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Andrei Stenin International Press Photo Contest 2027 (13th edition)

The Andrei Stenin International Press Photo Contest is an annual free press-photography contest run by Rossiya Segodnya in memory of the Russian photojournalist Andrei Stenin, killed in Ukraine in 2014. The 12th edition closed on 28 February 2026 and its winners were announced on 21 October 2026, with the winning photos exhibited at the Museum of Moscow. The 13th edition is expected to open in December, following last year's calendar, which opened on 22 December with a deadline at the end of February. The 12th contest offered a Grand Prix of 700,000 rubles and category prizes of 125,000, 100,000 and 75,000 rubles; it is aimed at photojournalists aged 18 to 33 with an 'Energy of Life' category for older photographers.

AI bannedRAW for finalists
Deadline
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Official siteRead full rules

Authenticity policy

AI policy

Photo Images with a frame, collages, heavily processed Images shall not be accepted. Photo montage, erasing, replacing or changing of parts of Images are not acceptable.

RAW files

The Organizer may request that the Contestant provide non-processed original electronic files of the Entry.

Editing rules

The rules of the 12th contest (PDF, the current published rules) allow only minor processing such as cropping, white balance and brightness or contrast correction. Collages, heavily processed images, photo montage, and erasing, replacing or changing parts of an image are not accepted, and files must contain all EXIF data. Generative AI is not named, so the value is implicit-banned. The organizer may request non-processed original files from any contestant, not only from finalists. The 'Energy of Life' category is for photographers aged 34 and over; the other five categories are for photojournalists aged 18 to 33. Rules for the 13th contest are not yet published.

Verified on November 7, 2026

Frequently asked questions

Does Andrei Stenin International Press Photo Contest 2027 (13th edition) allow AI-generated images?
No. Andrei Stenin International Press Photo Contest 2027 (13th edition) does not permit AI-generated images in its competition entries.
Are RAW files required to enter Andrei Stenin International Press Photo Contest 2027 (13th edition)?
Finalists may be asked to supply their RAW files for verification.
How much does it cost to enter Andrei Stenin International Press Photo Contest 2027 (13th edition)?
Andrei Stenin International Press Photo Contest 2027 (13th edition) is free to enter.

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