WHAT IS AN ENTRY?
An entry consists of one photo, a photo series or video link, in addition to an entry fee and completed data fields.
WHAT IS A PHOTO SERIES?
A photo series includes two to six images that convey a story around a particular theme.
SHOULD I WATERMARK MY IMAGES
No, we will appropriately credit all winning photographers.
IN WHICH CATEGORY SHOULD I ENTER MY WORK?
COMMERCIAL
Commercial is open to all commissioned advertising campaigns (print, live event, digital). Personal advertising concepts should be entered in the Personal category. Commercial includes corporate work such as annual reports, catalogs, calendars, promotional stills for motion pictures, marketing work and non-profit commissions for corporate brands. Advertisements with design layouts must be approved by the agency for contest submission.
MAGAZINE/EDITORIAL
Open to all commissioned magazine and editorial work. Personal work in the style of editorial photography should be entered in the Personal category. Please do not submit tear sheets.
PHOTO BOOKS
Mail-in entry and digital upload required. For mail-in information, please see, "Are mail-in entries allowed?" in the FAQ section. Self-published books are welcome. Photo books should be entered as a "series" so that the cover and multiple layouts may be considered.
PHOTOJOURNALISM/DOCUMENTARY
Open to all published photojournalism and documentary projects, in addition to personal documentary projects.
SELF-PROMO/WEBSITES
Self-promo is open to online and print promotions, as well as photography website design. Please select single entries for screenshots of websites (judges will visit your URL). For multi-page print promos, please select a series entry to upload multiple layouts and mail in print entries if applicable. Please see the FAQ "Are mail-in entries allowed?" for mail-in information.
PERSONAL
Open to all personal photography projects.
STOCK PHOTOGRAPHY
All stock submissions must be currently licensed by stock agencies and approved by the agency for contest submission.
VIDEO/MULTIMEDIA
Videos, short films and multimedia presentations must be hosted on a third-party site, such as Vimeo; entries will include a URL to the work. Single entry only.
STUDENT WORK
The student category is open to all types of still photography produced at an undergraduate or graduate level (must be 18 or older to enter). Recent graduates may submit work produced before graduation, permitting it was created between February 2019–June 2020.
HOW ARE THE ENTRIES JUDGED?
Winners will be selected by a panel of judges selected by PHOTOPLUS. Judging is subjective, however, we have a few simple guidelines for putting together your entry.
If you are entering a single image, make sure it's strong on its own. You may choose to also enter it as part of a series, but as a single, it should relay the story, moment or concept you want to convey.
If you are entering a series, make your series cohesive. If it is not from the same photographic series or project, a visual relationship that ties the imagery together is key. Judges will be making decisions based on the strength of the series as a whole. Make a careful edit of your images and order them the way you want them to be viewed.
Trust your instincts, but also ask the advice of those you trust. Sometimes you need another opinion to improve your edit. Ask someone with a good eye, be it another artist, your rep or a creative who has experience in the field.
IS THERE A LIMIT TO THE NUMBER OF ENTRIES THAT I CAN ENTER?
No, you may enter as many entries as you like.
WHAT FORMAT SHOULD I SAVE MY DIGITAL IMAGES?
Please submit images that are suitable for printing. Format images at 11"x17" and 300 dpi, with either Adobe 1998, sRGB or Untagged color profiles. Images should be between 3,300 and 8,000 pixels on the longest side.
CAN I ENTER IF I LIVE OUTSIDE OF THE U.S.?
Please refer to the rules for the list of eligible countries.
MAY I SUBMIT WORK THAT WAS CREATED BEFORE 2018-2019?
To qualify, photographs must be taken, published or produced between February 2019 and June 2020. Ongoing or in-progress projects that contain older images are also allowed. Students who have recently graduated may submit work in the student category, as long as the images were produced before graduation and within the dates listed above.
WILL MY IMAGES BE SOLD?
No. You retain copyright to your photograph and the Sponsors may not sell your photo entry for a fee. All entries may be posted online so that viewers may view all competing entries. And winning entries may be used in connection with the Contest and promotion of the Contest for a period of 24 months from the date winners are notified.
ARE MAIL-IN ENTRIES ALLOWED?
Mailed submissions are accepted only for the PHOTO BOOKS and relevant SELF-PROMO/WEBSITES category. For mailed submissions, register on the website first and pay your entry fee. Include your e-mail address (your thephotoannual.com registered user) and contact information with the package. For PHOTO BOOK submissions, you must upload the book cover and up to 5 interior images or layouts saved in JPEG format. Please fill out ALL the caption and credit criteria that apply to the book.
Submitted materials will not be returned. All books must be received by the final deadline (August 20, 2020).
The mailing address for Photo Book and Self-Promo submissions (please note new address):
Photo Annual Awards
c/o Moneer Masih-Tehrani
100 Broadway, 14th floor
New York, NY 10005 USA
WHEN WILL THE WINNERS BE ANNOUNCED?
Winners will be contacted in October 2020. Please do not call or e-mail us about the status of your entries.
DO YOU STILL HAVE QUESTIONS?