/Advertising; Abstract/Illustrative; Photojournalism/Press.

In addition, there will be a People’s Choice Award so everyone can become involved, photographers and viewers alike. The Entry voted the People’s Choice will receive USD$10,000 and four (4) Voters in the People’s Choice Award, selected at random, will each receive USD$1,000.

A team of a 100 international industry professionals will judge the photos. Along with an overall winner, the top five entries from each category will be selected and the following prizes awarded:  USD$6,000 (1st prize), USD$3,000 (2nd prize), USD$1,000 (3rd prize), USD$500 (4th Prize), USD$250 (5th Prize). And for the photographers just outside the winners circle, there are internationally recognized Platinum, Gold, Silver and Bronze merit awards to be earned for high scoring images.

If you think you have what it takes to capture a winning photograph, get your entries in on-line from September 1st till October 29th 2008.  The entry fee is USD$250 throughout September (the early bird special) and then rises to USD$290 during October.

Competition Link / Set Reminder

To date, Smithsonian magazine editors have judged a total of 72,000 photographs from more than 90 countries around the globe for their yearly amateur photography contests.  With the breadth of experience to determine what sets a Smithsonian winning photo apart from the pack, Smithsonian’s 6th Annual Photo Contest is now open for submissions.

Contestants can enter photographs in five categories: The Natural World, Americana, Altered Images, Travel and People that represent subjects of special interest to the magazine. Fifty finalists will be selected, ten for each of the five categories. Smithsonian magazine will notify the 50 finalists by February 28, 2009. From these 50 finalists, five category winners and a grand prize winner will be selected. The entries of all finalists will be published on the magazine’s Web site on March 2, 2009. At that time, readers can vote online for one readers’ choice winner. The winning entries will be published in the print edition of Smithsonian magazine during summer 2009.

Category winners will be awarded $500. The readers’ choice winner will be awarded $500. The grand prize winner will receive a four-day, three-night Smithsonian Journeys Grand Canyon Weekend Adventure for two from July 17-20, 2009, or the wholesale cash equivalent.

All entries must be uploaded by 2pm Eastern Time, Monday, December 01, 2008.

Competition Link / Set Reminder