Asferico International Nature Photography Competition 2027 (XXI edition)
Asferico is one of Europe's leading nature photography competitions, organised by the Italian Association of Nature Photographers (AFNI). The 20th edition closed on 7 December 2025 and notified its winners on 8 February 2026. The 21st edition is open for entries from 17 October to 12 December 2026, with pre-selection results on 2 January 2027, RAW and high-resolution file requests from 2 to 17 January, judging from 5 to 7 February and winners notified on 15 February 2027. The prize pool exceeds EUR 15,000 across ten categories; the overall winner receives EUR 3,000. Editing is limited to dust spotting, noise reduction and modest tonal adjustments, and RAW files are compulsory for the final phase.
- Deadline
- December 12, 2026
- Entry fee
- EUR 30 adult standard (17 October to 5 December 2026), EUR 35 (6 to 12 December 2026); free for entrants aged 17 and under
- Opens
- October 17, 2026
- Results
- February 15, 2027
Authenticity policy
AI policy
Editing of said files is permitted only if limited to a basic cleaning (removal of stains due to dust on the camera sensor and noise reduction), slight adjustments of saturation, contrast, tonal values or curves.
RAW files
Entrants will be contacted by email if any submitted images have passed the pre-selection stage and will receive instructions on how to upload their RAW and high resolution files, a compulsory step to enter the final phase of the competition.
Editing rules
The 2027 rules keep the wording of the previous edition: editing is restricted to basic cleaning, noise reduction and slight tonal adjustments, digitally manipulated images are rejected unless they stay within those limits, and inserting or deleting elements is not allowed. Generative AI is not named, so the value is implicit-banned. Every image that passes pre-selection must be backed by the original RAW capture file as recorded by the camera (all single RAW files for panoramas or HDR), to be uploaded between 2 and 17 January 2027; missing or non-compliant files mean disqualification. Captive animals, nest-bound birds and cultivated plants are ineligible.
Verified on November 7, 2026
Frequently asked questions
- Does Asferico International Nature Photography Competition 2027 (XXI edition) allow AI-generated images?
- No. Asferico International Nature Photography Competition 2027 (XXI edition) does not permit AI-generated images in its competition entries.
- Are RAW files required to enter Asferico International Nature Photography Competition 2027 (XXI edition)?
- Shortlisted entrants must supply their RAW files.
- When is the Asferico International Nature Photography Competition 2027 (XXI edition) entry deadline?
- Entries for Asferico International Nature Photography Competition 2027 (XXI edition) close on December 12, 2026.
- How much does it cost to enter Asferico International Nature Photography Competition 2027 (XXI edition)?
- EUR 30 adult standard (17 October to 5 December 2026), EUR 35 (6 to 12 December 2026); free for entrants aged 17 and under
- When are the Asferico International Nature Photography Competition 2027 (XXI edition) results announced?
- Asferico International Nature Photography Competition 2027 (XXI edition) announces its results on February 15, 2027.
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