photographers-guide-photo-contests-2015.pdf

TABLE of CONTENTS

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IV. Conclusion

The Sony World Photography AwardsBig Picture Natural World Photography CompetitionInternational Photography AwardsMoran Contemporary Photographic PrizeNikon Photo ContestNikon Small World Photomicrography CompetitionPDN Photo AnnualWildlife Photographer of the Year World Press Photo Aperture Portfolio PrizeI Shot ItNational Geographic Photo ContestNPPA The Best of Photojournalism

Pictures of the Year International Px3Travel Photographer of the YearWPPI Awards of Excellence 16x20 Print CompetitionAstronomy Photographer of the YearCommunication Arts Photography CompetitionNational Geographic Traveler Photo ContestYour Best Shot (Digital Photo magazine)International Emerging Artist Award MPA Wedding & Portrait Awards Smithsonian Photo ContestThe Sigma Delta Chi AwardsPhotography Masters Cup

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I. Intro4

43

III. Major Photo Contests to Consider (and Avoid)15

About the World Photography Organisation & The Sony World Photography AwardsInterview with shortlisted photographer Aristide EconomopoulosInterview with shortlisted photographer Peter Franck

68

11

II. About the World Photography Organisation & The Sony World Photography Awards6

3| THE 2015 PHOTOGRAPHERS GUIDE TO PHOTO CONTESTS 3THE PHOTOGRAPHERS GUIDE TO TWITTER

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PHOTOCONTESTS3

4| THE 2015 PHOTOGRAPHERS GUIDE TO PHOTO CONTESTS

IntroPhoto contests serve many different purposes for photographers. For beginners, they can offer a simple way to judge yourself against others. For more advanced photog-raphers, contests can offer significant marketing exposure and prizes. But all contests arent necessarily worth your while. Unscrupulous contest promoters can demand over-reaching rights grabs and require high entry fees. Many contests are simply cash making scams that appeal to the ego of the unwitting photographer.

Since 2012 we here at PhotoShelter have been keeping our eye on photography contests, helping you separate the wheat from the chaff. From the beginning, the World Pho-tography Organisations Sony World Photography Awards has been deemed one of the most respectable contests photographers can enter. Thats why were proud to present this Guide to you in partnership with WPO, whose winners have included greats such as Ludovic Maillard and Rob Honstra. This guide includes new insights on which contests are worth your time, plus interviews with recent winners to steer you in the right direction.

Why Enter Contests?Nowadays, its easy to post a photo on social media and collect feedback in the form of likes. In this respect, one could argue that its easier than ever to get direct feedback from your audience. But contests necessarily pit you against your peers and provide informed (if not expert) opinion. Terry Eiler, Professor Emeritus of the School of Visual Communica-tion at Ohio University says, Peer and professional evaluation is a requirement in many fields of endeavor from the university academic centers to the world of journalism. Critical peer review is an honored form of accountability that establishes levels of change, accom-plishments and value within the professional craft of visual journalism. Without these an-nual reviews, both nationally and internationally, a living consensus of professional ethics, values and conduct would not be part of the discussion of visual communication.

Jason Groupp, Director of WPPI, believes print competitions slow down the process for the entrant and therefore lead to work that is more thoughtful. I think the process of creating something physical makes you slow down. You have to prepare that image for print, think about the mount youll use, and how it will affect your image. Its a really great exercise in working to create a something unique and one of a kind.

PART I

Manipulation & EthicsThe world of photography is awash with issues of manipulation and ethics that is as old as the art itself. A growing number of cases where winners have been disqualified ex post facto has led to stricter and more detailed guidance as to what is permissible for different contests.

For example, the Wildlife Photographer of the Year contest states The image should be a faithful representation of the original scene, and further provides some specific adjustments that are allowed. Like many contests, they request original RAW files if the entrant reaches the final round. Many contests allow manipulation that could realisti-cally be achieved in the darkroom including: cropping, dust spot removal, brightness, contrast and color balance adjustments. Adding and removing of elements, composit-ing, and HDR is often prohibited.

Photojournalism-related contests tend to have the strictest guidelines while other con-tests allow digital manipulation; for example, the WPPI 16x20 Print Competition al-lows composites in the Creative division. In any case, make sure to read the fine print before preparing your entries to ensure they meet both technical and ethical standards.

JudgingJudging criteria and methodology varies widely between contests. Some contests pro-vide judges with stringent guidelines while others are more of a free for all. And because there can be a significant turnover in judges from year-to-year, the style and quality of winner can vary tremendously.

Terry Eiler, NPPAs Best Of Photojournalism Contest Committee chairperson, says, Each judge comes to any contest or editing event with their own sense of aesthetics and professional values. The challenge is building consensus and agreement between noted working professionals. Good and talented individuals are required to be articulate, per-suasive and clear about their selection as they build consensus about the best of the best in each category.


PART I

Larger contests can garner in excess of 100,000 image entries. Typically, there are mul-tiple rounds of judging which means that in the initial rounds, your image might be seen by a single judge for only a few seconds or less. Better contests often require multiple judges to select an image before it qualifies for the next round, but few contests publicly disclose the judging methodology. Therefore, make sure that subtle detail isnt too subtle because its likely to be unseen.

Jim Colton served as Jury Chair for World Press Photo in 2005. Judging procedures are different at every contest. Some parcel the images out in batches to various editors to do a first cut. At the larger contests like World Press and POYi, ALL of the images are viewed by all the judges. In the initial round, an image is on the screen or monitor for no more than a couple of seconds before it is voted on as all is takes is ONE vote from any of the judges to keep it in.

Both Colton and Groupp argue for transparency in the judging process even though this isnt necessarily common in the industry. Colton says, Every contest should be as open and transparent as possible. A few do live judging where you can see the process of elimination as well as hear discussion as to why images were removed from consideration. This is a great learning tool. The only discussion that should take place between the judges is when one of them might have a conflict of interest with an entry. Groupp explains that the WPPI Print Competition is open to attendees, 16x20 [The WPPI Print Competition] is judged live in front of an audience in 8 different rooms. Its an absolutely amazing experience to sit in on, and a wonderful learning opportunity.

Terms of Use and Rights GrabsPhoto contests, even some of the most well-known, can have onerous Terms of Use. We caution against entering your photos in contests that claim the rights to use images for any purpose and in perpetuity. The best contests restrict use of your images to set period of time (e.g. two years) and only in connection with promoting the contest.

A unique organization like the Artists Bill of Rights Campaign is also tasked with reviewing photography competitions to make sure they adhere to ethical and moral standards, plus all copyright laws. More and more contests are using their language, which you can find here.

Common Mistakes Made by Photographers Submitting the maximum number of images. Colton says, Just because it says you

can enter 20 images doesnt mean you HAVE to enter 20 images. Ive seen so many entries get cut because there were clunkers added that brought the entry down. Enter only your strongest images WITHIN the limit of the contest not AT the limit of the contest.

Self-editing. Colton urges using a third party, Have other people (preferably people in the business and not your mom who will like everything) look at your submission before sending. You may be too emotionally attached to an image that really isnt that strong and it would be best to get an opinion from someone who will look at it subjectively.

Getting caught up in the emotion of the image. Photographers can often have emotional attachments and memories related to taking a photo that a judge will not see or feel. Groupp says, You need to look at everything: the lighting, the composi-tion, whether there are any distractions in the image? Also, make sure you enter the proper category; this can be huge when judging time comes.

Take judging too personally. World-renown photographer Ami Vitale has entered and judged numerous contests. She says, Judging an image is subjective, and judges come and go. Dont get too wrapped up in the opinion of a few judges.

Photographing specifically for contests. Dont shoot for contestsshoot for your heart. Contests will not make or break you. They are like gravy. Every once in a while, its nice to have gravy on your mashed potatoesbut you still gotta have the potatoes! says Colton. Vitale adds, Winning contests shouldnt be your sole goal in photography. When you start shifting your style to match a contest, you run the risk of losing your voice, plus youll perpetually be behind the aesthetic curve trying to match last years winners.


For this Guide weve partnered up with one of the most prestigious and respectable awards photographers can be honored with, the World Photography Organisations Sony World Photography Awards. Here, we got to talk with them in-depth about their organization and the awards - what they stand for, and how theyve been helping both professional and emerging photographers since 2008.

Tell us about the World Photography Organisation.

Here at the World Photography Organisation (WPO) we just love photography. We celebrate its many varied forms, from photojournalism to commercial and fine art; we see the photographer as a true artist.

WPO works with student, emerging and professional photographers alike. We provide a global network across the photographic industry to not only raise the level of conver-sation around the subject of photography, but to also increase awareness and apprecia-tion of this artform.

We offer a year-round programme of both public and industry events and work with photographers of all abilities worldwide to promote their work.

A few highlights of our programme include: The Sony World Photography Awards the worlds largest photography competition The Sony World Photography Awards exhibition, global tour Student Focus programme inspiring and working with the next generation of

photographers Photo Shanghai Asia Pacifics premier art fair dedicated to photography

About the World Photography Organisation & The Sony World Photography Awards

We hear the Sony World Photography Awards are the biggest in the world?

Thats right; covering five competitions and over 30 categories the annual Sony World Photography Awards is the worlds largest photography competition. Its open to everyone, from seasoned pros to aspiring snappers, and is totally free to enter at www.worldphoto.org.

Since launching in 2008, the awards, sponsored by Sony, have brought untold reward and recognition to those involved and each year offers an incredible $30,000 (USD) in cash prizes plus the latest Sony digital imaging equipment to its winners.

The 2015 awards had a record breaking 173,444 entries from 171 countries. Its shortlist featured well-known names such as Peter Franck (Germany); Donald Webber (Canada); Amit Madheshiya (India); Brent Stirton (South Africa); Simon Norfolk (UK), Fan Li (China) and Massimo Siragusa (Italy); Julia Fullerton-Batten (UK), and Sebastian Gil Miranda (France).

This years winners will be announced at an awards ceremony in London on 23 April 2015.

Tell me more about the awards

The Sony World Photography Awards has five competitions: Professional (15 categories, judged on a series of images, aimed at serious photographers) Open (10 categories, judged on a single image, open to all) Youth (3 categories, for photographers aged 19 and under) Student Focus (for those studying photography) Mobile Phone (for images taken with any phone)

PART II


In addition it runs the National Awards programme in 47 countries, looking to find the best single shot taken by a photographer from that country.

The awards offer categories across all genres of photojournalism, fine art and commercial photography. The categories include: current affairs; nature & wildlife; arts & culture, por-traiture; contemporary issues; sport; landscape; still life; lifestyle; architecture, and more.

One overall winner, the LIris dOr/ Professional Photographer of the Year, is chosen from the Professional category winners and there is one overall Open, Youth and Stu-dent winner too.

All entries are free at www.worldphoto.org and the 2016 awards open on 1 June 2015.

We respect photographers and their work which is why we support the Artist Bill of Rights and work closely with our photographers to ensure their images are always cred-ited and used correctly.

And what about the prizes?

Yes, there is $30,000 in cash prizes and the latest digital imaging equipment from Sony for the winners but the awards offer much more to both its winners and those on the shortlist.

Our aim is to offer these photographers exposure and recognition on a global scale.

Past photographers have been:

Shown as part of the annual Sony World Photography Awards Exhibition at Somer-set House, London and included in global tours of the show

Published in the annual Sony World Photography Awards hardcover book Featured across the WPO website and social platforms Included in the global press campaign for the awards which in 2014 received over

530,000 articles

How does the Sony World Photography Awards help photographers?

A good question, but rather than us telling you, below are two interviews with Sony World Photography Awards shortlisted photographers. Read on to find out why they entered, and get insights into why you might consider entering this years Sony Awards. Also in Part III, see PhotoShelters evaluation of the Awardsand discover why its been given 4 stars based on important criteria.

PART II


WPO spoke with Aristide, who was shortlisted in the professional, Arts & Culture category.

Congratulations on being shortlisted in the Professional Arts & Culture category of the 2015 Sony World Photography Awards. Tell us a little about yourself; when and why did you become a photographer?

Thank you! It is a very nice honor for my work to be recognised.

I got hooked on photography during my first high school photography class. After learning that I could possibly make a living doing something I loved, I attended col-lege at the Rochester Institute of Technology studying photojournalism. Upon gradu-ation I freelanced near where I grew up in Washington DC, and then took a staff job at the Dubois County Herald, in Jasper, IN, and then at The State-Journal Register in Springfield, IL. After working at those two small daily papers I took a staff job at The Star-Ledger newspaper just outside of New York City. Im still working there and now we have changed our name to NJ Advance Media.

I enjoy the combination of being an artist and journalist and being able to tell stories visually to our readership.

How did you find yourself photographing prom night?

As a staff photographer we cover a number of proms in our community every year. I think I photographed 6 proms last year and this portfolio was made from 4 of those proms. The photos are from a collection of schools located in suburban and urban communities.

Photo credit: Aristide Economopoulos

PART II

Theres a real beginning, middle and end to the seriesyou have captured excitement, ela-tion, and then finally, exhaustion. Talk us through your photographic approach to the series.

I edited the essay chronologically because it seemed that the photos came across the best that way. I wanted to document the highs and lows of the night where there is a lot of drama in such a short amount of time. Like you mentioned I looked for photos that had certain themes that were symbolic to what a prom is like. Energy, love, fashion, celebra-tion, elation, to exhaustion and disappointment are some of the ideas I was going with. I always go into my assignments with an open mind of what the story is but it is also good to have an idea of what you want to say with your photos. A problem I had as a young

Interview with Aristide EconomopoulosShortlisted, Professional, Arts & Culture


PART II


photographer is that I would shoot a lot of photos on a subject and then try to edit a story. I learned the hard way that although I might have some nice images, the story was fragmented because I didnt have a point of view in mind while I was taking the photos.

Prom night can feel like a seminal event in our livesat least at the time, and perhaps more so in the US than anywhere else. Did you get a sense of how important the night was for those involved?

Prom is a rite of passage for these students. They are teenagers but this dance and their high school graduation symbolically marks the end of their youth moving into adulthood. You do feel being there that there is this energy and excitement for this special night that will only happen once for a high school senior. One thing I thought was interesting is that you cant tell what social or economic background the teenagers are from because every-one there was looking their best for that special night. For some students, this was their highlight since they wont be attending college, so this and their high school graduation are their symbolic start to their adulthood.

How did these young adults react to the camera and your presence as a photographer during the night?

At first they were curious and wanted to pose for me. This is the selfie generation and I had to tell them numerous times that I wanted natural photos of them just enjoying the night. Once they understood what I was doing though, they quickly started to ignore me and I became the fly on the wallbut hopefully not the fly you want to swat!

Do you have a favourite image from the prom series, and why?

I like the photo of the 3 students dancing together where there is a lot of energy in the photo and they are all layered together in the frame. It also shows the diversity of the students at Bloomfield High School.

You are a 5-time Photographer of the Year with the The New York Press Photographers Association, and the only photographer in its history to win more than twice. To what do you attribute such extraordinary success?

I thrive on trying to constantly produce good work even from the most mundane as-signments. One should never take for granted an assignment because for that subject you are photographing, that photo of them might be their 15 minutes of fame.

Also, Im blessed to be working with some very other talented photographers, editors and reporters.

In 2004, you covered the Olympic Games in Athens. Have you ever been tempted to spend longer periods in Greece, documenting the social and political issues there?

I would love to because there are some very serious and important stories to be told there. Unfortunately, I dont speak the language and I have a staff job and we cover local and


PART II

regional news in New Jersey so I would have to use my vacation to cover the stories there. Also, there are some very good Greek photojournalists who have been documenting what is happening there already. We just need to get more news organizations to purchase these stories and run them!

Your pictures taken on September 11, 2001, are now part of the permanent display at The National September 11 Memorial & Museum. How did that day affect you as a photographer and as a man?

I dont take things for granted like I use to. On that day I wasnt supposed to work until 3pm and take a portrait of a teenager. My mother first awakened me at 8:22am and she wanted to talk about something rather trivial. I was up late the night prior so I was not that friendly and told her to call me back later in the day so I could go back to sleep. About half an hour later I got a phone call from my editor about a plane hitting the tower. I was living by the Jersey City waterfront and was able to get on the last ferry go-ing into Manhattan. I documented the morning there and was able to get a ferry back by 1pm. Im lucky to be alive because I was across the street when the North Tower fell and I suffered serious eye injuries from the dust and had a bad case of PTSD.

Six moths latter I was covering suicide bombings in the Mideast. These experiences have moved me to show compassion and empathy more in my work. I survived and have come to peace with that day and will never forget it, but Im moving forward also. On the first anniversary, I called my mother at 8:22 and told her I loved her. On 9/11/2001 that could have been the last time I had talked to her. A more detailed account of my experience can be found at http://nyppa.org/aris-911.

Links:

Website: connect.nj.com/staff/aeconomo/photos.htmlInstagram: instagram.com/aeconomopoulos/



Interview with Peter FranckShortlisted, Professional, Still Life & Travel

PART II

WPO spoke with Peter, who was shortlisted in both the Still Life and Travel categories.

Huge congratulations on being shortlisted once again for the Sony World Photography Awards. What is the attraction for you to enter the Sony World Photography Awards?

For me its a bit of a tradition to participate in the competition. Very convincing is the selection of the jury members and the entire organization of the competition. A great thing is the exhibition which is shown after the award of the prize to the world and also the public relations has a big role.

Each year the Professional competition is judged by a different jury, yet your images consistently impress. Do you have a method/strategy when submitting your work to the Sony World Photography Awards? How do you edit your work for the competition and what do you think it is that the judges are looking for with these particular awards?

I work extensively within series, usually a minimum of 20 pictures, so that I have the op-portunity at any time to make a complete exhibition out of a series. Thus, my choice to enter a contest like this is easy, and it helps me in a competition like this one. Of course I look very carefully at the jury before entering, but it plays no role in the selection of the images. Most important is the unit of the series and to be authentic.

How, if at all, has winning at the Awards impacted on your career? Have the wins brought greater recognition to your work and provided further opportunities?

Winning the award multiple times has made, with certainty, me better known in pho-tographic and artistic circles, and has helped me plan future projects.

Photo credit: Peter Franck


PART II

Why should other photographers enter the 2016 Sony World Photography Awards?

There is no risk to participate in this Award. The most important thing is, like I said before, the quality of the jury and the organization. Entering online is well dissolved and there is no cost for a submission. When one then sees the ranks of photographers which are among the winners, this should be incentive to participate.

Please sum up your photographic style in a sentence or two.

I try with my photography to overcome the limits of painting and to break with tradi-tional photography. It is important to explore all the possibilities of photography and try to create works of art that follow their own laws.

What equipment do you shoot with and is there a particular reason for this choice?

I take pictures with Sony and Canon. However, I make no fetish from my equipment. I work with Sonys NEX7, which is particularly handy and works very well with my shooting style.

You have worked as a photographer for over 20 years. How has your style developed over this time?

The style has changed in nuances, in my opinion, but maybe it looks different for the viewer. The joy of experimenting added and allowed me to explore new techniques. However, the serial nature of my work has always remained the same.

You have been quoted as saying An image should not be immediately accessible. What do you mean by this and how does this translate in your work?

An image should be difficult, cumbersome but humorous. In my opinion it should show the possibility to see something in a different way. If an image is not immediately under-

stood it becomes a challenge to the viewer. If this viewer gets involved in the challenge a door can open and he sees things in a different way.

You have been shortlisted for two categories at the 2015 awardsStill Life and Travel. Both series offer an unusual viewpoint of the worldlooking at the abandoned spaces within the frame. What is it about this space that attracts you?

Abandoned spaces and places have always attracted me. They provide the perfect stage for stories or fragments of stories. They dont fit the usual stereotypes and open access, to a world we do not normally perceive. The people who play in these stories are miss-ing and the image can occupied by ones own imagination.

The edge of the abyss and the unseen is always interesting and should be visualized.

Your series Review, shortlisted in the Professional Still Life category, uses many of the motifs traditionally associated with still life painting. What is the concept behind this work and what do you want the viewer to take away from the images?

Already in the 15th Century the motif of the vase of flowers evokes the interest of the painter; after 1600 it became a major theme of still life painting. With the background of developed rules of painting over the centuries, my pictures try to capture natural objects of daily life in its beauty convey an encrypted message. There are interpretations of the visible world, some with socio-historical scenes in the backgroundin this case, I reference the lifestyle of the 50s and 60s. The background shows abandoned places, the petty bourgeois, the cell- two dimensional picture image modeling objects with shadows and spatial-perspective views. These are the basic requirements for illusionist photography. Due to the dramatic incidence of light, a stage is generated on witch the protagonists might appear at any time to play the history. In the meantime the place is occupied by magazines, postcards and items building a bridge to past times. The items look as if they had fallen out of the time, they do not adjust on the normal decorations you can find today in the homes of families. Some objects show the violence that lurks behind these facades. They act on the stage as exotics in transit, just tolerated, rarely noticed, cared and then forgotten.



PART II

Many of the objects within the images hark back to the 50s and 60s. Is this a period of time you often use for inspiration?

I do not live in the scene but can understand the appeal. This was a time in which there was very much in transition. The Great War was over, a wound not yet healed. The vac-uum needed to be filled and the possibilities seemed endless. And the formal aesthetics of that time always attracted me...a good time to invent stories.

Your series Ici on vit nu, which is shortlisted in the Travel category, invokes an incred-ible feeling of quiet isolation. Please tell us about the workwhere was it shot, was it commissioned or private work?

Ici on vit nu Travel will be shown as a stand alone series. The pictures show mo-torhomes, caravans and their environment. They have arrived at the end of their jour-ney and everything seems to persist in standing still. The travelers are gone, leaving the stage and the beach lonely again. Only a few anglers and a dog populate this scenery. A peculiarly quiet and deserted atmosphere is created. These mobile homes are now arrested in this standstill. The images were taken at numerous trips to the south of France. They are a reminiscence to the genre of the road movie. You can see the pictures as parts of a story as well as pieces of multiple snapshots. It was and still is a private and a long term project. In 2015 I will surely travel to this place to make some pictures.

The images in both series are framed, making them almost look like a shot from Instagram. Why have you used this style and how was it achieved?

The frame acts as a signature in my pictures. It is a self-made filter that gives the im-ages impression I wanted to give them. The filter itself was produced from scanned 6x6 slides. In one experiment, it turned out exactly everything of the properties I needed. I dont use Instagram. If the picture is finished it will be stigmatized with this filter.

The strength of colour is incredibly bold across both series of workyou can almost feel the heat of the beach in the Ici on vit nu series. What is the importance of colour to you when shooting and how do you use it within your work?

When I take photographs color plays no major role. It is about the image as an image and the lighting situation. The color is made afterwards. The color then amplifies the artificial nature of the work and tries to play with the emotions of the viewer emotions and the


PART II

circumstances. Due to the coloring the observer is put back in time and thus he has the necessary distance to create stories. The colour setting helps you to jump into these stories.

Did either series offer any particular challenges?

The challenge is that every single picture also works like an single artwork with the same quality as the entire series.

You shot both series on the NEX7. Why did you choose to shoot with this camera? What were the benefits of working with this model?

The NEX7 is small and light and very discreet with the swinging viewfinder. This was very important especially in taking the pictures by the sea.

What is the best picture you are still to take?

Once an image is done the next one should be the best...the best picture ever would be a image of a world in which reason, empathy and love reigns.

What should we expect to see from you in 2015 and 2016? Will you enter next years awards?

In 2015/2016 I will continue working on a new series made of found Kodakchrome picturesa next step of freedom in my work. I work together with unknown photogra-hers by using their work in my kind of style...and sure...I will enter some new works in next years awards.

Links:

Website: www.peterfranck.deBlog: www.tumblr.com/blog/gobugaWebsite/Blog for the Kodak project: ourkodak3040.tumblr.comWebsite Studio: gluecklichundschoenblog.tumblr.com



PART III:

Major Photo Contests to Consider (and Avoid)


In the upcoming pages, weve compiled a list of several major photo contests and award-ed each a rating. Our subjective analysis is based on five criteria:

ENTRY FEES:Entry fees are often used as a way for unscrupulous contests to simply generate revenue. Many great contests have no entry fee. That said, entry fees can provide a way for con-tests to compensate judges.

PRIZES:Contests should offer cash and/or equipment prizes that are in line with the size of the contest and audience. Premier contests attract premier sponsors which usually lead to better prizes. We value contests that have multiple prizes for different catego-ries or top finishers.

SUBMISSION RIGHTS:Good contests restrict their rights-grabbing language and only use images in con-junction with promoting the contest and include appropriate photo credits. The best contests restrict their usage of the images to a few years.

PROMISED EXPOSURE:Sometimes cash and equipment prizes arent significant, but media exposure or exhibi-tions can bring ancillary benefits.

FEEDBACK FROM PAST WINNERS:At the end of the day, winners need to feel sufficiently rewarded for entering the contest.

From these criteria, weve given each contest a star rating and a verdict. Although we include several hobbyist contests, the verdict is biased towards the professional (e.g. rights-grabs can significantly affect a grade). You can use this same criteria to evaluate contest that you encounter that we havent reviewed. In almost all cases, the availability and amount of a cash prize is a good proxy for the worth of a contest.

Photo credit: Raymond Phang, winner of WPPIs Awards of Excellence 1620 Print Competition

Photo credit: John Stanmeyer, winner of World Press Photo Contest

PART III


PROMISED EXPOSUREExhibited at the Somerset House in London; published in the winners book; featured in online gallery; opportunity to be represented by the World Photography Collection.

WHAT THE WINNERS SAYGerman photographer Ludovic Maillard won first place in the 2014 Architecture category, says that he recom-mends photographers enter the Sony World Photography Awards because its a good talking point for new clients, and it gave him greater confidence in his work.

VERDICTThe World Photography Organisation is one of the top communities in the photography world, and winning its grand prize is a very notable accomplishment. The contest supports the Artists Bill of Rights and use of images is restricted to three years. Winners are typically covered by media outlets like The Atlantic, Washington Post, Telegraph UK, Mashable, and many more.

The Sony World Photography AwardsThe Sony World Photography Awards is recognized as the leading photographic awards program in the world. Launched in 2008, the awards are dedicated to support-ing and cultivating photographic culture. Students, amateur enthusiasts and established professional photographers are encouraged to apply and submit their work in Professional, Open, Student, Mobile Phone or Youth competitions.

Photo by: Ludovic Maillard

RATING

ENTRY FEES

n/a

PRIZES

Winner of the Liris DOr receives

title of Sony World Photography

Awards Photographer of The Year

$25,000 plus: membership for the World

Photography Academy, flight/

accommodation to London to

attend the Sony World Photog-

raphy Awards, and Sony camera

equipment.

Category winners receive flight/

accommodation to London and

Sony camera equipment.

PART III


PROMISED EXPOSUREThree month BigPicture Exhibit at the California Academy of Sciences.

WHAT THE WINNERS SAYPaul Souders won the grand prize for the inaugural year, and told us, I was able to license the image a couple of times to publications, and it was a nice boost on my social network sites...the prize money and additional equipment prizes were nothing to sneeze at. He advocates the contest to oth-ers stating, The prize money is generous and the exhibition provided a nice venue for the work to be seen, both as a promotional tool and also an educational and advocacy one.

VERDICTWe like seeing established organizations supporting pho-tography through the expansion of their programs. Al-though new, the Big Picture has already attracted some of the best in the business and provided exhibition space for the winners gallery.

Big Picture Natural World Photography CompetitionThe California Academy of Sciences sponsors this nature photo contest to celebrate and illustrate the rich diversity of life on Earth. The organizers reserve the right to verify original RAW files for winning images. The competition is one of the few that publish judging criteria and their image rights are restricted to use in rela-tion to the Competition.

Photo credit: Paul Souders

RATING

ENTRY FEES

$25 for up to ten images

PRIZES

$5,000cash Grand Prize

plus $2,000 in camera gear

PART III


PROMISED EXPOSUREWinners attend the Lucie Awards in New York City, which honors the greatest achievements in photography each year. Of those, 45 images are selected for an exhibi-tion leading up to the awards show; published in Annual International Photography Awards Book; press release and newsletter sent to 50,000+ IPA members.

WHAT THE WINNERS SAYCommercial photographer Brooks Kraft, who worked as TIME magazines White House photographer for ten years, won the 2013 International Photographer of the Year award and says that the biggest win was the $10,000 cash prize. He also likes that its largely an international population who enters.

VERDICT$10,000 is pretty sweet bait for entering the IPA, and win-ners images have been previously published on websites like BuzzFeed and EYEMAZING. Plus, the exhibition and press release provide a chance to get a good number of eyeballs on your work. But as one past winner notes, be sure that your genre of photography fits the competition.

International Photography Awards The International Photography Awards (IPA) is an annual competition for professional, non-professional and student photographers. Its goal is to award achievements, discover new and emerging talent, and promote a general appreciation of photography.

Photo credit: Brooks Kraft

RATING

ENTRY FEES

$35 professionals singe image $25 for non-professionals

$15 for students

PRIZES

$10,000for the International Photographer of the Year Award

$5,000 Discovery of the Year Award

$5,000 for Deeper Perspective Photographer of the Year Award

$2,500 for New! Moving Image Photographer of the Year Award

PART III


PROMISED EXPOSUREFinalist exhibition in Paddington, NSW.

WHAT THE WINNERS SAYAshley Lauren Bradleys portrait of a surfer won the grand prize in 2012, which gave me an unprecedented amount of exposure. My photograph and inter-view were shown on the news and on arts TV programs (both in Australia and Internationally), they were featured in major newspapers around Australia, countless news and arts websites worldwide and I was interviewed multiple times on the radio. The exposure was phenomenal.

VERDICTAlthough the contest is limited to Australian citizens, it is a fantastic exam-ple of an incredibly well-funded competition with restricted rights demands. Whether or not image buyers and editors are paying attention to the relatively new contest is the only question mark, but surely the visibility of the contest will improve with time.

Moran Contemporary Photographic PrizeFounded in 1988 in celebration of Australias bicentennial, the Moran Prize is Australias richest contest with a AUD$50,000 grand prize. The only stipulation for entry is that the photographer must be an Australian citizen.

Photo credit: Ashleigh Bradley

RATING

ENTRY FEES

AUD$25 per image

PRIZES

AUD$50,000cash Grand Prize

AUD$1,000 for each finalist

PART III


PROMISED EXPOSUREExhibited on the Nikon Photo Contest website

WHAT THE WINNERS SAY2010-2011 winner Debarshi Duttagupta told us, Winning the Nikon Grand Prix was an amazing feeling more so because it brought India its first Nikon Grand Prix. When my name was announced officially it did create a buzz in the India photography scene with interviews in newspapers and magazines and of course an invitation later from Nikon India to shoot images for the launch of their Nikon 1 V1 camera in India. Duttaguptas prize didnt lead to any new paid work, but since he does not work as a professional photographer, he was more than happy with the accolades for himself and his country. I have been participating in the Nikon Photo Contest for many years now. I urge other to do so as well.

VERDICTWe like the progressive nature of the contest (embracing both still and video, and allowing manipulation), and the prizes are significant. Nikon is a great brand, but this contest wont necessarily propel your photographic career.

Nikon Photo ContestHeld every two years, Nikon has sponsored the international Nikon Photo Contest since 1969, and now includes both still and video categories and allows submissions from any digital device including smartphones (but disallows scans of film). The contest allows digital manipulation of photos, and the 2012-2013 winners reflect that aesthetic.

Photo credit: Debarshi Duttagrupta

RATING

ENTRY FEES

$25 for up to ten images

PRIZES

Photo of the Year Award receives

1,000,000in Nikon gear

plus: 500,000 in cash

PART III


PROMISED EXPOSUREPromised exposure: Small World Museum Tour throughout North America for 20 selected prize winners; calendar published with selected winners; published in online gallery.

WHAT THE WINNERS SAYFirst place winner Wim van Egmond appreciates that the Nikon contest gen-erates awareness for microphotography. When determining which contests to enter, he cautions photographers to make sure that it is a real contest, with a good reputation.

VERDICTThe contest continues to be the perfect example of balancing a niche speciality with multiple prizes for various winners combined with good exposure.

Nikon Small World Photomicrography CompetitionThe Nikon Small World Photomicrography Competition is regarded as the leading forum for showcasing lifes beauty and complexity as seen through the light microscope. The competition is open to anyone with an interest in microscopy and photography.

Photo credit: Dr. Donna Stolz, 2011 2nd prize winner

RATING

ENTRY FEES

n/a

PRIZES

Monetary prizes can be used toward the purchase of Nikon Equipment:

$3,0001st Prize

$2,000 2nd Prize$1,000 3rd Prize$800 4th Prize$600 5th Prize$400 6th Prize$250 7th10th Prizes$100 11th20th Prizes

PART III


PROMISED EXPOSUREWinning images published in PDNs Photo Annual issue (sent to 5,000+ creatives) and pdnonline.coms gallery ar-chive; work seen by top photo industry judges.

WHAT THE WINNERS SAYAnnibale Greco, whose documentary work ranges from the crisis in Gaza to AIDS in Burkina Faso, says that while he only received more likes on his Facebook page after win-ning, he recommends it. Photo contests help train your mind for projects, and how to think about and develop them.

VERDICTThe PDN Photo Annual is well-respected in the photogra-phy community, and many photo buyers have told us that this is one of the photo contests that they actually pay at-tention to.

PDN Photo AnnualThe PDN Photo Annual awards the best in photography, featuring winning images in ten different categories ranging from editorial assignments, photojournalism, por-traiture, advertising, photo books, student work and fine art. The competition is now in its 13th year and calls on renowned photographers and industry experts to judge.

RATING

ENTRY FEES

$45 for a single entry$55 per series$25 per entry (student rate)

PRIZES

There are six different awards given

at the PDN Photo Annual, including:

$15,000Arnold Newman Prize for New Direc-

tions in Photographic Portraiture

The Epson Creativity Award of

$1,000 and an Epson printer

The Marty Forscher Fellowship

Fund cash award to one profes-

sional and one student winner

The PDN Publishers Choice Award of

$1,500 and one-page promo in PDN

Photo credit: Annibale Greco

PART III


PROMISED EXPOSUREWinners exhibition in the Natural History Museum and its website.

WHAT THE WINNERS SAYThe Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition is widely regarded as the highest accolade in world wildlife photography, says 2013 win-ner Greg du Toit. He was impressed by the panel of judges from around the world, as well as the traveling exhibition that featured his work and inclusion in their coffee table book.

VERDICTThe competition is entering its 50th year, and is well-respected, particularly in the UK where its sponsored by the BBK and the National History Museum. We like the fact that the photographer retains all his/her intellectual property rights and reproduction of the images is confined to relation to the Competition and Exhibition.

Wildlife Photographer of the Year Based in the UK, the Wildlife Photographer of the Year promotes the discovery and understanding of the natural world through photography. The contest features ten catego-ries and four special categories including a TIMElapse award. The contest showcases the very best in nature photography and is celebrating its 50th year.

RATING

ENTRY FEES

30 for up to 20 images

PRIZES

Wildlife Photographer of the year

receives

10,000Plus: trophy

Category winners receive

1,2501,750 plus a trip to attend

the awards ceremony.

PART III


PROMISED EXPOSUREAll prize-winning photos are assembled into an exhibition that travels to 45 countries and published in a yearbook dis-tributed worldwide.

WHAT THE WINNERS SAYVII Photo Agency founder John Stanmeyer won the World Press Photo of the Year in 2014, and humbly says that he is just glad the issues he photographs gained more awareness.

Enter for the greater potential of communication, not for self interest, recommends John.

VERDICTWe just cant deny the credibility of World Press Photothey boast over two million visitors to the hundreds of venues where winners images travel in their winning year, and you just might get published on the front page of The New York Times (like 2011 winner Samuel Aranda). WPP has a storied history and is well-respected in the photo-journalism industry.

World Press PhotoNow in its 55th year, the World Press Photo contest aims to link professional photographers with the general public and is judged by worldwide leading experts in photojour-nalism. Winning images are also assembled into an exhibition that travels to 45 countries over the course of a year, and published in their annual yearbook.

Photo credit: John Stanmeyer

RATING

ENTRY FEES

n/a

PRIZES

Photo of the Year Award receives

10,000Plus: a sponsored trip to the

Awards Ceremony in Amsterdam,

and a Canon DSLR camera and

lens kit.

First-prize winners receive a cash

prize of 1500.

PART III


PROMISED EXPOSUREFirst prize winner and five runner-ups are featured on the website; winners are announced in the foundations e-newsletter (~40,000 subscribers); opportunity to sell prints through Apertures limited-edition print program.

WHAT THE WINNERS SAYLos Angeles-based photographer Amy Elkins took home first prize last year, which included $3,000 and an exhibition. She says that exposure is the main benefit derived from winning. My work has been seen by thousands that would have perhaps not seen it otherwise.

VERDICTThe submission fee tripled to $75, but now includes an Aperture membership, which formerly was mandated as a requirement. Aperture is a well-known and respected organization, and we would like to see more significant prizes or exposure (e.g. a book) in the future.

Aperture Portfolio PrizeThe Aperture Portfolio Prize is a international photo competition which identifies trends in contemporary photography, and highlights artists whose work deserves greater recognition.

Photo credit: Amy Elkins

RATING

ENTRY FEES

$75 which includes one annual individual membership to Aperture

PRIZES

First prize winner receives

$3,000Plus: Winner has his or her work

exhibited at the Aperture gallery

in New York.

PART III


PROMISED EXPOSUREWebsite only.

WHAT THE WINNERS SAYGerman photographer Benno Riffel is a big fan of the I Shot It competition, particularly for the prize money (he also won a Leica Monochrome). Benno also sees photo contests as a way for your work to live on past your time.

VERDICTLeica Chairman Andreas Kaufmann made a minority in-vestment in this relatively new contest website, and some of the prizes, like Damon Winters $20,090 prize, are nothing to sneeze at. However, a single judge picks the winners, and the rolling nature of the contests and lack of publicity sug-gest that this is less a traditional contest, and more of an experiment in traffic building. Still, time will tell if this is the new model in the age of everyone is a photographer.

I Shot ItI Shot It allows users to create an account, upload photos, and enter themed competitions including landscapes, wildlife, cats, dogs, and flowers. Each category has its own specialist judge who picks the winner.

Photo credit: Benno Riffel

RATING

ENTRY FEES

Varies by category and ranges

from $3$20 per image

PRIZES

Varies based on the number of

entrants within each contests

3-month timeframe

PART III


PROMISED EXPOSUREPrinted in the magazine.

WHAT THE WINNERS SAYAgnieszka Traczewska focuses primarily on the world of Hassidic Jews, and she says that after winning the contest her phone didnt stop ringing. Dur-ing a day I replied to European journalists questions; at night the Americans; and Japan woke up me up in the morning -- then everything started from the beginning, she says. Paul Souders was the 2013 Grand Prize winner and said, I was perfectly happy to take the prize money and my 15 minutes of fame, and then go out to pick up my wifes dry cleaning. But it spawned some unexpected opportunities. Intels ad agency hired me to appear in a TV com-mercial about using technology in wildlife photography...Canons Hong Kong ad agency contacted me to appear in a print and tv campaign celebrating 100 million Canon EF lenses.

VERDICTMany nature photographers dream of being published in National Geographic, and the online gallery gets roughly 600,000 pageviews per month. Not to men-tion that publications like The Boston Globe, The Huffington Post, ABC News and more publish the winners (all online). Know why? By entering the Contest, all entrants grant an irrevocable, perpetual, worldwide non-exclusive license to Au-thorized Parties, to reproduce, distribute, display and create derivative works of the entries. If this sort of free exposure doesnt bother you, then the contest might be for you.

National Geographic Photo ContestThe National Geographic Photo Contest rallies amatuer and professional photographers from all over the world to submit their work to three categories: people, place and nature. In 2013, the contest received 22,000 entries from photographers in over 150 different countries.

Photo credit: Agnieszka Traczewska

RATING

ENTRY FEES

$15 per entry

PRIZES

$10,000for the Grand Prize

Plus: A 3-day trip to Washington

D.C. for the National Geograph-

ic Photography Seminar

category winners receive:

$2,500

PART III


PROMISED EXPOSUREFeatured in the online gallery and print magazine.

WHAT THE WINNERS SAYFrom my standpoint, this is considered one of the most prestigious photojournalism contests, says photographer Patrick Smith. While he hasnt gained new clients or big-ger assignments by winning, Patrick says that self-reflec-tion is the most important takeaway. I use contests for personal reasons to comb through what Ive shot the past year and void out my weaker images.

VERDICTThe NPPA is a highly regarded organization for visual jour-nalists, and winning a prize all but ensures that photo edi-tors will see the work. Strangely, the NPPA doesnt advertise the rather significant gear prizes for each major category.

NPPA The Best of PhotojournalismThe Best of Photojournalism (BOP) competitions are hosted by the National Press Photographers Association (NPPA). These annual competitions recognize the best in the four categories of still photojournalism, video photojournalism, photojournalism editing and multimedia photojournalism.

Photo credit: Patrick Smith

RATING

ENTRY FEESn/a

PRIZESGear for each category winner

PART III


PROMISED EXPOSUREDisplay in Washington D.C.s Newseum for six months.

WHAT THE WINNERS SAY2013 winner James Oatway says, as a South African pho-tographer, it was extremely meaningful to have my work recognized on this international stage. He also appreciates that his stories received more expsoure through the contest.

VERDICTPOYi is well respected in the photojournalism community, and winners are usually recognized on TIMEs Lightbox blog, The New York Times Lens blog, and mainstream me-dia outlets. For photojournalists, the cachet is still valuable, even if the prizes are limited.

Pictures of the Year International Pictures of the Year International (POYi) is one of the oldest and most prestigious photojournalism programs in the world. POYi itself is a non-profit dedicated to promoting documentary photographers and freelance photojournalists, and the competition celebrates great work from photojournalists worldwide.

Photo credit: James Oatway

RATING

ENTRY FEES$50 per entry

PRIZES

Photographer of the Year receives:

$1,000Plus: Nikon camera bodies, and

a Tiffany crystal trophy

2nd place receives: $500

3rd place receives: $250

PART III


PROMISED EXPOSUREWinners exhibition in Paris, published in Px3 Annual Book

WHAT THE WINNERS SAYTim Llewellyn won the 2011 Peoples Choice Award for Professional Adver-tising and says that entering the contest brought him greater exposure in the European market.

VERDICTThe well-regarded international competition has attracted fantastic photog-raphers like Howard Schatz, Dilip Bhatia and John Keatley in a variety of categories. Like Communication Arts and PDN, this is more of an industry insiders competition that is less about prizes and more about knowing that art directors and photo editors are frequenting the winners list.

Px3The Prix de la Photographie, Paris (Px3) is regarded as Europes biggest and most prestigious photography competition. The competition promotes an appreciation of photog-raphy, discover emerging talent, and introduces photographers from around the world to the artistic community of Paris.

Photo credit: Tim Llewellyn

RATING

ENTRY FEES$30 for each photo entered$50 for each series

PRIZESPx3 Photographer of the Year

receives:

3,000Best New Talent receives:

2,000

PART III


PROMISED EXPOSUREWinners exhibition at the Royal Geographical Society in London.

WHAT THE WINNERS SAYAdventure photographer Johnny Haglund says that hes received more assignments as a result of his special men-tion in the competition. You learn and you grow as a photographer if you take this kind of competition seri-ously. Winner Craig Easton agrees: World Travel Pho-tographer of the Year brought great interest in my work worldwide, spawned numerous opportunities and opened doors in directions that I had previously not considered.

VERDICTTPOTY is the UKs well-known equivalent of the National Geographic competition. The prizes and exposure provide great exposure for photographers despite the lack of a tradi-tional print magazine or website publication. On the down-side, the entry fee increased 50% since we last checked.

Travel Photographer of the YearThe Travel Photographer of the Year (TPOTY) is one of the premier travel photography competitions, attracting both amatuers and professionals. The competition awards a diversity of travel imagery, including a glimpse at various culture, cityscapes, landscapes, wildlife and more.

Photo credit: Johnny Haglund

RATING

ENTRY FEES

15 for each portfolio category

PRIZES

Each competition sponsor pro-

vides a different prize ranging

from Cutty Sarks 5000 to Plastic

Sandwichs leather iPad case.

PART III


PROMISED EXPOSURERecognized during the WPPI awards ceremony; press release to publicize your winning efforts; featured in online gallery.

WHAT THE WINNERS SAYRaymond Phang, who took home first place in the Creative Portrait category, says that contests motivate him to contin-uously improve. Its encouraging to know that all the hard work and effort put into creating the image is recognized by other professional photographers in the world.

VERDICTWPPIs Annual Conference + Expo is the premier indus-try event for photographers and image-makers specializ-ing in wedding and portrait photography, and the contest is arguably a large reason photographers attend the con-ference. Unlike most contests, the judging process is open and transparent, and entrants receive direct feedback. A bigger prize would make this competition even better.

WPPI Awards of Excellence 16x20 Print CompetitionWPPIs Awards of Excellence 1620 Print Competition allows photographers worldwide to submit their best 1620 prints for a chance at WPPIs (Wedding Portrait Pho-tographers International) top honors in 18 different categories. Images are juried and receive Honors of Excellence points, which translate into different distinction awards. For many portrait and wedding photographers, these awards provide credibility in a highly unregulated market. You do not need to be a member of WPPI in order to enter.

WPPI also created the First Half and Second Half contests to provide year-round contest opportunities to its members.

Photo credit: Raymond Phang

RATING

ENTRY FEES

$40 per entry for WPPI members$60 per entry for non-members

PRIZES

Grand Award from each of 8

divisions receives:

$2,000Plus: a complimentary pass to

the WPPI Conference & Expo,

and complimentary entry into

the Awards of Excellence Print

Competition.

PART III


PROMISED EXPOSUREExhibition at the Royal Observatory Greenwich in the UK; published in the Astronomy Photographer of the Year book.

WHAT THE WINNERS SAYRogelio Bernal Andreo of Deep Sky Colors was runner-up for the Astronomy Photographer of the Year competi-tion for his image of a supernova remnant. Rogelio says that while he would enter again, One needs to accept that the winning images have a subjective component when they are selected, and that a photo perfectly fit to be a winner in a contest may not ultimately be selected as a winning image by the judges, for reasons that go beyond quantifiable data. If you are okay with that fact, then by all means enter the contest and at the very least, share your work with others through that venue.

VERDICTTo enter, you first have to join their Flickr group. Also note that the organizers, the Royal Observatory Greenwich, gain the non-exclusive, world-wide, royalty-free right to use, reproduce, modify, adapt, and publish in perpetuity, each image entered into the competition. This includes but is not limited to exhibition displays, promotional press and marketing materials, and planetarium shows which feels more like an opportunity for the museum to add to their image collection. That said, the prize money and ex-posure is decent for a niche competition.

Astronomy Photographer of the Year Hosted by the Royal Museums Greenwich in Greenwich, England, the Astronomy Photography of the Year competition awards great images of the sky and space. Now in its 5th year, categories include Earth and Space, Our Solar System, Deep Space and Young Astronomy Photographer of the Year.

Photo credit: Rogelio Bernal Andreo

RATING

ENTRY FEES

n/a

PRIZES

Overall winner receives:

1,500Category winner receives:

500

Category runner-up receives:

250

Highly commended entries

receive:

125

PART III


PROMISED EXPOSUREIncluded in Communication Arts Photography Annual and on commarts.com.

WHAT THE WINNERS SAY Ive used the award as something new and exciting to pro-mote, and a reason to reach back out to some contacts to tell them about the award, says Nate Ryan, whose work was fea-tured in the July/August 2014 issue of Communication Arts.

VERDICTCommunication Arts is a highly respected publication for graphic arts, and winning the contest will undoubtedly provide exposure to photo editors, buyers and creative directors. However, the entry fee is significant (and con-tinues to climb) and there are no prizes beyond the acco-lades. CommArts also discloses nothing about the judging panel or process.

Communication Arts Photography CompetitionThe Communication Arts Photography Competition is one of the most prestigious competitions for creativity in photography. Judges range from distinguished designers, art directors and photographers around the world. Photographers can submit their work to categories including advertising, books and multimedia.

Photo credit: Nate Ryan

RATING

ENTRY FEES

$40 for single entry$80 for series

PRIZES

n/a

PART III


PROMISED EXPOSUREFeatured in the National Geographic Traveler magazine and website.

WHAT THE WINNERS SAYMarko Koroec is a weather-chasing photographer with a wide collection of storm photography. This was his first time entering a large scale photo contest, and the best part was the 8-day research expedition he won to Alaska with a National Geographic crew. He says, One can collect a lot of interesting information and ideas from such contests.

VERDICTWe dont like the rights-grab, and last years 10-day expe-dition prize is now an 8-day trip. Although the prize has a retail value of $7,340 wed rather see some cash so the winner can pay his or her taxes as well.

National Geographic Traveler Photo ContestIn 2014, the National Geographic Traveler Photo Contest celebrated its 25th year this year, and received more than 15,000 entries showcasing landscapes, portraits, diverse cultures and surprising moments all over the world.

Photo credit: Markok Korosec

RATING

ENTRY FEES

$15 per entry

PRIZES

1st: 8-day National Geographic

Expedition to Alaska, 2nd: 5-day

National Geographic Workshop

in Santa Fe, 3rd: 6-day cruise on

a Maine windjammer schooner.

PART III


PROMISED EXPOSUREPublication of winning photo in Digital Photo magazine and the online winners gallery.

WHAT THE WINNERS SAYNone of the photographers we contacted replied with comments.

VERDICTDigital Photo magazine has over 74,000 subscribers, so your work is likely to be seen by a nicely sized audience. But note that they hold several contests throughout the year, so its not entirely special. Also beware of the rights grab: irrevocable, royalty-free, non-exclusive, worldwide perpetual license to use the entry and his/her name, city and state of residence for credit purposes in sponsors on-line galleries, without further compensation, notification or permission.

Your Best Shot (Digital Photo magazine)Run by Digital Photo magazine, Your Best Shot is open to residents only in the U.S. Those interested can submit up to five of their best shots. These images should be in theme with the work seen in Digital Photo, including (but not limited to), portraits, landscapes and action photography.

RATING

ENTRY FEES

n/a

PRIZES

Grand prize winner receives:

$1,000Plus: Tamracs Evolution 9 photo

backpack, Gitzo tripod, PNY flash

memory card, strobist lighting kit

from LumiQuest; 16x20 print of the

winning photo.

First place winner receives a Tam-

rac camera bag; Manfrotto tripod,

PNY flash memory card, bounce

lighting kit from LumiQuest, 16x20

print of winning photo.

Photo credit: Kristina Varaksina

PART III


PROMISED EXPOSUREFirst place gets a media feature in The New York Times Style Magazine (T.Emirates) and profile feature on the Interna-tional Emerging Artist Awards website. Second and third place winners get their work displayed at the prize presenta-tion in Dubai and the websites gallery.

WHAT THE WINNERS SAYJulie de Waroquier won the Emergent Artist Award in the 2011-2012 edition, and says that it gave her the opportunity to travel very far (Dubai), to a country in which the artistic world is very dynamic. I met many people that are involved in this area whom I would have never met alone. It was also the opportunity for a foreign and beautiful solo exhibit. Overall it gave me more confidence as well as credibility as an artist.

VERDICTIf your market is contemporary art galleries in Asia and the Middle East, this might be a worthwhile competition for you. Otherwise, the audience probably isnt going to be one that helps promote your work. Also note that winners hand over exclusivity rights for the duration of the road show.

International Emerging Artist Award The International Emerging Artist Award (IEAA) is the United Arab Emirates first contemporary art competition open for artists both from the UAE and internationally. The contest aims to provide worldwide recognition for emerging artists.

Photo credit: Julia de Waroquier

RATING

ENTRY FEES

$45

PRIZES

International exhibition road

show in Dubai, Singapore, Is-

tanbul, and Marseille; invite to

attend the prize presentation

in Dubai; invite to participate

as a jury member in next years

competition.

PART III


PROMISED EXPOSUREPublished on the Master Photographers Association website.

WHAT THE WINNERS SAYScotland-based wedding and portrait photographer Nicholas Frost, who was a 2012 finalist in the Wedding Day Celebration category, says, Personally, awards help motivate me. It is a stamp of approval by your peers that you are doing something right and maintaining high standards in your work. Overall as a photographer you can get engrossed and self absorbed in your own workbeing critiqued is perhaps the best way to improve.

VERDICTThe entry fee is small, and its great that half of that goes to charity. You dont have a lot to lose for such low cost and a chance to win 50-1,000 (though its unclear what your shopping voucher is good for), but then again, its not a huge prize at the end and potential exposure seems minimal.

MPA Wedding & Portrait Awards The Master Photographers Associations Annual Wedding and Portrait Awards celebrates the best in wedding and portrait photography across the UK and aims to introduce the public to professional photographers in these fields.

Photo credit: Nicholas Frost

RATING

ENTRY FEES

2 per image (1 of which is do-nated to the PACE Centre in the

UK to help children with physical

disabilities).

PRIZES

5 finalists from two categories

(weddings and portraits) receive

a 50 shopping voucher and

certificate

The overall winner wins 1,000

and a trophy.

PART III


PROMISED EXPOSUREPublished on Smithsonian website.

WHAT THE WINNERS SAYFinalist Graham McGeorge, who submitted to the Natural World category, won $500 for his winning imagebut feels that the notoriety is the real prize. I consider The Smithsonian and National Geographic to be the best two photo contests out there, says Graham.

VERDICTTheres not a lot stopping you from entering Smithsonians photo contest with a $0 entry fee, and the grand prize is a decent chunk of cash (down from $5,000 in 2013), but be-ware of the usage rights youre handing over: You retain your rights to your photograph; however, by entering the contest, you grant the Smithsonian Institution (and those authorized by the Smithsonian) a royalty-free, world-wide, perpetual, non-exclusive license to publicly display, distribute, reproduce, and create derivative works of the entries, in whole or in part, in any media now existing or later developed, for any Smithsonian Institution purpose, including, but not limited to, advertising and promotion of the magazine and its website, exhibition, and commer-cial products, including but not limited to Smithsonian Institution publications.

Smithsonian Photo ContestThe Smithsonian Photo Contest invites photographers to enter their work and compete for cash prizes. Categories include the American Experience, the Natural World, People, Travel and Altered Images. 2013 was also the first year the competition recognized great photography taken from mobile devices.

Photo credit: Graham McGeorge

RATING

ENTRY FEES

n/a

PRIZES

$2,5005 category winners receive:

$500

Readers Choice winner receives:

$500

PART III


PROMISED EXPOSUREFeatured on the online gallery and Quill magazine by The Society of Professional Journalists.

WHAT THE WINNERS SAYBoston-based photographer Kelvin Ma was honored for his image of the Boston Marathon bombing aftermath in the Breaking News Pho-tography category in 2014. Because the contest features a range of journalistic awards, Kelvin felt like it was better representative of the wider journalism community. Being able to see how your work measures up to others in the field in different disciplines is a valuable experience.

VERDICTThe Sigma Delta Chi Awards have been around since 1932, so there is some prestige to be considered. Still, $100 is a high price to pay for a contest that covers everything from photography to reporting to radio. Prepare to get lost in the crowd.

The Sigma Delta Chi AwardsThe Sigma Delta Chi Awards, hosted by The Society of Professional Journalists, recognizes the best in professional journalism in categories including print, radio, television, newsletters, art/graphics, online and research. The contest is open to any U.S. media outlet.

RATING

ENTRY FEES

$60 for members of the Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ)

$100 for non-members

PRIZES

See promised exposure.

PART III


PROMISED EXPOSUREPublished in The PHOTO Paper Magazine; showcased in the online Winners Gallery; international press and exposure.

WHAT THE WINNERS SAYFine Art photographer Christian Mushenko has entered this particular contest several times over the years. I like the fact that it is judged by an international crowd, says Christian. However, he says that the competition could do more to help garner more press within industry.

VERDICTYou pay $30-some dollars, and get back zero. Beyond get-ting to put Masters Cup Award in your bio and hav-ing your work seen by maybe a few prominent judges, it doesnt appear that the exposure foots the bill. Not many are talking about this contest (at least online), most buy-ers havent heard of it, and while the copyright remains with the photographer, the organization and third-party newspapers and magazines can use your image for pro-motional purposes.

Photography Masters CupIn its 7th year, the International Color Awards hosted by the Photography Masters Cup is one of the leading international awards honoring color photography. The awards showcase the best professional and amateur photographers during a red carpet annual event called the Photoshow.

Photo credit: Christian Mushenko

RATING

(no stars)

ENTRY FEES

$35 for professionals$30 for amateur (determined by whether your income is made

as a photographer)

PRIZES

Masters Cup Award title

PART III


ConclusionThere are many photo contests out therealmost too many to choose from. So before entering, you should make sure its the right one for your business and brand. Take time to think through first why you want to enter your work and what youd like to get out of the experience. Are you looking for exposure? Some feedback? Do you have high regards for those who have won in the past? Make sure you read through the contests Terms and Conditions, FAQs, plus look at previous winners work to decide if it might be a good fit. Remember that some photo contests are better than others (hopefully our ver-dicts helped!). Youll want to align yourself with the competitions that are well-regarded and respected in the industry.

PART IV

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