Entries open for the Through Southern Lenses Photography Award

The Through Southern Lenses Photography Award celebrates photographers from developing countries who visually document climate change, ecosystem transformations, and human resilience. With a focus on glaciers, deserts, and the impacts of climate on communities, the award offers a $20,000 prize for the best photo essay, highlighting stories without textual explanation. Submissions close before March 9, 2026, with strict rules on originality, consent, and AI-free photography.

The Through Southern Lenses Photography Award is a unique international competition designed to showcase the scientific achievements and environmental challenges faced by developing nations through photography. The award emphasizes the role of visual storytelling in highlighting climate, ecological, and human adaptation issues.

Objectives and Themes

The award encourages photographers to explore:

• Glaciers and Deserts: Contrasting water and aridity, ice and sand, resilience and transformation

• Climate Change Impacts: Shifting ecosystems and community adaptation

• Human and Ecological Resilience: Vulnerabilities, survival strategies, and local innovation

• Interconnected Environments: Showing links between climate, ecosystems, and human adaptation in developing countries

The program emphasizes visual storytelling, highlighting both environmental extremes and community responses to climate pressures.

Who Is Eligible?

• Individuals or groups of photographers

• All authors must be from developing countries in the global South

• Submissions must consist of original photographs produced within the last five years

• Joint submissions must ensure no author appears in more than one photo essay

Award and Recognition

• Prize: $20,000 for the best photo essay

• Recognition across FCW and TWAS platforms

• Potential for exhibition or publication with adaptations for sequencing and display

• Compliance with UNESCO principles on personal data protection

Submission Requirements

Participants must submit:

1. A Photo Essay of 10 photographs narrating environmental and societal transformations without text

2. Proof of production date for all images

3. Consent forms for identifiable individuals in the photos

4. Submission exclusively via the official award website

Rules and Guidelines:

• No AI-generated or manipulated images allowed

• Only one entry per photographer or group

• Incorrect or incomplete submissions will be disqualified

• Selected photographers must provide high-resolution files after announcement

Key Evaluation Criteria

• Technical quality and composition

• Aesthetic value and originality

• Coherence and strength of visual storytelling

• Cultural relevance and environmental context

Timeline

• Submission Deadline: Before March 9, 2026

• Result Announcement: March 9, 2026

• Publication and Exhibition: Selected photo essays may be adapted for display and dissemination

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Submitting AI-generated or heavily manipulated images

• Missing consent for identifiable individuals

• Exceeding the 10-photo limit

• Multiple entries from the same author in group submissions

• Failing to provide proof of production date

How to Apply / What to Do

1. Verify eligibility as an individual or group from a developing country in the global South

2. Prepare a cohesive photo essay of 10 images reflecting the themes

3. Ensure all identifiable individuals have signed consent forms

4. Confirm all images are AI-free and original

5. Submit via the official award portal

6. Retain high-resolution files for post-selection use

FAQ

Who can submit to the award?
Photographers from developing countries in the global South, individually or as groups.

How many images are required?
Exactly 10 photographs per photo essay.

Are AI-generated images allowed?
No, all submissions must be original and free from AI generation or manipulation.

Can multiple authors submit more than one entry?
No, each author can appear in only one submission.

What is the prize amount?
$20,000 for the winning photo essay.

When will winners be announced?
March 9, 2026, on the official FCW and TWAS platforms.

Do I need consent from people in my photos?
Yes, all identifiable individuals must provide signed consent forms.

Conclusion

The Through Southern Lenses Photography Award offers photographers from developing nations a platform to visually communicate the urgent challenges and resilience of communities facing climate change. With strict rules on originality, consent, and narrative coherence, the competition emphasizes impactful storytelling while providing international recognition and a substantial prize to the winner.