Twenty-two photo contests in our verified records are open now or open later this season, with deadlines from 15 October 2026 to 12 March 2027. Sixteen of them ban AI-generated images. Twelve of those sixteen say in their rules that they ask, or may ask, for original or RAW files: six ask entrants whose photographs reach the shortlist or the final, and six keep the right to ask. The other four publish no original-file check. Six of the 22 have no AI rule in their published terms, and none of the 22 says in its terms that it accepts AI-generated images.
They ask the shortlist or the finalists
| Contest | Closes | AI rule | Original files |
|---|---|---|---|
| Global Wildlife Fair International Photo Awards 2026 | 15 Oct 2026 | Strict ban on AI-generated images | RAW from shortlisted entrants in the second week of November, within 7 days |
| The Nature Photography Contest 2026 | 15 Nov 2026 | Images must be 100% photographic in origin; digital art not accepted | Finalists send the RAW, DNG or original JPG |
| Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2027 | 3 Dec 2026 | Strict ban on AI-generated images | RAW, or untouched JPEGs with frames from before and after, for the final round |
| Ocean Art Underwater Photo Competition 2026 | 6 Dec 2026 | Bans AI-generated images and composites (Underwater Digital Art, Underwater Fashion: Bans AI-generated images; editing tools allowed) | Finalists send the original RAW and a high-resolution JPEG |
| Bird Photographer of the Year 2027 | 13 Dec 2026 | Strict ban on AI-generated images | Shortlisted entrants send RAW, or untouched JPEGs if there is no RAW |
| Glanzlichter 2027 | 10 Jan 2027 | Strict ban on AI-generated images | RAW or out-of-camera JPG after the first pre-selection, due 7 Feb 2027 |
All six say an entry can be disqualified or excluded if its original file is missing or it cannot be authenticated; two put the missing-file case in so many words. The Global Wildlife Fair: “The inability to submit the original RAW or JPEG file will result in the disqualification of your entry.” Ocean Art: “An entry may be disqualified if an original RAW or original JPEG cannot be provided.”
They keep the right to ask
| Contest | Closes | AI rule | What the rules say |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1839 Awards Photographer of the Year 2026 | 18 Oct 2026, 03:59 UTC (11:59 pm on 17 Oct, New York time) | Strict ban on AI-generated images | “We reserve the right to request proof of the image not being generated by AI as well as for proof of ownership of the original files.” |
| World Nature Photography Awards 2026 | 30 Oct 2026 | Bans AI-generated images and composites | “WNPA reserves the right to request further information about how any image was made, including RAW files”, EXIF data and field notes |
| International Landscape Photographer of the Year 2026 | 31 Oct 2026 | Bans AI-generated images; editing tools allowed | “We reserve the right to ask entrants to submit the raw file(s) to prove an Entry’s authenticity.” |
| Sony World Photography Awards 2027 | 27 Nov 2026 to 12 Jan 2027 | Bans AI-generated images; editing tools allowed | If a question arises about manipulation, “you may be requested to submit the original photograph and image file to verify.” |
| RPS International Photography Exhibition 168 | 15 Dec 2026 | Bans AI-generated images; editing tools allowed | “The RPS may request original files to check authenticity” |
| World Food Photography Awards 2027 | 7 Feb 2027 | Bans AI-generated images; editing tools allowed | “The entrant must retain the original capture file(s) and provide supporting files and workflow information on request.” |
No original-file check in the rules
| Contest | Closes | AI rule |
|---|---|---|
| World Street Photo Awards 2026 | 17 Oct 2026 | Bans AI-generated images; editing tools allowed |
| The Independent Photographer Monthly Awards 2026 | 31 Oct 2026 | Strict ban on AI-generated images |
| World Sports Photography Awards 2027 | 23 Nov 2026 | Strict ban on AI-generated images |
| Communication Arts Photography Competition 2027 | 12 Mar 2027 | Bans AI-generated images; editing tools allowed |
A rule that names no original-file check is not a promise that no one will look. The World Sports Photography Awards’ rules say shortlisted photographers “will then have two weeks to supply a high-res file of the image”, and that “the entrant may be contacted for clarification, in case the forensic experts have technical questions.”
What “ban” covers differs
The 16 bans do not draw the line in the same place:
- Bird Photographer of the Year bans AI tools for adjustments too: “The use of AI-based tools, for adjustments or image generation, is strictly prohibited in the competition, with the exception of Denoise and Sharpening tools.”
- Glanzlichter bans “the use of artificial intelligence” alongside further digital manipulation.
- International Landscape Photographer of the Year accepts AI for cleanup: “Using AI for e.g. noise reduction or minor retouching is acceptable.”
- The World Sports Photography Awards allow limited denoise and automatic adjustments, but call AI enlarging tools prohibited “as they introduce new information to the image.”
- Communication Arts draws its line at text-to-image: “we will not be accepting AI text-to-image generated submissions in our Photography competition.”
- Sony asks for disclosure: “where Entries are manipulated, the extent of which must be described in the image description section when submitting.”
None of the 22 records mentions C2PA or Content Credentials.
No AI rule at all
Six contests open this season publish no AI rule: Chromatic Photography Awards 2026 (25 October), Getxophoto 2027 Open Call (3 November), AAP Magazine #62: Travels (10 November), Monochrome Photography Awards 2026 (15 November), Annual Photography Awards 2026 (13 December) and Fine Art Photography Awards 2026–2027 (14 February). Silence on AI is not the same as permission: Monochrome accepts manipulation “within reason and taste”, and the Annual Photography Awards say “the integrity and subject matter must be kept”. If you plan to enter work made or changed with AI tools, ask the organiser first.
The live lists are contests that ban AI-generated images and contests that accept them. For a contest we don’t list, the Terms Check quotes its AI rule from the rules page.
Questions
Which photo contests ban AI-generated images in 2027?
In our verified records, 16 of the 22 contests open now or later this season, including Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2027, the Sony World Photography Awards 2027, Bird Photographer of the Year 2027 and the World Sports Photography Awards 2027.
Do photo contests check RAW files?
Of the 16 contests in our verified records that are open now or later this season and ban AI-generated images, 12 say they ask, or may ask, for RAW or original files: six ask entrants who reach the shortlist or the final, and six keep the right to ask.
Can I use AI noise reduction in a contest that bans AI images?
It depends on the contest. Bird Photographer of the Year allows only AI denoise and sharpening, International Landscape Photographer of the Year accepts AI noise reduction, and Glanzlichter bans any use of AI.
What happens if I can’t provide the RAW file?
At the Global Wildlife Fair awards you may send the original JPEG instead, and the entry is disqualified if you can provide neither; Ocean Art says an entry may be disqualified if an original RAW or JPEG cannot be provided.
Does any contest open now accept AI-generated images?
None of the 22 contests in our verified records that are open now or open later this season says in its terms that it accepts AI-generated images. Six publish no AI rule at all, so ask those organisers first.
Sources
The AI rules and original-file wording were checked against these organiser pages on 13 October 2026: Global Wildlife Fair, 1839 Awards, The Nature Photography Contest, Wildlife Photographer of the Year, Ocean Art, Bird Photographer of the Year, Glanzlichter, International Landscape Photographer of the Year, RPS IPE 168, World Food Photography Awards, Sony World Photography Awards, World Nature Photography Awards, World Street Photo Awards, The Independent Photographer, World Sports Photography Awards and Communication Arts. The other rules quoted come from our records, checked against the organisers’ pages between 11 and 13 October 2026.