№ 03 · The journal
Filed under deadlines. 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.
Eleven photo competitions close between now and the end of August, and five of them land in a single 30 June–1 July cluster. Here they are in deadline order — free or paid, and crucially, what each one will and won't allow you to do to the file. They span the whole AI spectrum, from absolute ban to AI-welcome, which is exactly where most entrants get disqualified without realising.
Most photographers reading this have spent €30–€80 on contests their photograph didn't fit. The fix isn't to stop entering — it's to enter only the contests that match the work and either cost nothing or earn their fee. Here are the eight free-entry photography contests in 2026 worth knowing, ranked by what each jury actually rewards.
Free bonus on signup: the 2026 Photo Contest Yearbook PDF — 22 contests classified, deadlines, fees, AI policies decoded.
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