Luis Ferreira Alves Photography Award 2026

The Luis Ferreira Alves Photography Award, subtitled A Contemporary Look at Architecture, is an international competition for architectural photography based in Porto, Portugal. Its second edition asks for a coherent series of 9 to 11 photographs interpreting a single building or a group of buildings, and the first prize is €10,000. The deadline is 1 January 2027 at 23:59 Portuguese time.

The biennial award honours the Portuguese photographer whose images of buildings by Álvaro Siza and Eduardo Souto de Moura, both Pritzker Prize winners, are known internationally. It is promoted by Porto City Council and the cultural association Cityscopio.

About the Photographer

The award's namesake bridged analogue and digital photography and built a close working relationship with Portuguese architects. His images are both documents of space and form and personal interpretations, shaped by a deep understanding of architecture as a discipline. The award looks for that same balance between objective record and individual point of view.

Who Can Enter the Luis Ferreira Alves Award?

Photographers of any nationality, alone or as a collective entering as one unit. Each participant may submit just one project. It is a good fit for:

• Architectural and interior photographers
• Documentary photographers interested in cities and places
• Architects who photograph
• Artists using experimental approaches to built space

Entry Fee

The official rules do not set an entry fee.

Prizes

• 1st prize: €10,000, sponsored by Robbialac
• 2nd prize: €4,000, sponsored by the "la Caixa" Foundation / BPI
• 3rd prize: a €1,500 voucher for photographic equipment
• Portuguese Emerging Photography Award: a €1,500 voucher, for Portuguese participants
• Exhibition and publication for the distinguished authors and finalists

Jury

The international jury is architect João Pedro Serôdio, curator and researcher Valeria Carullo, and photographer and architect Paolo Rosselli.

Submission Requirements

Submit through the award's page on the Picter platform. You will need a short biography, a project title, the year and place of creation, a project statement of up to 2,000 characters and 9 to 11 images, each with a title, year and place. Film and digital photographs are both accepted, in colour or black and white, delivered digitally without signatures, logos or watermarks. Standard post-production is fine, but generative AI and substantial alterations are not allowed, and images must not have won another competition. Finalists may be asked for TIFF files and colour proofs.

Judging

The jury looks at originality, technical and artistic quality, and how well the photographs work together as a visual story. Documentary, artistic and experimental approaches are all welcome, especially those exploring how buildings relate to their surroundings and the people who use them.

Tips for Entering

Treat the series as an essay rather than a portfolio of best shots: an establishing view, details, light at different times, people using the space. Choose a building you can return to. Make sure the statement explains what you saw in the architecture that others miss.

Who Was Luis Ferreira Alves?

The photographer Luis Ferreira Alves worked for decades with leading Portuguese architects, and his images helped introduce the architecture of Porto to an international audience. The award keeps his approach alive: careful observation, respect for the building and a personal reading of light, material and use.

Why Enter?

Architectural photography has few international awards with prizes of this size and no entry fee. The jury combines architecture, curating and photography, so work is read both as photography and as an interpretation of architecture. Finalists are included in the official exhibition and publication, a useful credit for photographers who work with architects and studios.

Things to Consider

• One project of 9 to 11 photographs.
• No generative AI.
• Deadline: 1 January 2027.

Enter the Award

Ready to submit your architecture series?

Enter the Luis Ferreira Alves Photography Award

Full terms, the jury and the entry link are on the official award website.

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

Last verified: November 2, 2026