Photography Contest

Head On Photo Awards 2025

Head On Photo Awards 2025

Deadline |

CLOSED

Theme |

Portrait, Landscape, Exposure

Territory |

Worldwide

Eligibility |

Open to all

Entry Fees |

AUD $30/image

Prizes |

Cash Prize
Since 2004 we have helped photographers worldwide to create, exhibit and inspire, awarding over $930,000 in cash and prizes.
The Head On Photo Awards represent a global selection of the best work from emerging and established photographers across three categories: Portrait | Landscape | Exposure

The Head On Portrait, Landscape and Exposure Awards are open INTERNATIONALLY to photographers of all levels.

Judged without artists’ names to ensure equal opportunity
$75,000 prize pool – cash and product
One overall winner and two runners-up per category
100 finalists
200 semi-finalists shown in a digital exhibition
Featured exhibition of all finalists’ works in Head On Photo Festival 2025 in print and online
Inclusion in the Head On Photo Awards 2025 hard-cover catalogue

The Head On Photo Awards puts your photos on the world stage!

EXPOSURE AWARDS
The Head On Exposure Awards reveal new perspectives. Photographers are invited to unleash their creativity and submit their most important work, of any genre, style, technique, or medium, beyond the portrait and lLandscape categories
Entries may be of any subject and may fit into any field of photography such as fine art, fashion, wildlife, street, food, sports, still life, pet, travel, architecture, advertising and more. Portraits and landscapes should be entered in their respective categories.
20 finalists
1 winner
1 Australian runner-up
1 international runner-up

The overall winner will receive
AUD$5,000 cash
Camera kit – OM-1 Mark II + 12-100mm F4.0 IS PRO RRP AUD$5,898

Portrait Awards
The image must feature or reflect the essence of a person or group of people and must be photographed by the Applicant. Group portraits, self-portraits and collages are accepted. We encourage all photographic styles and interpretations of photographic portraiture.
40 finalists
1 winner
1 Australian runner-up
1 international runner-up
The overall winner will receive
AUD$5,000 cash
Camera kit – OM-1 Mark II + 45mm F1.2 Pro RRP AUD$5,698

Landscape Awards
Our approach to ‘landscape’ is very broad and encompasses ‘large vista’ images of the natural environment (land or sea), urban or industrial settings. It may include people, but these should be ‘incidental’ rather than the main subject matter. We encourage all photographic styles and interpretations of ‘landscape’.
40 finalists
1 winner
1 Australian runner-up
1 international runner-up

The overall winner will receive
AUD$5,000 cash
Camera kit – OM-1 Mark II + 7-14mm F2.8 Pro RRP AUD$5,798

The Head On Photo Awards 2025 winners share an incredible prize pool in excess of $75,000, including $15,000 in cash. All finalists have their work exhibited in print and online in Head On Photo Festival 2025!

Winners will be announced in November at the Festival Launch in Sydney.
Benefits for all finalists (all categories)
their printed image will be included in the ever-popular Finalists exhibition at Head On Photo Festival 2025
inclusion in the Head On Photo Awards 2025 book publication at no additional cost
a dedicated webpage on headon.org.au
Head On pursues further exhibition/publication opportunities

SEMI-FINALISTS
200 semi-finalists will have their work presented in a rolling slideshow situated at a major festival venue.

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 2025

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 2025 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!

ENDS 02/15/26
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ENDS 02/19/26
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ENDS 02/28/26
If you're a passionate amateur or professional photographer, we invite you to share your photographic project with us.
ENDS 02/28/26
Guest Room aims to spark collaboration.
ENDS 02/28/26
Win a Hasselblad X2D II 100C, two XCD lenses of choice, €5,000 and the coveted Hasselblad Masters title.
ENDS 03/01/26
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.
ENDS 03/02/26
A $5,000 production grant will be provided at the beginning of the fellowship to cover costs associated with the production, completion, and distribution of the NYC-based project.
ENDS 03/02/26
The biennial Belfast Photo Festival provided the perfect platform for gaining exposure to an international audience, with previous editions having welcome over 100,000 visitors from all over the world
ENDS 03/03/26
Our 55th printed issue of AAP Magazine will feature the best projects showcasing the theme "Women".
ENDS 03/04/26
Earth Photo 2026 is now open for entries, inviting photographers and filmmakers of all ages, working anywhere in the world, to submit compelling visual stories about our planet.
ENDS 03/04/26
BUDAPEST INTERNATIONAL FOTO AWARDS is an international platform for photographers from all levels and genres to share their best images with the creative community in Hungary and Eastern Europe.
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 03/21/26
The FORMAT Portfolio Review is returning in 2026. It will take place online on Friday 20 and Saturday 21 March.
ENDS 03/31/26
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 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 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.