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 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 $30,000 (USD) in cash prizes and the honorable bronze statues. Both professional and amateur photographers are welcome to compete in The Photo Award.

The pictures submitted must be your own copyright and can only be submitted into the specified categories.

The competition is open until 4 January, 2009.

Participating pictures must have been taken during the year 2008. They do not need to have been published.

The jury is allowed to move pictures between categories if they deem it necessary.

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

Prizes

The prize pool is US$30,000 in cash.

US$10,000 is awarded to the winner in the category Photographer of the Year and to the winner in the category Picture of the Year.

There is a cash prize of US$1,000 for each 1st prize winner in the other categories. The Photo Award bronze statue is presented to all 1st, 2nd and 3rd prize winners in every category.

Categories

1. PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR
One portfolio
You cannot sign up for the Photographer of the Year category. Qualification is automatic when you fulfill the requirements for this category. To qualify, you need to show a breadth. Your portfolio should therefore include at least one pictorial feature and pictures from at least two other categories.
The Award carries a cash prize of $10.000 USD and a bronze statue.

2. PICTURE OF THE YEAR
One single picture
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.

3. SPOT NEWS PICTURE OF THE YEAR
One single picture
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.

4. GENERAL NEWS PICTURE OF THE YEAR
One single picture
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.

5. FEATURE PICTURE OF THE YEAR
One single picture
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.

6. PICTURE STORY OF THE YEAR
One picture story
The category Picture Story – The story should contain at least three pictures in each picture story. The picture story has to be taken during the year of 2008. No pictures taken before 2008 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.

7. PORTRAIT OF THE YEAR
One single picture
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.

8. SPORTS ACTION PICTURE OF THE YEAR
One single picture
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.

9. SPORTS FEATURE PICTURE OF THE YEAR
One single picture
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.

10. SPORTS PICTURE STORY OF THE YEAR
One picture story
Sports Pictorial Feature refers to a picture story from the world of sports. At least three pictures have to be included in the pictorial feature. The picture story has to be taken during the year of 2008. No pictures taken before 2008 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.

11. HUMOROUS PICTURE OF THE YEAR
One single picture
Entries to the Humor Category should bring laughter. A picture that makes the jury smile.
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 OF THE YEAR
One single picture
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.

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

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

Enter the WeSay Best of Citizen Photojournalism Photo Contest.

Unlike some other photo contests online, this one is free. You can win a real prize – one of THREE Apple iPhones for the grand prizes, one of three gift certificates for $100, $75 and $25 from Photographer’s Warehouse or a $68.95 Photo Book from dotPhoto. There will also be several Editor’s Choice awards issued. In addition, amateur photographers will be considered for publication on the homepage of the news site – WeSay.

Our photo contest has plenty of categories for everyone – six in all. And you retain complete ownership of the photos you submit to WeSay. So get out there, capture some great photos and enter them to win before the contest ends Oct. 17.

Read the six category descriptions below and enter your photos today for a chance to secure a place in online news history…

News: Enter any news-related photograph.
Special Category: Community activism. Is there a pothole swallowing cars in your town? A dilapidated building that gives the area a worn-down image? Give us a photo of something that you think gives your town a black eye and needs to be fixed.

Politics: Enter any politically-related photograph.
Special Category: Political rallies. This is politics at the grass roots level. Who’s holding a rally in your town? Are they McCain or Obama supporters? How about a local candidate for commissioner or some other office? Take some photos and give them some coverage.
  
Environment: Enter any environmentally-related photograph.
Special Category: Who’s going green? Here’s an opportunity to spotlight someone in your town who is doing something to improve the environment. Are they installing solar panels? Driving a hybrid? Send us a photo and make them feel good for what they are doing to help solve global warming one person at a time.

Sports: Enter any sports-related photograph.
Special Category: Summer sports. It’s summer. It’s hot. Who in your town is out there playing sports in the summer heat? Give us some shots of local athletes of all ages who love to sweat and are active during the summer months.

Celebs: Enter any celebrity-related photograph.
Special Category: Local musicians. We’ve all seen thousands of photos of the big names acts from Britney Spears to Bruce Springsteen. What about the musicians in your town who are struggling to make a living and perhaps break out into the mainstream? Time to give them some recognition.

Far Out: Enter any far-out photograph.
Special Category: Weird pets. They say pets are a reflection of their owner. Do you know some people who own weird pets? How about people who dress up their pets? Here’s a chance to get your own or someone else’s pet in the news.

You may not enter or win if you are a professional photographer.  WeSay considers you to be a professional photographer if you make more than 50 percent of your income from photography.

Competition Link / Set Reminder

Enter our prestigious photography competition and you could boost your business, your confidence and your bank balance with £1000 of Jessops vouchers.

Another year, another chance to win the enviable title of Professional Photographer of the Year. The competition gives you the opportunity to enter images in nine different rounds, and with some mouth-watering prizes on offer, we know you’ll want to get involved.

You can enter any of the following categories: architecture, commercial, fine art, landscape, portrait, press & documentary, sport, travel and weddings, submitting up to three images in each. Which means that regardless of your photographic specialism, there will be a category to suit your style. Each category has a different sponsor and some fantastic prizes.

The competition will close 30th November 2008.

Competition Link / Set Reminder

UPDATE: EXTENDED DEADLINE
Entry Deadline: July 20

International Color Awards presents the 3rd Annual Photography Masters Cup.

Share the spotlight with the greatest names in photography and promote your work around the globe to industry leaders from Christie’s, Fox, Taschen, Saatchi & Saatchi, Benetton, National Geographic Channel, Musee de l’Elysee & more.
 
The Photography Master Cup is a global online awards show recognizing excellence in color photography. This celebrated event shines a spotlight on the finest professional and amateur photographers and is presented by International Color Awards.
 
PRESTIGE
The awards Jury represents the most influential art directors, agencies, editors, galleries, and publishers from the world of photography, advertising and entertainment. Images are nominated and selected by Jury members who honor the finest images with the highest achievements in color photography.
 
AWARDS
Nominees vie for 63 Coveted Title Awards in 21 Categories representing the best work of the year. Winning photographers receive:

GRAND AWARD WINNER (professional & amateur)
PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR
– Recipient of the title award “Photographer of the Year”
– $1,000 prize money from Grants for Color Photography Fund
– Recipient of the Masters Cup
– Creative Excellence prize
– Publication in “Photography Masters Cup” Yearbook published by book|BASIL
– Publication in leading photography magazines
– Exhibited at Masters of Photography Exhibition
– Showcase at the online Winners & Nominee Gallery

CATEGORY AWARD WINNERS
OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT
– Recipient of the title award “Outstanding Achievement”
– $500 prize money from Grants for Color Photography Fund
– Recipient of the Masters Cup
– Creative Excellence prize
– Publication in “Photography Masters Cup” Yearbook published by book|BASIL
– Publication in leading photography magazines
– Exhibited at Masters of Photography Exhibition
– Showcase at the online Winners & Nominee Gallery

CATEGORIES
Abstract
Advertising
Architecture
Fashion
Fine Art
Nature
Nude
People
Photojournalism
Sport
Still Life

3rd Annual Photography Masters Cup is open to professional and amateur photographers shooting in all forms of color photography using traditional or digital methods.

ENTRY FEES
PROFESSIONAL – Single Entry – $35
AMATEUR – Single Entry – $30

Competition Link / Set Reminder

Celebrate the world outside…
vistas, landscapes, adventures, the big beyond.

Prizes
AMATEUR CONTEST (NGT)
GRAND PRIZE:
A 7-Day trip for two to The Big Island, Hawaii
CATEGORY WINNERS:
One Earth Explorer Shoulder Bag designed by Bogen for National Geographic will be awarded to the winner in each category.

PROFESSIONAL CONTEST (PDN)
First place winner in each category will recieve a Leica V-Lux 1 digital camera and equipment package and a Photoserve portfolio. Winners will also be published in the July PDN issue in print and online.
 
Categories
• SCENICS OF THE NATURAL WORLD
• OUTDOOR SPORTS AND ACTIVITIES
• PARKS (ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD)
• ISLANDS AND UNDERWATER
• GARDENS

Entry fee
$12 per entry for amateurs
$35 per entry for professionals

Competition Link / Set Reminder

Update: Sony World Photography Awards 2009 

The World Photography Awards, sponsored by Sony, is an international showcase of the best images taken by renowned and undiscovered photographers alike. From landscape to music and photojournalism to fashion photography, the WPA is the first awards of its kind and is supported by hundreds of the industry’s top photographers, critics, gallerists, directors, founders and more.

Featuring eleven different categories, both professional and amateur photographers will be invited to enter work to the World Photography Awards from 9th October 2007 until mid-January 2008. The winners will be announced at a black tie awards ceremony in Cannes at the Palais des Festivals on 24th April 2008.

The aim of the World Photography Awards is to unearth the images of the future while paying tribute to the visions of the past. “Photography plays a vital role in defining and documenting the world around us”, says Shaun Dorrington, General Manager, Sony Digital Imaging, “and by sponsoring the inaugural World Photography Awards we can support talented photographers across the globe and give them the recognition they deserve.”

The awards and subsequent exhibition will become to photography what the Oscars are to the film industry. With an annual ceremony and black tie gala taking place on the prestigious Cote d’Azur, the World Photography Awards is set to become the largest and most important awards in the industry.

For the inaugural year, the World Photography Academy will comprise of over one hundred of the most respected photographers, critics, picture editors, gallerists and other industry leaders, including Phil Stern (US), Terry O’ Neil (UK), Chien-Chi (China), Sylvia Plachy (Hungary), Carl de Keyzer (Belgium) and Esko Mannikko (Finland).

Members of the academy will form the judging panel for the awards, and winners will automatically gain membership to the academy. The academy will be governed by the Honorary Board which comprises of eleven members, including Tom Stoddart, Mary Ellen Mark, Bruce Davidson, Martin Parr, Elliott Erwitt, Susan Meiselas and Stephen Cohen. These eleven board members will represent the academy, promoting excellence within photography and setting the standard for award selections.

Providing an unprecedented international platform in the world of photography, the aim of the World Photography Awards is to unearth the images of the future while paying tribute to the visions of the past.

“It’s a great honour to be part of the inaugural Sony World Photography Awards. The awards will showcase the very best imagery from around the world and will undoubtedly inspire and excite anyone who is passionate about photography.” (Tom Stoddart)

World Photographic Academy
Some of the world’s leading photographers, public gallerists, curators and major picture editors have been invited to become members of the WPA. A full list of current academy members can be found on the website.

Categories
From the 9th October 2007, photographers both professional and amateur will be invited to submit work to be judged in the eleven different categories. From this the academy will nominate a shortlist of photographers who will then be invited to attend the awards ceremony. The shortlist will be announced in
February 2008.

The eleven categories are:

• Abstract
• Advertising
• Architecture
• Fashion
• Music
• Nature
• Nude
• Portraiture
• Photojournalism
• Science
• Sport

The Awards

Professional Awards
All submitted works will be judged by academy members and three finalists will be nominated in each of the eleven categories.

• l’iris d’or
• One photograph will represent the image of the year and win l’iris d’or which comprises:
• The title Sony World Photography Awards Photographer of the Year as well as $25,000
• Entry into the World Photographic Academy for future years
• Exhibition showcase of winning image and 25 picture portfolio at the 2009 World Photography Awards
• Winning images exhibited on the World Photography Awards’ website and promoted to creatives worldwide
• Individual Category Awards
• Lifetime Achievement Award

Amateur Awards
The awards will be international and interactive, allowing people from across the world to submit photographs online via the WPA website to an amateur competition that will run in parallel to the Professional Awards. Each photographer can submit up to three photographs per single category. The site aims to create an online community and social network in which people can interact, creating a destination point for amateur photographers across the globe.

The awards night will be a black tie event bringing together the crème de la crème of photography and the media on 24th April 2008 in Cannes. An exhibition of all finalists’ work will be held at the Palais des Festivals in Cannes from the 21st-25th April and will be open for public viewing.

World Photography Awards is delighted to welcome Sony as its headline sponsor.

“Photography plays a vital role in defining and documenting the world around us”, says Shaun Dorrington, General Manager, Sony Digital Imaging, “and by sponsoring the inaugural World Photography Awards we can support talented photographers across the globe and give them the recognition they deserve.”

Update: Sony World Photography Awards 2009 

Competition Link / Set Reminder