Sony World Photography Awards 2027 – Single Image Competition

The Sony World Photography Awards 2027 are among the largest photography competitions in the world. Organised by the World Photography Organisation, the awards are made up of four competitions: Series (formerly Professional), Single Image (formerly Open), Student and Youth. All four are free to enter.

The Single Image competition is the most open of them. It judges each photograph on its own, rather than as part of a project, and it accepts entries from anyone, whatever their age or experience. You can enter up to three images for free, in ten categories from landscape and architecture to street photography and animal portraits.

Each category has a winner, and from among them the jury chooses the overall Single Image winner, who receives $5,000, Sony equipment and a trip to the awards ceremony in London. Shortlisted and winning photographs are published in the awards book and promoted to press around the world, which gives even shortlisted photographers a large international audience.

Who Can Enter the Sony World Photography Awards 2027?

The Single Image competition is open to everyone. Entrants under 16 need permission from a parent or guardian. Photographers can enter both the Single Image and the Series competitions in the same year, as long as they use different bodies of work.

It is particularly relevant to:

• Amateur and enthusiast photographers
• Professionals with a strong single frame
• Street, travel, landscape and nature photographers
• Students and young photographers
• Photographers who shoot with a phone as well as a camera

What Can You Enter?

Single images taken in 2026, in ten categories:

• Animal Portraits
• Architecture
• Creative
• Landscape
• Lifestyle
• Motion
• Natural World & Wildlife
• Portraiture
• Street Photography
• Travel

Full descriptions of each category are published on the official website. Read them before choosing, as some categories overlap.

The Other Competitions

• Series: projects of five to ten images, with a first prize of $25,000, a solo exhibition and Sony equipment; closes 12 January 2027
• Student: for photography students worldwide; closes 27 November 2026
• Youth: for photographers under 19; closes 5 January 2027

Entry Fees

Free for up to three images. Additional images can be entered with paid bundles.

What Do Selected Entrants Receive?

• Overall Single Image winner: $5,000, Sony digital imaging equipment, flights and accommodation for the London ceremony, a trophy and international press exposure
• Category winners: Sony equipment, a certificate, press exposure and publication in the awards book
• Shortlisted photographers (up to 15 per category): a certificate, press exposure and publication in the awards book

Submission Requirements

• JPEG files of 1 to 5 MB
• sRGB colour profile
• Photographs taken in 2026
• A title and short caption for each image

Important Rules

• Images may have been published before and may also be entered in other competitions.
• Editing and manipulation are allowed, but they must be disclosed when you submit.
• The same photographs cannot be used for both the Single Image and the Series competitions.
• Entrants under 16 need parental or guardian consent.

When Will Entrants Be Notified?

The Single Image jury judges the entries from 6 to 31 January 2027. The results are announced by April 2027, with the overall winner revealed at the ceremony in London.

Things to Consider

• Use your three free images well. Spread them across the categories where your work is strongest.
• Read the category descriptions. Animal Portraits and Natural World & Wildlife, or Lifestyle and Street Photography, can look similar; pick the one that best fits the picture.
• Single frames must stand alone. Choose pictures that tell a complete story without explanation.
• Disclose any editing. Manipulation is allowed only if you say so.
• Have a project too? The Series competition, which closes a week later, rewards bodies of work with a $25,000 first prize.
• Check the year. Only photographs taken in 2026 qualify for this edition.

Enter the Competition

Interested in submitting your work?

Enter the Sony World Photography Awards 2027

For the complete rules, category descriptions and the entry form, visit the official World Photography Organisation website.

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

Last verified: October 2, 2026