Free Photo Contests 2026: Photography Competitions With Free Entry
32 photography contests with free entry, 2 of them currently open or upcoming. For every contest we document the AI policy, RAW requirement, and deadline from cited sources. Sorted by status and nearest deadline.
Last verified:
Open or upcoming right now: ConservationMag Photography Awards 2026 and Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest 2026.
From Germany, Austria and Switzerland the list holds 7 free contests: Global Peace Photo Award 2026, Objektiv Pressefotopreis 2026, Felix Schoeller Photo Award 2025, GDT Naturfotograf des Jahres 2026, Deutscher Jugendfotopreis 2026, SIYU Award 2026, Swiss Press Photo 2026. Their 2026 entry windows have closed; each contest page lists the next call as soon as the organizer publishes it. All contests from Germany · Austria · Switzerland
Free to enter does not mean casual about authenticity: 26 of these contests restrict AI images and 8 can ask for your RAW file. Check the rules before you submit. All deadlines by month · Contests that ban AI
ConservationMag Photography Awards 2026
AI bannedRAW for finalists
- Deadline
- —
- Entry
- Free
View details
Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest 2026
AI: category-only
- Deadline
- —
- Entry
- Free
View details
Leica Oskar Barnack Award 2026 (LOBA)
AI banned
- Deadline
- Feb 28, 2026
- Entry
- Free
View details
Anja Niedringhaus Courage in Photojournalism Award 2026
AI banned
- Deadline
- Mar 31, 2026
- Entry
- Free
View details
Nikon Small World Photomicrography Competition 2026
AI bannedRAW for finalists
- Deadline
- May 1, 2026
- Entry
- Free
View details
Africa Geographic Photographer of the Year 2026
AI bannedRAW for finalists
- Deadline
- May 7, 2026
- Entry
- Free
View details
Global Peace Photo Award 2026
AI: ambiguous policy
- Deadline
- May 24, 2026
- Entry
- Free
View details
Hamdan International Photography Award (HIPA) 2026 - Family
AI: category-onlyRAW for finalists
- Deadline
- May 31, 2026
- Entry
- Free
View details
Bayeux-Calvados-Normandy Award for War Correspondents 2026 (33rd edition)
AI policy unspecified
- Deadline
- Jun 4, 2026
- Entry
- Free
View details
Nikon Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2026
AI banned
- Deadline
- Jun 30, 2026
- Entry
- Free
View details
Allard Prize Photography Competition 2026
AI policy unspecified
- Deadline
- Jul 1, 2026
- Entry
- Free
View details
Wiki Loves Earth 2026
AI banned
- Deadline
- Jul 31, 2026
- Entry
- Free
View details
PhotoVogue Global Open Call 2026
AI banned
- Deadline
- Sep 11, 2026
- Entry
- Free
View details
Wiki Loves Monuments 2026
AI bannedRAW for finalists
- Deadline
- Sep 30, 2026
- Entry
- Free
View details
National Geographic Pictures of the Year 2026
AI banned
- Deadline
- —
- Entry
- Free
View details
Objektiv Pressefotopreis 2026
AI banned
- Deadline
- —
- Entry
- Free
View details
World Photographic Cup 2026
AI bannedRAW for shortlist
- Deadline
- —
- Entry
- Free
View details
World Press Photo Contest 2026
AI bannedRAW mandatory
- Deadline
- Closed
- Entry
- Free
View details
Nikon Photo Contest 2024-2025
AI banned
- Deadline
- Closed
- Entry
- Free
View details
Felix Schoeller Photo Award 2025
AI policy unspecified
- Deadline
- Closed
- Entry
- Free
View details
World Sports Photography Awards 2026
AI banned
- Deadline
- Closed
- Entry
- Free
View details
GDT Naturfotograf des Jahres 2026
AI bannedRAW for shortlist
- Deadline
- Closed
- Entry
- Free
View details
Deutscher Jugendfotopreis 2026
AI: category-only
- Deadline
- Closed
- Entry
- Free
View details
Andrei Stenin International Press Photo Contest 2026 (12th edition)
AI policy unspecified
- Deadline
- Closed
- Entry
- Free
View details
Hasselblad Masters 2026
AI banned
- Deadline
- Closed
- Entry
- Free
View details
National Geographic Traveller (UK) Photography Competition 2026
AI banned
- Deadline
- Closed
- Entry
- Free
View details
Wiki Loves Folklore 2026
AI banned
- Deadline
- Closed
- Entry
- Free
View details
SIYU Award 2026
AI allowed
- Deadline
- Closed
- Entry
- Free
View details
Wiki Loves Africa 2026
AI banned
- Deadline
- Closed
- Entry
- Free
View details
Environmental Photography Award 2026 (Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation)
AI banned
- Deadline
- Closed
- Entry
- Free
View details
Swiss Press Photo 2026
AI policy unspecified
- Deadline
- Closed
- Entry
- Free
View details
Visa pour l'Image - Perpignan 2026 (38th edition)
AI banned
- Deadline
- Closed
- Entry
- Free
View details
Frequently asked questions
- Which photo contests are free to enter in 2026?
- We currently track 32 contests with no entry fee, from major names to niche competitions. 2 are open or upcoming. The list above is sorted by status and deadline and is updated against the official rules.
- Do free photo contests allow AI images?
- Mostly not. 26 of the 32 free contests in our database ban AI-generated images or restrict them to separate categories. Each contest page states the AI policy with a source citation.
- Which free photo contests are there in Germany, Austria and Switzerland?
- 7 of the listed contests are run from Germany, Austria or Switzerland: Global Peace Photo Award 2026, Objektiv Pressefotopreis 2026, Felix Schoeller Photo Award 2025, GDT Naturfotograf des Jahres 2026, Deutscher Jugendfotopreis 2026, SIYU Award 2026, and Swiss Press Photo 2026. Their 2026 entry windows have closed; each contest page lists the next call as soon as the organizer publishes it.
- Do free contests require RAW files?
- 8 of the listed contests require the RAW file or can request it from finalists. Keep the RAW of every submission; it is your strongest evidence of authenticity if questions come up.