Photography Contest

People 2026 Grid Photo Gallery

Deadline |

03/15/26

Theme |

People

Territory |

Worldwide

Eligibility |

Open to all

Entry Fees |

7 Euros

Prizes |

Exhibition
People 2026 at Grid Photo Gallery is an international open call that invites photographers from around the world to submit compelling work that engages with the human figure in all its visual and conceptual richness. With no prescribed style, process, or narrative framework, the theme People embraces a broad spectrum of photographic approaches — including portraiture, documentary, street photography, photojournalism, and studio-based work — wherever the human presence is expressed through gesture, composition, context, or relationship within the frame.

Rather than defining “people” through a single visual or conceptual lens, this call celebrates diversity of interpretation and expression. Submissions should reflect each photographer’s individual approach to depicting human presence — posed or candid, singular or collective, observed or imagined — in ways that reveal clarity of intent and visual coherence. A curated selection of chosen works will be presented in a global online exhibition accessible worldwide. Photographers are invited to share images that contribute to a nuanced dialogue around people and presence, showing how meaning emerges through visual decisions whether in narrative, gesture, structure, or abstraction.

Prizes:
Selected photographs will be displayed in an online exhibition at Grid Photo Gallery. In addition to this:

1st Place (“Photographer of the Month”):
Featured prominently in our virtual exhibition
Profile interview published on Grid Photo Gallery
Priority placement on promotional banners and posters
One free entry in the next open call

2nd & 3rd Places:
Highlighted in the virtual exhibition

All Selected Entries:
Displayed in our main-page exhibition for at least one month, then kept online permanently
Promoted via our social-media channels
Digital certificate of participation
Personal profile page on our platform, including a link to your website

Selected works will be published in a printed catalog available for purchase.

Featured Photo Contest

AAP Magazine #55/Women

$1,000 cash prizes | Winning image(s) published in AAP Magazine #55 | Extensive press coverage and global recognition

Best Photography Contests in 2024

Each year, there are hundreds of photography competitions all over the world, so we've decided to select for you the best of the best! Our selection of the best photo contests in 2024 is thoroughly curated to help you, whether you are a professional photographer or an amateur, to help find your next creative breakthrough. These all-star competitions offer the greatest opportunities for international exposure and/or incredible financial benefits. Some of them are closing soon, so get your photo submissions in!

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Full Tuition, a Leica camera system on loan for the academic year and an opportunity to present their work at the Leica Store in New York City’s Meatpacking District.
ENDS 03/01/26
The prize fund totals more than €5,000, of which €1,500 are reserved for the Main category first place winner.
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ENDS 03/03/26
Our 55th printed issue of AAP Magazine will feature the best projects showcasing the theme "Women".
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ENDS 03/04/26
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ENDS 03/08/26
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ENDS 03/13/26
The 28th edition of the PICTO Fashion Photography Award holds a special significance for the PICTO Foundation.
ENDS 03/15/26
‘On the Block’ celebrates the unposed, unfiltered, and fleeting moments that define the art of documenting everyday life, whether in dense urban streets or sleepy rural towns.
ENDS 03/17/26
Be Featured in our April 2026 Online Juried Solo Exhibition!
ENDS 03/21/26
The FORMAT Portfolio Review is returning in 2026. It will take place online on Friday 20 and Saturday 21 March.
ENDS 03/31/26
Selected photobooks will be featured in Der Greif’s Articles section, including a dedicated editorial feature highlighting the project, its context, and the maker(s).
ENDS 03/31/26
Entries are open worldwide to photographers using an iPhone or iPad. Photos should not be published previously anywhere. The posts on personal accounts (Facebook, Instagram etc.) are eligible.
ENDS 04/12/26
The winner will receive a grant of $14,000 for a solo exhibition
ENDS 04/16/26
Emerging Photographers (under 30 year old ) 2 X $ 5000 grants.
ENDS 04/16/26
The main grant is open to professional photographers worldwide, one $30,000. grant
ENDS 05/07/26
The 2026 Virginia Prize, worth €10,000, will be awarded to its winner in November 2026.
ENDS 05/17/26
MonoVisions Photography Awards are an international open call for photographers using black and white medium to express their visual language.
ENDS 05/31/26
This season will feature five main categories, with ‘Family’ serving as the primary theme.
ENDS 06/15/26
Submit your best photographs now and get your chance to be one of the winners awarded in Siena!
ENDS 06/30/26
The IPA recognizes photography’s leading talents who are creating, shaping and defining the world of photography today.
ENDS 07/22/26
Submit your best work to our photo competition for a chance to win up to $11,500 in cash prizes, be selected by our curators for the PX3 exhibition in Paris and inclusion in the Annual PX3 book.