Amateur Photographer of the Year

What you will actually pay

Entry costs, explained.

Main entry £8 single; bundles lower per-image cost. Youth entries free; magazine code gives one free adult entry per round.

The main limit is four paid images per round, plus one magazine-code image. Photocrowd Challenger, Pro and Master subscriptions offer 10%, 20% and 30% entry discounts respectively; the subscription is a separate cost. Compare that price with your intended spend before buying for the discount. Credits expire at the season’s end. [3]

Choose rounds you can contribute to now

The themes include street, black-and-white, animals, portraits, landscape, macro and low light, ending with an open round. On 4 October 2026 People & Portraits is current, closing 12 October; Landscapes follows from 13 October to 9 November. Joining now still allows a round result, even without a full-season score. [1]

AP describes experienced judges and publishes each round’s top ten. That provides a concrete editorial target. Use the theme to choose a photograph that communicates quickly and holds interest beyond its initial effect. [1]

A documented connection to camera clubs

The Photographic Alliance of Great Britain’s March 2025 newsletter records its officer attending the magazine’s awards event at London’s Globe Theatre. It illustrates Plymouth Camera Club representatives with their APOY top-club trophy. This is a separate organisation’s first-hand account of a real presentation, rather than the organiser’s own prestige claim. [2]

That evidence supports APOY’s place in the amateur club community. It does not measure commercial opportunities or an individual entrant’s audience. Publication is for selected work; paying to enter is not purchasing a magazine feature. [2][1]

Vouchers and products rather than a cash jackpot

The £24,000 headline covers combined season prizes. A main-round winner receives DxO software, a £300 Park Cameras voucher, a photography-school subscription and a £50 Bob Books voucher. The overall main winner gets £1,000 to spend at Park Cameras and a £100 Bob Books voucher. These are restricted benefits rather than cash. [1]

The youth grand prize is £250 at Park Cameras plus £100 at Bob Books, while the UK camera-club award offers a website build. Assess whether you would use the products before equating their stated retail value with money. [1]

Amateur status, composites and originals

The main award accepts all nationalities, but Photocrowd accounts require age 13+. Under-18s need guardian permission. There is no image-creation date cutoff. AI-generated images are prohibited; composites require every component to be the entrant’s own photographic work and copyright. [3]

Winners and some other selected entries must provide original unedited RAW files plus a catalogue screenshot showing surrounding frames. That is a practical limitation for JPEG-only or phone workflows. Resolve the acceptable original format before paying if you cannot meet this wording. [3]

An irrevocable licence covering future competitions

Copyright remains yours, but the promoter, sponsors and Photocrowd receive a non-exclusive irrevocable licence for competition-connected purposes. This expressly covers printed and digital books, calendars and merchandise, exhibitions, press, marketing and future photographic competitions. The clause states no expiry. This continuing breadth is the principal drawback of an accessible opportunity. [3]

Choose the current round and retain proof

Register on the linked Photocrowd award page, choose the main or youth route, and apply a code or suitable bundle. The final Open round runs from 5 January to 1 February 2027. Credit-expiry wording specifies UTC+1 while the calendar uses UK time: submit before the final evening rather than relying on an assumed conversion. [3][1]

Keep originals and surrounding captures before uploading, not only the finished export. A picture that cannot pass authenticity checks is not useful. Check the theme, remaining capacity and code validity before buying more credits. [3]