Results announcedNational Press Photographers Association

NPPA Best of Photojournalism 2026

The NPPA Best of Photojournalism contest treats authenticity as a professional-ethics matter, not just a technical guideline. Every entrant certifies compliance with the NPPA Code of Ethics at submission. The 2026 rules prohibit AI generative tools in any role: creating, adding, removing, expanding, or altering images. The framing — content is 'locked at the moment it is recorded' — is the clearest statement of the indexical theory of photographic truth in any contest's rulebook. Free entry for members; $90 for non-members.

AI bannedRAW for finalists
Deadline
January 19, 2026
Entry fee
Free for NPPA members in good standing; US$90 for non-members
Opens
December 22, 2025
Official siteRead full rules

Authenticity policy

AI policy

The use of AI generative tools to create, add, remove, expand or alter images or videos in any way is expressly prohibited. The content of a photograph or video clip – what is seen and what is not seen, what is heard and what is not heard – is locked at the moment it is recorded.

RAW files

Not specified

Editing rules

All entrants certify compliance with the NPPA Code of Ethics. No multiple exposures, panoramas or stitched photos — produced in-camera or in software — are accepted. The 'locked at the moment it is recorded' framing is an unusually direct statement of the indexical view of photographic truth.

Verified on June 8, 2026

Frequently asked questions

Does NPPA Best of Photojournalism 2026 allow AI-generated images?
No. NPPA Best of Photojournalism 2026 does not permit AI-generated images in its competition entries.
Are RAW files required to enter NPPA Best of Photojournalism 2026?
Finalists may be asked to supply their RAW files for verification.
When is the NPPA Best of Photojournalism 2026 entry deadline?
Entries for NPPA Best of Photojournalism 2026 close on January 19, 2026.
How much does it cost to enter NPPA Best of Photojournalism 2026?
Free for NPPA members in good standing; US$90 for non-members

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