The 55th World Press Photo Contest will open to entries at the beginning of December.

Entering the contest
Professional photographers and photojournalists are invited to enter the contest.

Contest timeline
The World Press Photo Contest is an annual competition in which the jury looks for the best photographs made during a calendar year. Details about the photo contest, as well as names of the contest judges, are announced in October/November.

The photo contest judging begins at the end of January and the winners are announced in the second week of February. The annual Awards Days, a celebration of the prizewinners, takes place in Amsterdam at the end of April or beginning of May. The first edition of the multimedia contest in 2011 followed a similar timeline, but a different entry procedure. Details about the next multimedia contest setup will be announced later.

When to send in photos
Photographers can enter their pictures to the 2012 World Press Photo contest starting at the beginning of December. The deadline for submitting entries to the contest is 12 January 2012, 23.59 Central European Time.

Who can participate
Professional photographers, their representatives and publications for which work has been produced are eligible to enter photographs and series of photographs.

How to participate
A multi-lingual website for uploading entries will be available online in December. Participants first need to register for a user account and password, which can be requested between 1 December 2011 and 6 January 2012. Once their account has been activated, they can continue uploading and editing their entries until the deadline. There is no entry fee.

Images may be entered as single images or stories/portfolios in nine categories: Spot News, General News, People in the News, Sports, Contemporary Issues, Daily Life, Portraits, Arts and Entertainment and Nature.

From the beginning of December 2011 onwards, the entry rules, a description of the categories and instructions on how to enter will be available on the contest website in English, Spanish, Portuguese and French. If you have further questions, please send an email to contest@worldpressphoto.org.

Contest judging
The judging of the contest will take place from 28 January until 9 February 2012. The results of the contest will be announced on 10 February in a press conference at the Amsterdam City Hall and online.

web: www.worldpressphoto.org

This Year’s Theme: Black & White

Black & White (Grayscale) is the theme. Not sepia, not some other monochromatic tone – just Black & White. The subject, composition, aspect ratio and all other stylings are entirely up to you. Your photo will be judged based on how well you use the theme, Black & White, in your photograph. Of course technical and compositional aspects of your photo will weigh heavily on the judges’ decision. So submit your best photo.

Please, no nudity.

Prizes

We’re incredibly excited to be able to offer a prize package for this year’s competition. The prize package features some of our favorite products. The winner chosen by the judges will receive all of the following – a $500 value:

* A Complete Set of Rogue FlashBenders – A unique customizable light modifier for your off-camera flash from our friends at ExpoImaging. (read our review)
* A 77mm ExpoDisc – A white-balancing filter – one of the best and easiest to use white-balancing solutions available, also from our friends at ExpoImaging. (read our review)
* $250 Gift Certificate From LensRentals.com – The gift certificate is valid towards any rental(s) available at LensRentals.com.
* A Luma Loop Camera Sling – The latest edition of the fantastic alternative camera sling provided by our friends at Luma Labs. (read our review)

How To Enter

Before you enter, please make sure to read the Official Rules and Restrictions noted below. You will be asked to verify that you’ve read and agree to these rules. But worry not: You, the photographer, will ultimately retain all of the rights to your photo. You are only granting the right for us to share it with the public through our site. If we want to use your photo otherwise, we’ll have to contact you and license independently with you.

Enter Now
Submission Deadline is March 18th, 2011. Only one entry per person, please.

Official Rules and Restrictions

Who may enter: The Shutter Photo Anniversary Competition is open to anyone regardless of place of residence, except as otherwise noted herein. (Note that entrants residing outside of the United States may be responsible for a portion of shipping. See Prizes and Shipping below). Entrants must be eighteen (18) years of age or older. Judges of the competition will not be permitted to enter.

Submission requirements: An entrant may submit only a single photograph. The first photo submitted will be considered the official entry. Subsequent photographs will be automatically disqualified. Entrant must be the creator and rightful owner of the submitted photograph. Those found not to be in compliance will be disqualified from the competition and the appropriate authorities and involved parties will be notified accordingly. Photo entries must meet the following criteria:

* Minimum dimensions: 1024 pixels on its shortest side
* Maximum file size: 2 Megabytes
* Formats Accepted: JPEG (PNG Not supported as it does not natively support EXIF data)
* The photo must be a Black & White (Grayscale) photograph. Sepia or other color tones will not be permitted.
* The photo must not contain nudity.
* The photo must be free of any and all watermarks.
* Photo must be an original and shall not have been entered in other photo competitions.
* Only one entry per person.

Judging: Judging will be conducted by a panel of judges selected by Shutter Photo. Once each and every entry has been verified to meet the submission requirements, it will be placed in a gallery viewable only to the judges. The judging process is a simple rating and popular vote system: The photo with the highest judge rating wins the competition.

Prizes and shipping: The winner of the Shutter Photo Anniversary Competition will receive the prize package(s) as mentioned herein. A cash equivalency will not be available. Package(s) will be shipped to the winning parties at the verified address provided within the entry form. Winner(s) not residing in the continental US may be responsible for a portion of the shipping costs.

Copyright Policy: Submitting photographer must be the creator and hold ownership and all rights of submitted photo. The photographer may choose any license for their photo that meets their needs, provided that necessary permissions be given to Shutter Photo Magazine to share and display the photograph in conjunction with this competition (see Usage Rights and Permissions Granted). Shutter Photo Magazine does not require that the photograph be licensed under Creative Commons

Usage Rights / Permissions Granted: The ownership of all photo entries is ultimately that of each photo’s creator. By entering this competition, you grant Shutter Photo Magazine permission to host and display the photograph in conjunction with this competition and affiliated competition gallery. Shutter Photo Magazine and it’s affiliates does not have the right to print, sell, license, or display outside of the Magazine’s domain (shutterphoto.net). Shutter Photo Magazine and it’s affiliates shall not be permitted to alter a photo entry in any way – this includes the use of watermarks, branding or the addition of text or other graphics. If Shutter Photo Magazine or it’s affiliates wish to use a photograph for any other purpose, the photo’s creator will contacted privately to discuss necessary licensing and fees.

Official website: http://www.shutterphoto.net/spacompo2011/

Photo by Andy Spyra

The spirit of 7.7 is to become a new way of diffusion of photographer’s work that escapes from the traditional market’s logic and its dominance over the media’s agenda.

In this search we organize a yearly photo contest, selected from the individual photographers works published in 7.7. This prize, of 2000€, is possible thanks to the support of Photographic Social Vision, Editorial Blume and RUIDO Photo.

Terms and conditions:

1) Participation:

All the photographic works made by individual photographers and published in each year of publication of 7.7 (4 editions) will be considered. Works made by members of the team of 7.7, RUIDO Photo, or any other collaborator that has participated in the editorial process of 7.7, will be excluded. The third edition of this competition is open and will include works published since issue 9 to 12 inclusive. The receipt of projects is continuous and does not close during the year, but will can not submit for this contest after 15 October 2011.

2) Submission

To submit material, please check the 7.7 technical requirements here.

3) Prize

A prize of 2000€ (two thousand euros) will be given to the work chosen as winner.

4) Selection

A special jury will be constituted to select the winner. The names of the members of this jury will be visible in the website, and they will meet before the 30 days after the publication of the 4th year’s edition of the magazine.

The decision will be communicated immediately .

The decision will be taken by simple majority of the members of the jury and can’t be appealed.

5) Jury

The jury will be constituted by members of Photographic Social Vision, Editorial Blume, Centre de Fotografia Documental de Barcelona, RUIDO Photo, 7.7 and members of the editorial council of 7.7

6) General Conditions

The authors of the presented works – accepting the conditions of the contest – authorize 7.7 to reproduce their work during the publicity that 7.7 will make of the results of the contest. All the images will be used including the name of the author. The license of use of the pictures will be Creative Commons. The author must to choose the type of CC license that consider for his/her work, by default will be Attribution – NonCommercial – NoDerivs (by-nc-nd) (no commercial use is allowed in the original work and the generation of derivative works). The submission of the material to 7.7 supposes the acceptance of the conditions of the prize.

Official website here

The “Prix de la Photographie, Paris” (Px3) strives to promote the appreciation of photography, to discover emerging talent, and introduce photographers from around the world to the artistic community of Paris. Winning photographs from this competition are displayed in Paris and published in the high-quality, full-color Px3 Annual Book.

Px3 Judges:
Juried by leading editors, publishers, curators, gallery owners, consultants, creative directors, and art directors, Px3 brings the best of photography from across the globe to Paris.

Px3 Categories:
Advertising, Photojournalism, Book, Book Proposals, Fine Art, Nature and Portraiture.

Px3 Deadline: January 31, 2010
Midnight, Central European Time or mailed entries post-marked by the above date.

AWARDS

Px3 Photographer of the Year
Both professional and non-professional photographers compete for the top award, the Px3 Photographer of the Year and 3,000 Euros. The winner’s work is publicized internationally, receives the spotlight at all events, is exhibited in Paris, and published in the Px3 Annual Book.

Px3 Best New Talent (Non-Professionals and Students Only)
Non-professional photographers compete for the Px3 Best New Talent Award and 2,000 Euros. The winner’s work is publicized and exhibited in Paris and published in the Px3 Annual Book.

Certificates in all Categories
All 1st, 2nd and 3rd place winners from both the professional and non-professional categories will receive a Px3 certificate, personalized press release, and a Px3 winner’s logo for professional purposes.

Honorable Mentions
Px3 judges award several Certificates of Honorable Mention to both professional and non-professional entries to acknowledge talent as they deem fit.

Public Choice Awards
39,481 votes were tallied in the first annual Prix de la Photographie Paris. The names of the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Place Subcategory Public Choice Winners are listed in the Px3 Annual Book.

PARIS EXHIBITION AND INTERNATIONAL PUBLICITY
Winning photographs from the 1st and 2nd place winners in each MAJOR category from both the professional and non-professional entries will be publicized and exhibited in Paris.

Px3 Annual Book
The work of the 1st and 2nd place winners from both the professional and non-professional Subcategories will be published in the high-quality, full-color Px3 Annual Book (includes Major Category winners). The names of the Honorable Mention recipients and the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Place Subcategory Public Choice Winners will be included as well.

Don’t miss this opportunity to participate in this international showcase of photographic talents.

Send your best work to Px3 now.

SUBMIT YOUR WORK TO Px3
Simply fill out the entry form and send it with your work to Px3. You can submit as many photographs in as many categories as you want.

Ways to Submit Your Entries
You may submit your images to our contest in any one of the following ways:

1- ONLINE: Use the online entry form, upload your photographs and pay the fees. (JPG only, 72 dpi, each image must be 800 pixels on the longest side)

2- ONLINE + MAIL: You must enter online, but you may pay by check or credit card with the entry form. Download the PDF entry form, write the entry ID on the form, and mail your payment to:
Px3 Prix de la Photographie, Paris
26 rue Damremont
Paris 75018, France

ENTRY FEES
Entry fees cover the cost of administration and promotion.
To make Px3 globally accessible, Px3 discounts entry fees for certain countries. Professional Photographers:
$30 for each photograph entered
$50 for each series (2-5 images with a unifying theme) or book
Same photograph or series, additional category: $25 per category
Non-professional and Student Photographers:
$20 per photograph entered
$40 for each series (2-5 images with a unifying theme)
Same photograph or series, additional category: $15 per category

Winner Notification
All winners will be announced online six to eight weeks after the final submission deadline. The work of all 1st and 2nd place winners will be published in the Px3 Annual Book eight to ten months after the announcement.

Official website: http://px3.fr/

As one of the largest photographic events existing today, The Sony World Photography Awards (SWPA), reach far beyond an awards programme for the still image. The SWPA is a convergence of festival events, focused photographic agendas, exhibitions, awards schemes, student programmes and an industry-led gala evening ceremony which marks the pinnacle of the week-long event in April 2009.

The Sony World Photography Awards Gala and central exhibitions that support the awards’ nominees and honourees, occurs once a year in the prestigious Palais des Festivals in Cannes, France. The evening welcomes some of the most influential names in the photography industry, from press and media to gallerists, publishers, agents, critics, aficionados and the renowned artists themselves.

From fine art to applied photography in fashion, advertising and sport to humanistic and documentary photography of people, social, cultural and current affairs to the environmental image of landscape, wildlife and ecology, there are few subjects or genres left undiscovered. The celebration of the still image – its roots, conception, adaptation and continuous evolution – is a constant parallel, unifying all categories of the Sony World Photography Awards.

This impressive union of distinct photographic genres has spurred many of the industry’s elite to actively support the SWPA. A very select group of these heavyweights have been invited to form the World Photographic Academy. To date, close to 100 members from the photographic community belong to this academy, from leading international agencies, guilds, galleries, publishing houses, foundations, press and of course renowned photographers themselves, such as Elliott Erwitt, Tom Stoddart, Susan Meiselas, Stuart Franklin, Mary-Ellen Mark and many more.

Beyond the week-long celebration in Cannes, the Sony World Photography Awards continuously create ways in order to support and further promote its existing industry network, the newly discovered photographers and those studying the craft. These many year-long initiatives include the Student Programme, The Sony World Photography Awards Global Tour and the Online World Photography Awards Magazine, Galleries and Store.

Professional Competition

The Sony World Photography Awards are entirely international, welcoming professional photographers from across the globe to submit their photographs into a highly competitive awards programme.

As an entering professional photographer, you will be judged by the World Photographic Academy in the hopes of being recognized by leading industry figures and taking the stage in Cannes to receive one of the 12 prestigious category awards and, the most coveted prize, L’iris d’Or, given to The Sony World Photography Awards Photographer of the Year, with the recipient taking, amongst other things, prize money of $25,000.

Submitting your images: There are 12 categories in the professional programme, spread across 3 main photographic genres; to view the categories please click on the link to the left. Each photographer may submit up to a total of 10 images into a single professional category. Professionals will be judged on a body of images representing a photographic series or story. Professional photographers may enter bodies of work in more than one category.

The Judging Process: Your images will go through critical rounds of selections by the official 2010 Judging Committee, comprising selected World Photographic Academy members.

A shortlist of 7 photographers in each of the 12 categories will be selected and announced in February 2010.

Of the 7 short-listed photographers in each category, three finalists will then be selected and named as either the first, second or third place winners of each category given. The announcement of the 36 total winners will be made in March 2010.

For the final stage of judging, one single photographer will be chosen by the Honorary Judging Committee from the 12 First Place category winners. This photographer will be announced and awarded in Cannes as the recipient of the 2010 L’iris d’or.

The awards: All 36 Category finalists, will be showcased as part of the official 2010 Finalists exhibitions in Cannes, published in the winner’s book and announced to the worldwide press as Sony World Photography Awards Category Finalists. These finalists will also be part of an annual SWPA Global Tour, have the opportunity to be represented and promoted by the World Photography Gallery, showcased on the SWPA website for all of 2010 and much more.

The first place winner of each category will be flown out to Cannes, receive 2 nights accommodation in a luxury hotel on the famous Croisette and receive VIP tickets to attend the evening gala awards ceremony, taking place on the 15th of April, 2010. The winner will also receive week-long passes to attend the World Photography Festival screenings, workshops, exhibitions, talks and other events taking place throughout the city of Cannes from the 13th – 18th of April 2010.

Professional Categories

There are 12 professional categories across three distinct genres:

PHOTOJOURNALISM; DOCUMENTARY: CURRENT AFFAIRS; SPORT; CONTEMPORARY ISSUES; ARTS; ENTERTAINMENT

COMMERCIAL: ADVERTISING; FASHION; MUSIC

FINE ART: PORTRAITURE; CONCEPTUAL; CONSTRUCTED; NATURAL HISTORY; LANDSCAPE; ARCHITECTURE

Professional Prizes

Winner of “L’iris d’Or” – Best overall photograph will receive:
Recipient of the title “Sony World Photography Awards Photographer of The Year”
$25,000
Entry into the “World Photographic Academy”
Exhibition showcase of winning image and 25 picture portfolio at the 2011 Sony World Photography Awards
Winning image will be exhibited on the Sony World Photography Awards’ website and promoted to creatives worldwide
Flights to Cannes, and 2 nights accommodation in a hotel on the famous Croisette and receive VIP tickets to attend the evening gala awards ceremony, taking place on the 15th of April, 2010
Sony Gift

Winners of each individual category will receive:
Recipient of the title “Sony World Photography Awards category name Photographer of The Year”
Flights to Cannes, and 2 nights accommodation in a hotel on the famous Croisette and receive VIP tickets to attend the evening gala awards ceremony, taking place on the 15th of April, 2010
Winning image will be exhibited on the Sony World Photography Awards’website and promoted to creatives
Sony Gift

Amateur Competition

The Sony World Photography Awards are entirely international, welcoming people from across the globe to submit their photographs into an exciting amateur competition, which is run alongside the Professional Awards.

As an amateur photographer, you also have the opportunity to be judged by the World Photographic Academy in the hopes of taking the stage in Cannes to receive one of the most sought after prizes in the competition: The Sony World Photography Awards Amateur Photographer of the Year.

Submitting your images: Each photographer may submit up to a total of 3 photographs into the competition for free. The 3 photographs can be submitted into any one amateur category or spread across two – three different categories; to view the categories please click on the link to the left.

The Judging Process: Your images will go through various pre-selection rounds by our officially selected 2010 Pre-Selection Committee, iStock – iStockphoto LP is the world’s leading royalty-free stock destination. Browse more than 4 million photos, vector illustrations, video footage and Flash files. iStock pioneered the micropayment photography business model in 2001, selling images starting at $1.

If your image is selected to go into the top 400, you will then be judged by the 2010 Judging Committee, comprising selected World Photographic Academy members.

A shortlist of top ten amateur photographers per category will be announced in February 2010.

The 8 Category Winners, will be showcased as part of the official 2010 Finalists exhibitions in Cannes, be published in the winner’s book and be announced to the worldwide press as Sony World Photography Awards Category Winners in March, 2010. These winners will also have the opportunity to be part of an annual SWPA Global Tour and showcased on the SWPA website for all of 2010.

One grand prize winner will be selected from the 8 category winners by the 2010 Judging Committee and be awarded The Sony World Photography Awards Amateur Photographer of the Year.

The overall winner and a guest will be flown to Cannes, receive two nights’ accommodation in a luxury hotel on the famous Croisette, receive VIP tickets to attend the evening gala awards ceremony on the 15th of April, 2010, and collect their prize of $5,000 and a Sony gift. The winner will also receive week-long passes to attend the World Photography Festival screenings, workshops, exhibitions, talks and other events taking place throughout the city of Cannes from the 13th – 18th of April.

Amateur Categories

Architecture
Conceptual; Constructed
Documentary
Fashion
Landscape
Music
Natural History
Portraiture
Sport
Campaign Award

Amateur Prizes

Winner of the Best overall photograph will receive:
Recipient of the title “Sony World Photography Awards Amateur Photographer of The Year”
$5,000
Winning image will be exhibited on the Sony World Photography Awards’ website and promoted to creatives worldwide
to Cannes, and 2 nights accommodation in a hotel on the famous Croisette and receive VIP tickets to attend the evening gala awards ceremony, taking place on the 15th of April, 2010
Sony Gift

Winners of each individual category will receive:
Recipient of the title “Sony World Photography Awards Amateur category name Photographer of The Year”
Exhibited in the Winner’s Exhibition and published in the Winner’s Book
Winning image will be exhibited on the Sony World Photography Awards’website and promoted to creatives
Sony Gift

Final submissions: Friday 4th December 2009.

Official website: http://www.worldphotographyawards.org/

Nikonians is pleased to present its Best of Nikonians – 2009 Images Photo Contest, open to all Silver, Gold and Platinum Nikonians Members. All entries are judged by a panel of expert Nikonians photographers, who cast their vote on the photographs received within a given period. The decisions of the judges are final.

Nikonians, in an effort to promote and recognize as many talented photographers as possible, whose images serve to share, learn and inspire us all.

All Silver, Gold and Platinum Members are eligible to participate in any and all theme categories, and may submit ONE image per member, per month, by uploading to the respective Contest Gallery setup for this purpose.

Prizes for each month’s winners will be announced and awarded during the 2nd half of the following month.

At the end of the year, the Nikonians Masters Society, composed of outstanding professional and distinguished advanced amateur photographers around the world, will select among the monthly winners the First Place winner of the Best of Nikonians – 2009 Images Contest, who will receive the Certificate of Nikonians High Photographic Achievement and prize(s), in addition to the prizes they may have won in the monthly contest. Nikonians will also award two Honorary Mentions each with a one year Nikonians Gold Membership.

Finals awards and prizes will be announced and awarded in the first half of February, 2010

Official website: http://www.nikonians.org/contests/

Entries will be judged on

1. Composition
2. Originality
3. Impact
4. Technical Quality

Photo of the year winners

1. Top three photo of the year winners will receive Certificate of Achievement through post.
2. Top three photo of the year winners will receive a Pro photographer Certificate from The Aperture Light through post.
3. 15 Honorable entries will receive Certificate through e-mail

Photo of the month winners

1. will get winning certificate through e-mail.
2. If a member wins three monthly contest in a year he will receive a pro photographer certificate from The Aperture Light through post.

What to Enter

1. All Photographs must have been taken from a digital camera.
2. Photograph should be resized to 640*480 before uploading.
3. Images should only treated with basic sharpening, cropping and removal of dust spots. Images should contain only the subject matter as originally seen through the viewfinder.

* Copyright: Copyright of the image remains the property of the photographer.
* Eligibility: Open to all photographers, of any age.
* Entry fee: Single entry in monthly contest is FREE to all our members for uploading additional entry members should pay $2 per entry. Photo of the year contest – $10 per entry.
* Entry deadline: Monthly and Yearly

Official website: www.theaperturelight.com