Photography Foundation Awards 2026

The Photography Foundation Awards are an annual photography competition run by the Photography Foundation, a UK charity. The 2026 awards opened on 26 October and close at 11:59 pm GMT on 31 December 2026. Your first image is free, and further images cost £8 each. The overall winner receives a £2,000 Leica prize, and selected work is exhibited at Leica London. Only images taken during 2026 can be entered.

Categories at the Photography Foundation Awards

The awards cover a wide range of photography, including:

• Black & White
• Landscapes, both urban and nature
• Music
• Portraits & People
• Social Documentary
• Street
• Wedding

There are further categories on the awards website, so check the full list before you choose where to enter.

Who Can Enter the Photography Foundation Awards?

The awards are open to photographers aged 18 and over from any country, amateur and professional. Every image must have been taken during 2026, which makes this a good way to look back over your year's work.

Prizes and Exhibition

The overall winner receives a £2,000 Leica prize. Category winners are recognised as well, and selected images are shown in an exhibition at Leica London. An exhibition in a respected photography venue is a valuable credential for any photographer.

Entry Fees

Your first image is free. Each further image costs £8. Because the first entry costs nothing, there is no reason not to enter your single best photograph of the year. If you have several strong images in different categories, enter those too.

Why Enter the Photography Foundation Awards?

The free first entry, a Leica prize and a London exhibition make these awards an accessible choice. Being run by a charity also means the awards exist to support photography and photographers. The 2026-only rule keeps the competition fresh, so photographers are judged on recent work.

Reviewing Your Year

Go back through everything you photographed in 2026 and make a shortlist. Look for images with a clear subject, strong light and a feeling or story that lasts. Compare them side by side and be strict: one excellent image is better than several good ones.

Choosing the Right Category

Read the category descriptions before you enter. A portrait taken on the street could fit Street or Portraits & People; put it where it is strongest. For Social Documentary, a short caption explaining the context can help the judges understand the image.

Preparing Your Files

Export in the format and size the awards ask for, in sRGB. Keep your original files and metadata, as finalists may be asked to prove when an image was taken. Make sure you have permission from recognisable people where it is needed.

Using the Free Entry Well

Many photographers will only enter their free image, so make it count. Choose the photograph that you believe is strongest overall, then pick the category where it fits most naturally. If you are unsure between two images, show both to a few people whose judgement you trust and see which one they remember the next day.

About the Exhibition

Selected photographs will be shown at Leica London. If your work is selected, you will be contacted about print files and details. Keep your high-resolution originals safe and make sure they match the image you entered, as exhibition prints are made from your files.

Things to Consider

• First image free, then £8 each.
• Images from 2026 only.
• Age 18 and over.
• Deadline: 31 December 2026.

Enter the Awards

Ready to put your 2026 photographs in front of the jury?

Enter the Photography Foundation Awards

Categories, terms and fees are on the Photography Foundation Awards website.

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

Last verified: November 7, 2026