The Istanbul Photo Awards 2026, organized by Anadolu Agency for the 12th consecutive year, is an international contest that aims to promote press photography globally. It celebrates the art of visual storytelling and sheds light on critical issues worldwide. The contest invites professional photographers to submit their impactful visual work across various categories, with a total prize money of $58,000.
Financial Benefits
The contest distributes a total of $58,000 in prize money.
- Photo of the Year: Awarded to the top image in the Single News category, with a prize of $6,000.
- First-place winners in each category will receive $3,000.
- Second-place winners will receive $1,500.
- Third-place winners will receive $1,000.
Eligibility Criteria
- Professional Photographers: The contest is open only to professional photographers, regardless of their press affiliation.
- Photo Capture Date: Submitted newsworthy photos must have been taken between January 1 and December 31, 2025.
- Categories: The contest features 10 categories, including Single News, Story News, Single Sports, Story Sports, Single Nature and Environment, Story Nature and Environment, Single Daily Life, Story Daily Life, Single Portrait, and Story Portrait.
- Submission Content: Photographers may submit both published and unpublished work in all categories.
Submission Guidelines
- Number of Submissions: Each photographer can submit up to 4 single images and/or up to 2 stories, with each story consisting of 10 images.
- Image Usage: The same image cannot appear in multiple categories.
- Editing: Only basic color corrections are allowed; major manipulation is prohibited.
- Copyright: Photographers must own the copyright of their work.
- Metadata and Captions: Submitted images must include accurate IPTC metadata and English captions.
Application Process
- Application Opens: November 13, 2025.
- Application Deadline: January 9, 2026.
- Jury Selection: A distinguished panel of jurors will select the winners in March 2026.
Application Link:
Applications can be submitted exclusively on the official website.
