Who is considered a professional photographer?
A professional photographer is an individual who uses photography to earn a majority of their income from selling/publishing their photography regularly or belonging to professional photography organizations.
Who is considered an amateur photographer?
Photographers can submit as an amateur if you do not fall under any of the above (Professional) categories. If you have earned some or all of your living as a photographer, had photographic work published, or are a member of a professional photographic organization, then you must submit as a professional.
Who is considered a student photographer?
Photographers can submit as a student if you are currently a full-time or part-time student. You do not necessarily have to be studying photography. A student of any subject can qualify.
How to submit entries?
Entry is simple. Submission is online and is completed in 4 simple steps:
Entries may be submitted in more than one category at an additional cost. No additional materials are needed for the same entry.
Submissions
Who is eligible? (Professional, Amateur, and Students)
How long should my entry brief be?
We recommend each synopsis to be kept at approximately 350 words. Do utilize this section to elaborate on the piece to provide the jury with a better understanding of your subject. A written translation or adaptation must accompany non-English entries.
Image File
The submissions should be saved in a flattened JPEG or JPG format. (keep them under 4MB, 1,200px wide is preferable, 300dpi, RGB).
What if I have trouble uploading my images?
Firstly, check if the image does not exceed the maximum size (4MB) or width (1,920 px), and the file name only contains letters or numbers. Once checked, try to upload your images again. If you’re still having trouble after this, contact our team at info@globalphotographyawards.com.
Is there a limit to the number of entries I can submit?
There are no limits on the amount of entries you can submit.
How many photographs can I enter into the same series?
A series consists of at least two, and no more than eight photographs, sharing a common theme or concept, and a single title. Please ensure that your images work together as a whole, as they will not be judged individually when entered as a series. The first image should be the best/strongest in the series.
Mobile Photography Category
All photos must be taken with a mobile phone or tablet. The photos are not to be altered in Photoshop or any other desktop image processing programs.
Add-on lenses can be used. However, we may ask for the original images for verification purposes. Any images that cannot be verified will be disqualified.
Can I enter one photograph into multiple categories?
Yes, you may enter the same photograph into as many categories as you see fit. There will be an additional fee for each category.
Can I submit a photograph that has won an award or has been entered in a previous Global Photography Awards competition?
Yes, you may submit work that has been previously submitted to Global Photography Awards. However, in an effort to promote the creation of new work and maintain a fresh flow of ideas, we encourage you to submit new work.
Can I send my photograph(s) to the judging committee or organizer physically? If so, will it be returned to me and do I need to send a return-handling fee?
It is not required for you to send actual photograph(s) to us. Images and a description are sufficient enough.
How will I know if my submission is complete, and what do I do if it’s not?
If a submission is incomplete at the closing of the competition (e.g. the submission has not been paid, or incorrectly uploaded images), it will not be eligible. Although we make every effort to ensure the completion of submissions, we are not responsible for incomplete entries, thus being unable to offer a refund should an entry be incomplete at the closing time of the competition.
Can I make changes to my entry after I have paid?
Yes, you may edit your entry up till the start of the judging period.
What is a Bundle Entries Package?
A Bundle Entries Package is a discount bundle consisting of 10 entry categories. Participants may purchase a Bundle Entries Package, which can be used within the year of the competition when the package is purchased.
The package is priced at $200 for 10 Credits. One (1) Entry Category = One (1) Credit. With the package, you are be able to save up to $20 per entry."
*Note: The Bundle Entries Package is non-refundable.
Entry Fees
Regular Entry start from $40 (Professional) for the first entry of work. An additional entry fee is required if a work is submitted in more than one category.
Entry fees will not be refundable once submitted. Withdrawn entries (whether withdrawn by entrant or by the Awards for the entrant’s failure to comply with entry rules) will NOT be refunded as well. Please click here to see entry fees.
How can I pay for the photographs that I submit?
Online. You may pay for your entry after the submission of your photographs through Credit Card (VISA / MasterCard) or PayPal (AMEX / PayPal).
Are all the fees on your website in USD?
Yes, we only accept USD at this moment.
The juries
The prestige of the Global Photography competition relies in large part on the high caliber of the juries that convene each year to review submissions. Global Photography Awards has made a special effort to find a suitable panel of judges whose works exemplify the qualities of a photographer. The jury panel comprised of experienced professionals in their field and industry, including creative and art directors from international agencies, established photographers, photo editors, art collectors, educators or business owners. All judges are selected based on experience, availability and credibility to their respective industry.
Judging criteria
Judges score on a scale of 1-100, based on the below criteria.
Entries receiving an average score under 50 do not receive an award.
The Global Photography Awards and International Awards Associate Inc’s decisions are final in its sole discretion and binding in relation to all matters relating to Competitions and may not be subject to any discussions or correspondence.
Judging process
Judging is blind. All entrant information is removed from entries to prevent bias/conflict of interest.
Global Photography Awards' judging process is designed to be impartial and free from outside influences by withholding both the names of the judges on its panel as well as the contestant's names throughout the entire evaluation process. Both judge and contestant names are withheld until after award winning entries are selected. This anonymity shelters all involved from any vested interest which may attempt to influence the judges' opinions or the judging process.
How we choose Global Photography Awards winners?
Entries are judged at random without comparison to other entries in a category. Work is evaluated on criteria determined by the job's requirements (see Judging Criteria). Amateur/student photographers are not compared to Professional Photographers in the same category.
To ensure high standards of high quality, a category may have multiple winners or no winners. Work is critiqued rated by consensus, with the panel of judges determining a rating on a scale of 100 points. Winners with a score between 85 and 100 points are Platinum Winners. Entries with a score between 70 and 84 points are Gold Winners. Entries with a score between 50 and 69 points are awarded as Silver Winners.
Levels of winning and number of winning entries
There are FIVE (5) levels of achievement in the competition:
The number of awards presented by Global Photography Awards is determined by the number of submissions in a given category, the scoring range and the number of tie scores.
How do I know if I’ve won an award?
All winners will be announced on September 26, 2025 via Global Photography Awards official page. All registered participants can then login to see the winning works.
We will duly notify all award winners by email. Do ensure that your email address is correct, as our notifications may get caught in spam filters or receive a non-deliverable return. You may change your email address by logging into your account and updating your information.
What do the winners receive?
Each year, the Global Photography Awards honors the best in creativity from around the globe, while you give us a glimpse into the future of the profession.
Please click here to view all benefits.
Category Winners of the Year
The selection of Category Winners of the Year is determined by the overall excellence and quality of submissions within each category. However, it is important to note that not all categories may have a winner, as this is fully at the discretion of the judges and based on their evaluation. The awarding of this title is not guaranteed for every category.
Why must winners’ trophies be purchased?
The Global Photography Awards maintains affordable entry fees to allow start-ups, one-person firms and young people the opportunity to enter, as well as photographers from countries where the exchange rate or the economic conditions would otherwise make entering impossible.
If an entrant is recognized as a winner, there is no additional fee. Many other awards programs charge an acceptance fee. With Global Photography Awards, once you've won, you've won; there is no additional fee.
If a winner decides they want a statuette, the Global Photography Awards makes them available for purchase and orders them from its manufacturer. This offering process allows the Awards to maintain low entry fees and prevent non-winners’ subsidy of winners.
Some winners choose not to receive a physical memento. Their priority is the prestige of recognition and the exposure the comes with it. Others choose to order statuettes for individuals on their creative team as well as their client. It's all up to the winners!
Statuette shipping time
Winner awards are custom-made. Statuettes will ship directly from the manufacturer. Please allow 6-12 weeks for the statuettes. Shipping time may be longer during off-season. Statuettes may be ordered from our online store once winners are announced.
Note: Entrants are liable to pay any inbound duties and taxes, should local customs authority deem appropriate. Most countries charge a custom/duty fee and taxes on products received from outside their country. We have no control over these fees and taxes. Please check with the customs department in your country.
Will there be an awards ceremony later this year?
Global Photography Awards program is solely organized through the web, without the notion of hosting trivial ceremonies, where one is required to spend a large sum on extravagant outfits and a seat at the social event’s table. Thus, this award utilizes a purely online process and would not be impeded by exorbitant events and/or prohibitive entry fees. We’d much rather keep the cost of our submissions and products low, so our winners can choose to spend money on marketing that generates real-world value.
Do I own still the right to my images?
Yes. Copyright and all other rights remain that of the photographer. Any photograph used by Global Photography Awards shall carry the photographer’s credit line. All entrants understand and agree that any image submitted to the competition may be used by the Global Photography Awards and its media partners for marketing and promotional purposes of the competition only, including in any media such as exhibitions, print and digital media directly related to the Global Photography Awards competition.
Winner’s Exhibition
Annually, 100 winning photographs will be chosen from both professional and amateur/student categories to be shown in a worldwide virtual exhibition. Works of the Global Photographers of the Year, Category Winners of the Year, and Platinum winners will be displayed. By submitting an entry, you are agreeing to having your photographs shown in this exclusive virtual exhibition, and will not be receiving pecuniary compensation.
The Global Photography Awards sponsors?
The Global Photography Awards is conducted by International Awards Associate Inc (IAA). IAA is not tied to any advertiser, magazine, trade association, ad club or other outside influence.
IAA’s goal is to provide affordable, independent competitions on an international stage that are respected as fair and open to all, regardless of company size or bottom line.
IAA is an independent, international organization focused on creating a community of marketing creativity, effectiveness and excellence. It conducts impartial, 'blind' judged competitions and, once completed, it recognizes, celebrates and promotes creative, effective and marketing excellence in those winning companies and individuals.
Scam warning: Important information
There are many people and groups that attempt to obtain your money or personal information inappropriately through fraudulent means. Often, these people and groups misrepresent who they are in an effort to deceive you about the legitimacy of what they are claiming. Sometimes, although not always, they will claim that you have won a lottery or sweepstakes and ask that you send them money so that they can release your supposed winnings to you. In such a situation, you should be very careful and fully investigate any and all claims before you send any money. Please be aware that there are many scams that use SMS/e-mail in an attempt to defraud people using methods similar to these, and we warn strongly against your responding to this type of SMS/e-mail without rigorous investigation to establish whether it is of a genuine nature. Generally, you should treat unsolicited communication (e-mail, phone and letters) that offer financial gain with extreme suspicion; be aware that legitimate lotteries rarely, if ever, ask for a fee to release your winnings; you should not pay any requested fee in advance without fully investigating the matter; and you should not provide banking details or other sensitive financial information in response to emails, phone inquiries and letters without a thorough investigation. In recent years we have been aware of instances of individuals and fraudulent organizations that have been sending notices to people falsely claiming that the recipients have won a lottery.
These notices falsely claim to be from IAA (MUSE CREATIVE AWARDS, MUSE DESIGN AWARDS, MUSE HOTEL AWARDS, MUSE PHOTOGRAPHY AWARDS, NYX AWARDS, NYX GAME AWARDS, TITAN BUSINESS AWARDS, TITAN PROPERTY AWARDS, TITAN WOMEN IN BUSINESS AWARDS, TITAN HEALTH AWARDS, TITAN INNOVATION AWARDS, TITAN BRAND AWARDS, NY PRODUCT DESIGN AWARDS, NEW YORK PHOTOGRAPHY AWARDS, NY ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN AWARDS, NY DIGITAL AWARDS, LIT MUSIC AWARDS, LIT ENTERTAINMENT AWARDS, LONDON PHOTOGRAPHY AWARDS, LONDON DESIGN AWARDS, EUROPEAN PHOTOGRAPHY AWARDS, iLUXURY AWARDS, VEGA DIGITAL AWARDS, FRENCH DESIGN AWARDS, FRENCH FASHION AWARDS, GLOBAL PHOTOGRAPHY AWARDS) and even have the name and contact information of IAA (MUSE CREATIVE AWARDS, MUSE DESIGN AWARDS, MUSE HOTEL AWARDS, MUSE PHOTOGRAPHY AWARDS, NYX AWARDS, NYX GAME AWARDS, TITAN BUSINESS AWARDS, TITAN PROPERTY AWARDS, TITAN WOMEN IN BUSINESS AWARDS, TITAN HEALTH AWARDS, TITAN INNOVATION AWARDS, TITAN BRAND AWARDS, NY PRODUCT DESIGN AWARDS, NEW YORK PHOTOGRAPHY AWARDS, NY ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN AWARDS, LIT MUSIC AWARDS, LIT ENTERTAINMENT AWARDS, LONDON PHOTOGRAPHY AWARDS, LONDON DESIGN AWARDS, EUROPEAN PHOTOGRAPHY AWARDS, iLUXURY AWARDS, VEGA DIGITAL AWARDS, FRENCH DESIGN AWARDS, FRENCH FASHION AWARDS) employees along with IAA (MUSE CREATIVE AWARDS, MUSE DESIGN AWARDS, MUSE HOTEL AWARDS, MUSE PHOTOGRAPHY AWARDS, NYX AWARDS, NYX GAME AWARDS, TITAN BUSINESS AWARDS, TITAN PROPERTY AWARDS, TITAN WOMEN IN BUSINESS AWARDS, TITAN HEALTH AWARDS, TITAN INNOVATION AWARDS, TITAN BRAND AWARDS, NY PRODUCT DESIGN AWARDS, NEW YORK PHOTOGRAPHY AWARDS, NY ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN AWARDS, NY DIGITAL AWARDS, LIT MUSIC AWARDS, LIT ENTERTAINMENT AWARDS, LONDON PHOTOGRAPHY AWARDS, LONDON DESIGN AWARDS, EUROPEAN PHOTOGRAPHY AWARDS, iLUXURY AWARDS, VEGA DIGITAL AWARDS, FRENCH DESIGN AWARDS, FRENCH FASHION AWARDS, GLOBAL PHOTOGRAPHY AWARDS) branding.
These notices are completely fraudulent, cleverly designed to trick people into sending money for prizes they will never receive. IAA (MUSE CREATIVE AWARDS, MUSE DESIGN AWARDS, MUSE HOTEL AWARDS, MUSE PHOTOGRAPHY AWARDS, NYX AWARDS, NYX GAME AWARDS, TITAN BUSINESS AWARDS, TITAN PROPERTY AWARDS, TITAN WOMEN IN BUSINESS AWARDS, TITAN HEALTH AWARDS, TITAN INNOVATION AWARDS, TITAN BRAND AWARDS, NY PRODUCT DESIGN AWARDS, NEW YORK PHOTOGRAPHY AWARDS, NY ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN AWARDS, NY DIGITAL AWARDS, LIT MUSIC AWARDS, LIT ENTERTAINMENT AWARDS, LONDON PHOTOGRAPHY AWARDS, LONDON DESIGN AWARDS, EUROPEAN PHOTOGRAPHY AWARDS, iLUXURY AWARDS, VEGA DIGITAL AWARDS, FRENCH DESIGN AWARDS, FRENCH FASHION AWARDS, GLOBAL PHOTOGRAPHY AWARDS) is NOT AND HAS NEVER RUN a sweepstake, a lottery OR ANY FORM OF CONTEST OF THESE KINDS and has never asked anyone to wire money to redeem a prize.
Please do not respond to any SMS, email, or any other means of communication claiming that you have won a prize. If you have any question as to the validity of an offer, please contact us at iaa@iaaawards.org / info@museawards.com / info@museawards.com / info@musehotelawards.com / info@musephotographyawards.com / info@nyxgameawards.com / info@nyxawards.com / info@thetitanawards.com / info@thepropertyawards.com / info@thewomenbusinessawards.com / info@titanhealthawards.com / info@titaninnovationawards.com / info@titanbrandawards.com / info@nydesignawards.com / info@newyorkphotographyawards.com / info@nyarchitectureawards.com / info@nydigitalawards.com / info@litmusicawards.com / info@litentertainmentawards.com / info@londonphotographyawards.com / info@thelondondesignawards.com / info@nydigitalawards.com.com / info@europeanphotoawards.com / info@iluxuryawards.com / info@vegaawards.com / info@frenchdesignawards.com / info@frenchfashionawards.com / info@globalphotographyawards.com.
Can I request a refund after I've submitted my entry to the Global Photography Awards?
Once your work has been submitted and has undergone the adjudication process, refunds will not be issued. This is due to the intangible nature of our service and the considerable resources dedicated to judging each submission. We thank you for your understanding and assure you that every entry is given the utmost care and consideration.
Can I request a refund after I receive my order from the Global Photography Awards?
Once the shipment or merchandise is received, we generally do not offer refunds under any circumstances. Exceptions might only be made if the item(s) you receive is damaged or if the item(s) you ordered is missing from your shipment.
If your item(s) arrive damaged, or any item(s) ordered is missing from your shipment please contact our support team at info@globalphotographyawards.com immediately.
Any reported issues will be meticulously reviewed by our dedicated awards team before any resolution, such as issuing a refund, is considered. Please be advised that the final decision in such matters rests solely with the Global Photography Awards team, as we endeavor to protect the interests and uphold the rights of all parties involved.
I have an image that went through digital changes. Does it fall under Fine Art Photography?
Based on our perspective, Fine Art Photography primarily focuses on the artist's vision and expression, using photography as a medium to convey emotions, ideas, or a unique perspective. It emphasizes creative composition, subject matter, and the photographer's skill in capturing a moment or concept. The use of digital manipulation is typically minimal, preserving the integrity of the original photograph.
Digital Enhanced Photography is characterized by significant post-processing and digital manipulation. This category celebrates the creative use of digital tools to alter or enhance the photographic image, which can include changes in color, addition of elements, or creating a composition that transcends the original photograph. The focus is on artistic transformation and the innovative use of technology to achieve an altered reality or heightened artistic expression.
Therefore, if there are significant elements of digital enhancements, it would be more suitable to be submitted under Special Category - Digital Enhance Photography.