iPhone Photography Awards 2027

The iPhone Photography Awards, known as IPPAWARDS, are the longest-running competition for photographs taken on a phone. They were founded in 2007, the year the first iPhone was released, and have since received entries from photographers in more than 140 countries. The 2027 edition is the competition's twentieth.

The idea is simple: every photograph must be taken with an iPhone or iPad. Beyond that, the competition is open to everyone, from people who have never entered a photo contest to professionals who use their phone as a serious camera. Twelve categories cover subjects from landscapes and architecture to children, animals and abstract images, and there is a Series category for three related photographs.

Over two decades, IPPAWARDS has shown how far phone photography has come. Many winning images are quiet, everyday scenes seen in a fresh way, which makes the competition approachable for anyone who carries their camera in their pocket.

Who Can Enter the iPhone Photography Awards 2027?

Photographers of every nationality and level, amateur or professional, who take their pictures with an iPhone or iPad. Entrants must own all rights to their images. Previous major IPPAWARDS winners cannot enter again.

It is particularly relevant to:

• Mobile and street photographers
• Travel photographers who shoot on the phone
• Creatives who use the phone as their main camera
• Beginners looking for an affordable international competition

What Can You Enter?

Photographs taken with any iPhone or iPad, in twelve categories:

• Abstract
• Animals
• Architecture
• Children
• Citylife / Cityscape
• Landscape
• Lifestyle
• Nature
• People
• Portrait
• Series
• Other

A Series entry must contain exactly three images that belong together.

Entry Fees

Fees fall as you enter more images:

• 1 entry: $9.50
• 3 entries: $15.50
• 5 entries: $25.50
• 10 entries: $55.50
• 15 entries: $65.50
• 20 entries: $75.50
• 25 entries: $95.50
• 50 entries: $150.50

What Do Selected Entrants Receive?

• Grand Prize and Photographer of the Year: first, second and third place titles
• Category winners: a gold bar for first place, and platinum bars for second and third place
• Certificates for the top three in every category
• Honourable mentions at the judges' discretion
• Publication in the online winners' gallery

Submission Requirements

File Specifications

• JPEG or HEIC
• At least 1,080 pixels on the longest side
• Up to 25 MB per image
• Keep the original metadata where possible

Entries are made online through the IPPAWARDS entry page.

Important Rules

• Every photograph must be taken with an iPhone or iPad; DSLR and mirrorless cameras are not allowed.
• iOS editing apps and add-on lenses for the iPhone are allowed.
• The official entry page asks that photos are not edited in desktop software such as Photoshop; composites and heavy manipulation should not be entered.
• Photos must not have been published before, except on your personal social media accounts.
• Copyright remains with the photographer; IPPAWARDS may use winning images, with credit, for marketing and exhibitions.

When Will Entrants Be Notified?

All winners are announced online 16 to 20 weeks after the final deadline, which means between mid-July and mid-August 2027. Top category winners are contacted before the public announcement.

Things to Consider

• Edit on the device. Use the Photos app and iOS editing apps; avoid desktop software and heavy manipulation.
• Use the Series category. Three connected images let you tell a story that a single frame cannot.
• Bundles save money. Five images cost $25.50, about half the single-entry price per photo.
• Check the publication rule. Posts on your own social media are fine; publication in magazines or on commercial sites is not.
• Choose categories with care. People, Portrait and Lifestyle overlap; pick the one that best matches the main subject.
• Keep your originals. Store the original files on your device in case the organisers ask to check them.

Enter the Competition

Interested in submitting your work?

Enter the iPhone Photography Awards 2027

For the complete rules, past winners and the entry form, visit the official IPPAWARDS website.

Looking for more open calls? Browse all competitions and opportunities on Good Stuff Weekly.

Last verified: October 2, 2026