Sony World Photography Awards 2026

Applications are now open for the 19th edition of the Sony World Photography Awards on worldphoto.org, and participation is completely free.

The Sony World Photography Awards are a major competition for photographers and artists working in the field of photography. Since its inception, Sony’s competition has championed inclusivity and accessibility with free participation. Keeping a pulse on today’s photography in all its diversity, it shines a spotlight on photographers who tell the stories of our time.

Photographers from around the world are invited to enter one of the Awards’ four competitions:

• Professional, celebrating photographic series of 5 to 10 images across 10 categories;

• Open, rewarding the best single images of the year in 10 categories;

• Youth, promoting works by emerging talents aged 19 or under;

• Student, highlighting projects by photography students worldwide.

Additional initiatives include the National & Regional Awards, the Professional Prize for Latin America, the Japan National Award, the Alpha Female Award, and the Sustainability Prize.

Themes

There are numerous categories and themes—in practice, the competition can be considered open-themed. However, the 2025 edition introduces an exciting new category in the Professional competition: Points of View. Participants must submit bodies of work that tell stories through different genres and formats—documentary, creative media, or even mixes of portraits, landscapes, and still life.

Deadlines

The Sony World Photography Awards are open from June 1, 2025. Full competition and category descriptions are available at worldphoto.org. Submission deadlines for the four competitions are as follows:

• Professional: January 13, 2026, 13:00 GMT

• Open: January 6, 2026, 13:00 GMT

• Student: November 28, 2025, 13:00 GMT

• Youth: January 6, 2026, 13:00 GMT

Prizes

All category winners in the Professional, Open, Youth, and Student competitions will receive Sony digital imaging equipment. Additionally, cash prizes include $25,000 (USD) for Photographer of the Year, $5,000 (USD) for Open Photographer of the Year, and $5,000 (USD) for the Sustainability Prize winner. The Photographer of the Year will also receive a dedicated showcase of their work at the Sony World Photography Awards exhibition in London the following year.

All winning and shortlisted photographers’ works will be displayed at the annual Sony World Photography Awards exhibition in London and will then tour internationally. Winning images will also be published in the Awards’ annual book.

Cost

Entry to the Awards is free.

More Info

See also: https://www.sony.it/presscentre/aperte-le-iscrizioni-ai-sony-world-photography-awards-2026

World Food Photography Awards: il cibo raccontato in immagini

ow in its 15th edition, the World Food Photography Awards is the most prestigious international contest dedicated to food photography. Open to both amateurs and professionals, the competition celebrates each year the best stories about the world of food through images from across the globe.

Theme

The contest welcomes images that tell the story of food in all its forms: from sowing to harvesting, from preparation to consumption. Landscapes, portraits, travel, events, and photojournalism are just some of the accepted styles.
For the 2026 edition, a new special category has been introduced: “Food as Home”, created in collaboration with UK for UNHCR and dedicated to those forced to leave their homeland due to war or persecution. The aim is to gather images that show how food can evoke a sense of belonging and the memory of home.

Prizes

The overall winner will receive a cash prize of £5,000.
All finalist images will be exhibited at the Mall Galleries in London, while a selection will also be displayed at the historic Fortnum & Mason store in Piccadilly.

Entry Fee

The entry fee for adult participants is £35, which allows the submission of up to 6 images. Each additional image costs £7. Some special categories (portfolio) require 5 images to be submitted together (e.g., Food Stylist, Rising Star) with a dedicated fee. The categories for under 18s, students, and “UK for UNHCR Food as Home” are free of charge for up to 5 images.

Deadline

Entries are open until 8 February 2026.

Fine Art Photography Awards: al via la 12ª edizione del concorso internazionale

Submissions are officially open for the 12th edition of the Fine Art Photography Awards (FAPA). Founded in 2014, this prestigious international competition has become one of the leading platforms in the world of contemporary fine art photography, celebrating excellence, creativity, and visual innovation year after year.

Once again in 2026, professional and amateur photographers from around the globe are invited to submit original, unpublished images that reflect their artistic vision, aesthetic sensitivity, and storytelling ability.

Deadlines and Entry Fees

The final deadline for submissions is February 15, 2026, but photographers can take advantage of an early bird discount by submitting their work by October 12, 2025.

Fees for Amateurs:

• Single image: $19 (before October 12), $24 (after October 12)
• Series (2–5 images): $24 (early bird), $29 (standard)

Fees for Professionals:

• Single image: $24 (early bird), $29 (standard)
• Series (2–5 images): $29 (early bird), $34 (standard)

For those submitting work in multiple categories, an additional $10 fee is required for each extra category.

Prizes and Awards

The competition offers substantial prizes:

• Professional Fine Art Photographer of the Year: $3,000
• Amateur Fine Art Photographer of the Year: $2,000

In addition, category winners will receive digital badges and certificates (gold, silver, bronze, or honorable mention), and their work will be featured in the official winners’ gallery on the competition’s website.

Competition Categories

FAPA 2026 features twenty categories, open to both professionals and amateurs, covering a wide range of photographic genres:

• Abstract
• Architecture
• Conceptual
• Experimental
• Fashion
• Landscape
• Nature
• Night Photography
• Nude
• Open Theme
• Panoramic
• Portrait
• Photojournalism
• Photomanipulation
• Seascapes
• Street Photography
• Travel
• Animals
• Wildlife

Image Submission Requirements

Images must be uploaded via the online form on the official website (fineartphotoawards.com) and meet the following specifications:

• Format: JPG

• Color space: sRGB or AdobeRGB, 8-bit

• Dimensions: Maximum 1200 pixels on the longest side

• No watermarks, logos, or borders

Winners will be required to provide a high-resolution version of the image (minimum 3000 pixels on the short side, 300 dpi), in JPG or RAW format, for authenticity verification if needed.