Many photography competitions restrict eligibility by country or region. This guide focuses on competitions genuinely open to photographers worldwide — no residency requirements, no regional restrictions on subject matter, and no barriers based on where you live.
Top International Competitions
Sony World Photography Awards
The most accessible major international competition. Free to enter in the open category, with professional and youth categories also available. The World Photography Organisation actively promotes global participation, and winners come from every continent. Results are announced at a ceremony in London with a major exhibition at Somerset House.
Open to: All countries. Entry fee: Free (open), varies (professional). Rights rating: Good.
International Photography Awards (IPA)
One of the longest-running international competitions, with categories spanning professional and non-professional across dozens of genres. The IPA has awarded photographers from over 120 countries. The Lucie Awards ceremony in New York celebrates the winners.
Open to: All countries. Entry fee: Moderate. Rights rating: Good.
Hamdan International Photography Award (HIPA)
Based in Dubai, HIPA is one of the most generous photography awards in the world by prize value. The competition attracts entries from photographers across the globe and covers a rotating theme each year. Previous themes have included "Happiness" and "Sustainability."
Open to: All countries. Entry fee: Free. Rights rating: Good.
LensCulture Competitions
LensCulture runs multiple competitions throughout the year — street photography, portrait, emerging talent, and more. Their platform has a truly global reach, and winners and finalists come from a wide range of countries. The online exposure through their platform is significant.
Open to: All countries. Entry fee: Moderate. Rights rating: Good.
View full listing for Street Photography | View Portrait Awards
Siena International Photo Awards
An Italian-based competition with strong international participation. Categories include documentary, nature, architecture, and a creative storytelling category. Winners are exhibited in Siena during the annual photo festival — a beautiful setting for seeing your work displayed.
Open to: All countries. Entry fee: Low to moderate. Rights rating: Good.
Free International Competitions
If you want to compete internationally without entry fees:
| Competition | Genre | Deadline |
|---|---|---|
| CEWE Photo Award | Open / all genres | October 2026 |
| Wiki Loves Monuments | Architecture / heritage | September 2026 |
| Smithsonian Photo Contest | Open / multiple categories | November 2026 |
| Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards | Wildlife / humour | June 2026 |
| Audubon Photography Awards | Birds / nature | April 2026 |
| Hamdan International Photography Award | Themed | December 2026 |
Genre-Specific International Competitions
Nature and Wildlife
- Wildlife Photographer of the Year — The most prestigious wildlife photography competition. Run by the Natural History Museum, London.
- Nature's Best Photography — Strong categories including wildlife, landscape, and ocean.
- BigPicture Natural World — Focused on conservation-minded nature photography.
Street and Documentary
- World Press Photo — The standard-bearer for photojournalism worldwide.
- LensCulture Street Photography Awards — Global reach with strong online platform.
- Istanbul Photo Awards — Growing international press photography competition.
Landscape
- International Landscape Photographer of the Year — Purely about the image quality. No entry fee for digital.
- Epson International Pano Awards — The leading panoramic photography competition.
- Outdoor Photographer of the Year — Covers landscape, adventure, and environmental photography.
Fine Art and Creative
- Fine Art Photography Awards — Broad fine art categories, international judging panel.
- Minimalist Photography Awards — A specialist competition for minimalist aesthetics.
- Monochrome Photography Awards — Dedicated to black and white photography.
Tips for International Entrants
- Check currency and payment methods. Some competitions only accept payment in specific currencies or through certain platforms. Check before you start the entry process.
- Mind the time zones. Deadlines are often in the organiser's local time zone. Don't leave it to the last hour.
- Language requirements. Most international competitions accept English-language statements and captions. If the competition site is in another language, check whether English submissions are accepted.
- Shipping for print competitions. A few competitions still require physical prints. Factor in international shipping costs and timelines.
- Rights terms vary by jurisdiction. A competition's rights terms may be interpreted differently in your country. When in doubt, check our rights ratings for each competition.
Browse all competitions on our homepage or filter by region to find competitions relevant to your location.