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Competitions & Bursaries You Should Enter This Year

While the unpredictable weather this summer continues, its time to head online, discover old, unfinished or new photography projects and enter these great competitions. With competitions and bursaries ranging from wildlife, documentary, environmental or your own creative work, this selection of competitions ticks the boxes for many photographers, amateur or experienced currently producing photographs.

Each competition provides different prizes and resources for the winners, with a range of cash prizes or exposure to kick start your career. As some deadlines are fast approaching now is the time to look back at your body of work and look forward to potentially being this year’s winner of a multitude of awards.

 

Open Until – 31st December 2018

Prizes – 1st $5000, 2nd $3000, 3rd $2000

The Getty Images Bursary ‘Where We Stand’ was developed for creative talent to produce, or continue producing photographic work within the commercial photographic world, that without funding wouldn’t reach it’s final potential. The creative bursary would give financial freedom for an emerging talent (under 30 years old or shooting for less than 3 years) to fulfill their ideas and get a step up in the creative industry by being promoted by the world renowned, Getty Images. It also gives the opportunity to be involved with Getty as a company for their foreseeable future.

Open Until – 10th October 2018

Prizes - TBA

The BPA not only encourages British photographic talent, but encourages the relationship between creativity and charities. With over a dozen British charities involved, your application fee will go towards helping one of them.

As a British competition, you’ll be putting into the British photography community as well as gaining exposure within the UK industry allowing a base for further exploration. With a huge array of categories to enter from wildlife to portraiture, there is something for every photographer, whether it be your field of photography or trying something new.

Open Until – January 2019 (Individual deadlines dependent on category)

Prizes – Exhibition At Somerset House, Individual Prizes Dependent On Category

In it’s 12th year, the world photography awards, in association with Sony, has opened its doors once again for new and emerging talent. In search for the best photographic talent around the globe, the competition is free to enter with 4 separate categories including Professional, Open, Youth and Student.

With the age range beginning at 12, there is a place for all ages and experience. From amateurs to professional photographers the prizes can give anyone a head start in the field of photography.

Open Until – 30th November

Prizes - Grand Prize $2500, Categories Winner $500, Readers Choice $500

As a world famous institution which looks at subjects from science; to history, to art. The Smithsonian photography competition run by the magazine is in its 16th year. With six categories they are looking for an award winning photograph, be it a landscape, a portrait or even a photograph taken on your mobile phone. With cash prizes, winning could give you the opportunity to continue, or start making work which needs a financial helping hand.

Open Until - End of each month

Prizes - The 1st and 2nd Prize photographers each month will have their image exhibited in New York, Tokyo, London and Rome. There is also a $24000 prize fund, shared between monthly 1st Prize photographers.

With competitions running throughout the year, Life Framer awards photographers every month, from amateurs to experienced photographers, anything from professional feedback, exhibition opportunities, to cash prizes. With the competitions overseen by a professional jury, Life framer allows you to showcase your work throughout a number of themes from landscapes, portraiture or open calls. This month’s theme of ‘The face of the earth’ invites you to showcase your photographic work of our environment and the people that inhabit it.

Open Dates - 1st September - 15th October

Prizes – Exhibited In The 2019 World Press Photo Exhibition

If documentary photography is more your style, the world press photo, in association with Foto Evidence is an open call not to miss. They are looking for documentary photographers who create projects which discuss and explore human and ethical rights which may have been damaged or violated. With world press photo being well known for its publication of powerful images, you’re in for a chance to be involved with the 2019 world press photo book project launching in Amsterdam.

Open Dates – 22nd October - 13th December

Prizes – Up to £10,000

Running for over 50 years, the wildlife photographer of the year awards showcases some of the best nature photography out there. Run by the world famous natural history museum in London, it gives the winners an opportunity to be exhibited within the famous museum and travelled globally giving huge exposure. With thousands of entries from all over the globe, there are numerous prizes to be won and tough competition to beat.

Open Until – 1st October

Prizes – $5000, Exhibitions at Format Festival in England, United Photo Industries in Brooklyn, Head On Festival in Sydney, Online Features

Open for the fourth time, feature shoot is a competition for up and coming photographers to kick start their careers within the industry. With the opportunity to win cash prizes and resources, it can fund new or existing projects and give great exposure through exhibitions. Welcoming all ages and genres of work, with a great panel of judges, its one not to miss.

Open Until – 30th September

Prizes - Emerging Photographer Fund $10,000, Fujifilm Young Talent Award $1000

Burn magazine, founded in 2018 by Magnum Photographer David Harvey, opens its doors once again for the Emerging Photographers Bursary. With a mission to help emerging photographers reach their potential in the ever growing sea of photography, judged by a panel who have spent their life looking at photographs, the Emerging Photographers bursary is a must for anyone wanting to push their photography further. For entrees aged 25 and under there is also the chance to win a cash prize as Burn magazine has teamed up with Fujifilm and their young talent award.

 

If you want to add more competitions to your list, don’t forget to keep your eyes peeled for these great ones opening towards the end of the year!

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