Deadline: 10-Jan-23
Applications are now open for the annual World Press Photo Contest to recognize and celebrates the best photojournalism and documentary photography produced over the last year.
Categories
- Each region has four format-based categories: Singles, Stories, Long-Term Projects and Open Format.
- These categories welcome entries that witness or document news moments, events and/or aftermaths, as well as social, political and environmental issues or solutions.
- These format-based categories encompass all thematic categories from previous contests – such as general news, spot news, contemporary issues, environment, nature, sports, portraits – therefore entries on a wide range of themes may be submitted to the appropriate format-based category.
- Singles
- Single frame photographs.
- All singles must have been shot in 2022.
- All singles will be eligible for the World Press Photo of the Year.
- Stories
- Stories can contain between 4 and 10 single frame photographs.
- All photographs entered into the stories category must have been shot in 2021 or 2022. At least four photographs in a story must have been shot in 2022.
- All stories will be eligible for the World Press Story of the Year.
- Long-Term Projects
- Projects on a single theme containing between 24-30 single frame photographs.
- An entry must contain photographs from at least three different years, and a minimum of six photographs must have been shot in 2022.
- All projects will be eligible for the World Press Photo Long-Term Project Award.
- Open Format
- The Open Format category welcomes visual journalism with photography at its core, that may use a range and/or mixture of storytelling approaches and/or photographic methods. Open Format is open to the following types of projects: photo stories, using methods or techniques such as (but not limited to) polyptychs, multiple exposures, photographic collages, alternative or experimental image processing; short photo-based videos of up to 15 minutes; and photo-centered web-based projects.
- The main visual content of the project must be still photography.
- Entries in this category must have been produced or first published in 2022.
- Entrants must indicate the type of project and include a description of what processes and methods were used in the production of the project, as well as providing information about the intention behind the project and chosen approach.
- All projects that include text elements must have English-language text available. In the case of video, entries must have English-language audio or include English subtitles.
- Entries of web-based projects must include the URL to the project itself as well as a screener of 1 minute.
- Entries in this category must be available via the contest platform Picter. Video files, including screeners, must be uploaded directly into Picter. The jury will only consider the content of entries as presented to them via Picter.
- All projects will be eligible for the World Press Photo Open Format Award.
Award Information
- Regional winners
- Every regional winner of the contest receives:
- A monetary prize of €1,000
- Inclusion in the annual World Press Photo year-long worldwide exhibition
- Inclusion in the annual collectible yearbook, available in multiple languages with a worldwide distribution of more than 30,000 copies
- Publication in the online collection and a personal profile on World Press Photo’s website
- Promotion on World Press Photo’s platforms
- Invitation to a winners’ event
- A physical award
- In addition, winners are often featured in major publications and invited to speak at public events, exhibition openings, and lectures throughout the year.
- 24 regional winners will be awarded, one per category (Singles, Stories, Long-Term Projects and Open Format) per region (Africa, Asia, Europe, North and Central America, South America, and Southeast Asia and Oceania). Read more about the categories and regions.
- Global winners
- A global jury selects the four global winners: the World Press Photo of the Year, the World Press Photo Story of the Year, the World Press Photo Long-Term Project Award, and the World Press Photo Open Format Award. The global winners will be chosen from the regional winners in their respective categories.
- In addition to their regional prizes, global winners will also receive:
- An additional monetary prize of €5,000
- An additional physical award
Eligibility Criteria
- The World Press Photo contest is open to professional photographers working in the field of journalism and/or documentary photography. Every entrant needs to provide a document with a valid date that confirms their current professional status. Examples of documents include, but are not limited to:
- Press card, stating you are working as a photographer;
- At least 1 proof of publication (for example a tearsheet) from 2021 or 2022, with your name visible as credit, in either online or print format from a recognized media organization or publication;
- Journalism union membership card;
- Membership document from a recognized photographic association that shows the photographer is a professional member;
- A recent letter of reference (must be from 2021 or 2022) from a photo agency, photo editor, media organization or publication, stating you have worked for them as a photographer;
- If you are not able to provide proof that meets the criteria, you may register with alternative (multiple) documents so that they can gain a better understanding of your professional status.
- The organization reserves the right to ask for additional information to help clarify the entrant’s professional status.
- Team entries of two or more photographers are allowed. Proof of professional status must be provided for each team member.
- The photographer(s) must be the author(s) of the photographs submitted in their name.
- The photographer(s), agent or representative entering on their behalf, must be the copyright holder(s) or have been authorized by the copyright holder(s) to submit the photographs.
- Entries must comply with the categories, as described here.
- Entries must meet the technical requirements.
- Photographs can be submitted whether or not they have been published.
- Photographs taken at restricted events are not accepted (i.e. events where only photographers commissioned by those organizing the event have access, for example photographers commissioned by governments, political parties or corporations).
- All entries must have accurate captions and descriptions, written in English. If the captions have been translated, please also provide the original caption. Captions must contain all the information described in the guidance on captions.
- Each entry must include relevant additional information, such as motivation, the type of project (assignment/personal project) and funding.
- All entries must comply with the World Press Photo code of ethics. Read the code of ethics.
- Entries can only be submitted via Picter, the official contest entry platform.
- Members of the World Press Photo staff, Supervisory Board, International Advisory Committee and 2023 Contest jury are not permitted to enter the 2023 Contest.
Judging Process
- Whilst the jury is independent of World Press Photo, the organization provides some criteria to guide and support the jury in the judging process. The organization sets these criteria in order to ensure the selection of accurate and visually compelling photojournalism and documentary photography of the past year, that work towards the organization’s mission of connecting the world to the stories that matter.
- Without restricting the jury in their deliberations, they ask the jury to consider the following criteria during judging:
- Visual quality: this can include creativity, technical skill and visual style, and the edit of the story (where relevant)
- Story: this refers to the story and/or issues covered in the photographs, its relevance or significance, and the way in which the photographer has chosen to approach the story
- Representation: this refers to the importance of awarding a diverse range of stories and photographers
- The organization recognizes that the jury comprises a diverse group of industry experts who each bring relevant knowledge of their regions and insight into different aspects of photojournalism and documentary photography. Therefore whilst the organization sets these criteria, it also gives the jury the freedom to determine and define what makes an entry worthy of an award.
For more information, visit World Press Photo Contest.