Open for entriesWorld Photography Organisation

Sony World Photography Awards 2027

The Sony World Photography Awards, run by the World Photography Organisation, are the largest photography competition by entry volume. The 2026 overall winners were revealed in London on 16 April 2026. The 2027 edition opened for entries on 1 June 2026: the Student competition closes on 27 November 2026, Single Image (previously Open) and Youth on 5 January 2027, and Series (previously Professional) on 12 January 2027, all at 16:00 GMT, with winners announced in April 2027. Entry is free, with three free images in Single Image. The rules never use the word AI: computer generated content cannot be the origin of an entry, manipulation must be described, and the original photograph and image file may be requested during judging.

AI: ambiguous policyRAW for finalists
Deadline
January 12, 2027
Opens
May 31, 2026
Results
April 1, 2027
Official siteRead full rules

Authenticity policy

AI policy

Computer generated content cannot be the origin of the Entry.

RAW files

Should a question arise through the judging process regarding the extent of your Entry’s manipulation you may be requested to submit the original photograph and image file to verify.

Editing rules

Rule 4 allows manipulation as long as its extent is described in the image description when submitting, and requires every entry to originate from an analogue or digital photograph; computer generated content cannot be the origin of an entry. The word AI does not appear in the rules, so the threshold is left to the judges, who may request the original photograph and image file when a question arises. The same clause appears in the Series and Single Image rules. Awards can be withdrawn after the fact, as the 2023 Eldagsen case showed.

Verified on November 7, 2026

Frequently asked questions

Does Sony World Photography Awards 2027 allow AI-generated images?
No. Sony World Photography Awards 2027 does not permit AI-generated images in its competition entries.
Are RAW files required to enter Sony World Photography Awards 2027?
Finalists may be asked to supply their RAW files for verification.
When is the Sony World Photography Awards 2027 entry deadline?
Entries for Sony World Photography Awards 2027 close on January 12, 2027.
How much does it cost to enter Sony World Photography Awards 2027?
Sony World Photography Awards 2027 is free to enter.
When are the Sony World Photography Awards 2027 results announced?
Sony World Photography Awards 2027 announces its results on April 1, 2027.

Do you run a photo contest? See how organizers verify entries

More Mixed contests

Browse all contests
View all Mixed contests →