№ 03 · The journal
Filed under 2027. All entries →
A complete, current list of the major photography competitions open for entry as of June 2026 — eighteen of them, from contests closing this month to the big 2027 names that just opened. For each: the deadline, whether it's free or paid, and the one rule that disqualifies more entrants than any other — what it lets you do to the file. Updated as deadlines pass.
The Sony World Photography Awards — the largest photography competition on earth, 400,000+ entries a cycle — opened its 2027 edition on 1 June. Entry is free, the title is the most prestigious in the medium, and the single biggest mistake entrants make happens before they upload a frame: choosing the wrong track. A close read of what the Professional and Open juries actually reward, where the AI line sits, and how to decide which competition you're really entering.
For its 20th edition, Sony renamed its two main competitions — Professional is now Series, Open is now Single Image — and, for the first time, you can enter both (the work just has to differ). So the question is no longer 'which one do I choose.' It's 'which of my photographs belongs where.' Series rewards a cohesive 5–10 image body of work; Single Image rewards one frame that stops you. Here's how to place each photo where it actually wins.
Free bonus on signup: the 2026 Photo Contest Yearbook PDF — 22 contests classified, deadlines, fees, AI policies decoded.
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