Entering your first photography competition can feel intimidating. The good news: many excellent competitions welcome beginners, and several are completely free to enter. Here's how to get started without wasting money or giving away your rights.
Start With Free Competitions
Your first few competition entries should be free. This lets you learn the submission process, understand how judging works, and build confidence without financial pressure. Here are our top picks for beginners:
CEWE Photo Award
One of the largest free photography competitions in Europe. Open to all skill levels with broad categories including landscape, people, nature, and architecture. The volume of entries is high, but so is the quality of organisation and the value of prizes.
Wiki Loves Monuments
The world's largest photography competition by number of participants. Photograph cultural heritage monuments in your country and contribute to Wikimedia Commons. Completely free, educational, and a great way to build a portfolio of architectural and documentary work.
Sony World Photography Awards — Open Competition
Free to enter and run by the World Photography Organisation. The open competition accepts single images across several categories. Even a shortlisting carries real prestige — Sony WPA is one of the most recognised names in photography awards.
Smithsonian Photo Contest
Free to enter, with categories spanning natural world, travel, people, and American experience. Run by the Smithsonian Institution, so the brand carries significant weight. Finalists are displayed on the Smithsonian website, reaching millions of viewers.
Audubon Photography Awards
If you photograph birds, this is the best free competition to start with. Run by the National Audubon Society, it has categories for amateur, professional, and youth photographers. The conservation mission gives your work additional purpose.
What Beginners Should Know
Rights Terms Matter
Before entering any competition, check the rights terms. We rate every competition on our database as "excellent," "good," or "fair." As a beginner, stick to competitions rated "good" or "excellent." Read our full guide on how to avoid rights grabs for details.
Red flags to watch for:
- "By entering, you grant us an irrevocable, perpetual licence..."
- "The organiser may use images for any purpose without compensation..."
- Any competition that claims ownership of your images.
Don't Enter Everything
It's tempting to enter every competition you find. Resist this. Instead:
- Pick 2-3 competitions that match your strongest genre.
- Enter your best 3-5 images, not your entire catalogue.
- Read the brief and make sure your work genuinely fits.
- Study past winners to understand what the judges value.
Budget Wisely
Many competitions charge entry fees between $10 and $50. Before paying:
- Check our free competitions page for no-cost alternatives.
- Make sure the competition is legitimate — we vet every listing on our database.
- Consider the return on investment: will a win or shortlisting genuinely benefit you?
Youth and Student Competitions
If you're under 25 or a student, look for competitions with dedicated youth categories — the judging pool is smaller and the experience is invaluable:
- Sony WPA — Youth Competition: Free, international, prestigious.
- Youth Photography Awards: Dedicated to photographers under 25.
- Student Photo International: For enrolled photography students.
Your First Entry Checklist
- Read the full competition rules and rights terms.
- Check the deadline and allow time for any technical issues with uploads.
- Prepare your images at the required resolution and file format.
- Write a short artist statement if required (our guide can help).
- Keep a record of which competitions you've entered and when results are announced.
- Don't be discouraged if you don't place. Most successful competition photographers enter many times before winning.
Browse all competitions on our homepage or filter by free competitions to find your first entry.