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US · Nominal entry · 2026 · verified

1839 Awards — Photographer of the Year 2026

1839 Awards 1839awards.com ↗

Closes Sep 16, 2026 · D − 25
Top prize $5.0K grand prize
Fee Nominal from 30 USD
AI policy No AI RAW required, no edits
Categories 5 5 single · 0 portfolio

Worth entering? $5.0K top prize against 30 USD per entry. The jury read and the rights terms below are what decide it — not the prize math. Jury read ↓ · Rights & disqualifiers ↓

Submit-Safe · before you pay the entry fee Read the fine print

Read the fine print first — 1839 Awards — Photographer of the Year 2026 has 3 hard disqualifiers and demanding rights terms.

What this contest takes

Standard terms — you keep copyright and full control; the licence is limited to promoting the contest.

  • Non-exclusive licence for 1839 Awards to use entered images to promote the awards and the online exhibition, with credit.
  • Duration: Promotional use around the awards cycle.
  • You keep your copyright
  • Credited when used

What disqualifies you

AI-generated or AI-rendered content is disqualified — and RAW files can be demanded to prove it.

  • Copyright ownership Entrant must be the photographer and copyright holder. “Submitted work must be the original creation of the entrant.”
  • Ai generation AI-generated images are not admissible in any 1839 Awards contest; original files may be requested as proof. “AI-generated images are not admissible in any 1839 Awards contest.”
Closes Sep 16, 2026 · D−25 From 30 USD per image Upload spec: Files: JPGMin 1200px long edgeUnder 10 MBsRGB colour profileNo watermarks
Check your photo against these exact rules — free → No account · reads the editing line, the AI clause and the file spec · rules human-verified
№ 02 · The editorial read

What this jury looks for

A US juried award with museum and gallery jurors, spanning 22 categories from Portrait and Street to Conceptual, Abstract and Fine Art. Rewards a resolved, gallery-grade single image with a clear point of view. Reserves the right to request original files. Stated priorities: visual_voice > resolved_frame > concept. Looks for: gallery_grad…

The full editorial read continues with past-winner pattern, fee-to-prize value, rights translated, and three comparable competitions. Studio reads the rest.

See Studio — €11/mo → Or one-shot read for €14 →

Categories

Portrait

Single

Single-subject and environmental portraiture.

Street

Single

Candid public-space photography.

Fine Art

Single

Fine-art and authored imagery.

Conceptual

Single

Idea-led and staged conceptual work.

Documentary

Single

Reportage and documentary single images.

F Format requirements 1 spec

a1839_standard

  • File types: jpg
  • Min long edge: 1200px
  • Min size: 0.5 MB
  • Max size: 10.0 MB
  • Color profile: sRGB
  • No watermarks
E Eligibility 2 rules
  • Entrant must be the photographer and copyright holder. hard

    “Submitted work must be the original creation of the entrant.”

  • AI-generated images are not admissible in any 1839 Awards contest; original files may be requested as proof. hard

    “AI-generated images are not admissible in any 1839 Awards contest.”

Jury context

A US juried award with museum and gallery jurors, spanning 22 categories from Portrait and Street to Conceptual, Abstract and Fine Art. Rewards a resolved, gallery-grade single image with a clear point of view. Reserves the right to request original files.

Priorities: visual voice resolved frame concept craft originality

Tone: gallery grade authored considered contemporary distinctive

Avoid: generative snapshot derivative over processed cliched

Prizes

Photographer of the Year title plus category awards; winners featured in the online exhibition and promotion. Cash and prize package for the overall winner.

Exhibition Publication

R Rights & licensing what you grant the organizer
What you grant
Non-exclusive licence for 1839 Awards to use entered images to promote the awards and the online exhibition, with credit.
Duration
Promotional use around the awards cycle.
Exclusivity
none
Attribution
Required
Copyright retained by photographer
Yes

Before you enter — quick answers

Is 1839 Awards — Photographer of the Year 2026 free to enter?
1839 Awards — Photographer of the Year 2026 is not free: 30 USD. Check the organizer's page for per-category pricing.
Are AI-generated images allowed in 1839 Awards — Photographer of the Year 2026?
No. 1839 Awards — Photographer of the Year 2026 does not permit AI-generated images — entries must be photographs, and AI image generators are prohibited.
When is the 1839 Awards — Photographer of the Year 2026 deadline?
1839 Awards — Photographer of the Year 2026 closes on Sep 16, 2026 (in 25 days).
How do I know if my photo is eligible for 1839 Awards — Photographer of the Year 2026?
Read your photograph against 1839 Awards — Photographer of the Year 2026's published rules — the editing line, the AI clause, and the file requirements — free and without an account with WinPhoto's eligibility check. It tells you whether your image is eligible before you pay the entry fee.