Photography Contest
Head On Photo Awards 2025
Deadline |
CLOSEDTheme |
Portrait, Landscape, ExposureTerritory |
WorldwideEligibility |
Open to allEntry Fees |
AUD $30/imagePrizes |
Cash PrizeHost |
Head On Photo FestivalSince 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.
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 #56 / SHADOWS
$1,000 cash prizes | Winning image(s) published in AAP Magazine #56 | Website feature and International Press
© Francesco Pace Rizzi
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 03/17/26
Be Featured in our April 2026 Online Juried Solo Exhibition!
ENDS 03/19/26
Our 56th printed issue of AAP Magazine will feature the best projects showcasing the theme "Shadows".
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 03/29/26
Be seen, be supported, and be part of Head On Photo Festival 2026.
ENDS 03/31/26
If you're a passionate amateur or professional photographer, we invite you to share your photographic project with us.
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 04/01/26
Creative Photo Awards is a project of Siena Awards, dedicated to rewarding originality, experimentation, and imagination by encouraging the creative use of the medium of photography in all its forms, including abstract and conceptual ideas.
ENDS 04/02/26
$10,000 project development grant for up to eight participants. Funds may be used in whatever way fellows see fit in order to expand and complete projects
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 04/30/26
The IPA recognizes photography’s leading talents who are creating, shaping and defining the world of photography today.
ENDS 05/07/26
The 2026 Virginia Prize, worth €10,000, will be awarded to its winner in November 2026.
ENDS 05/13/26
This prize, with a production budget of €25,000, is open to any new photographer or artist using photography, submitting a previously unpublished dummy book.
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 06/03/26
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 06/15/26
Submit your best photographs now and get your chance to be one of the winners awarded in Siena!
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.