Photography Contest

SPIE International Day of Light Photo Contest

Deadline |

CLOSED

Theme |

The Power of Light

Territory |

Worldwide

Eligibility |

Open to all

Entry Fees |

FREE

Prizes |

Cash Prize

Host |

SPIE
The 2024 contest is open! This year’s theme is “The Power of Light,” which aims to showcase the transformative and awe-inspiring impact of light on our lives, communities, and planet. Two technology-specific divisions, “Technology-Made Images” and a “Technology Around the Globe,” are also available for entry.

Examples of content include, but are not exclusive to, artistic images that depict:
Various properties of light and how it interacts with the atmosphere, nature, and materials
Light technology such as lasers, LEDs, etc.
Images created with light technology such as telescopes and microscopes
People interacting with light and/or light technology
The betterment of the human condition with light
Help us capture the brilliance of our world!

Shining a light on our global stage
The SPIE International Day of Light Photo Contest is held annually to raise awareness about the International Day of Light and to demonstrate the impact that light has on cultural, economic, and political aspects of our world. Amateur and professional photographers alike are encouraged to submit photos for a chance to win cash prizes.

Prizes:
The contest offers several cash prizes, including a first prize of $2,500, a second prize of $1,000, and a third prize of $500. Additionally, there are technology and science-specific prizes worth $750. There are also special awards for youth participants aged 13 to 17, who will receive a surprise gift box of SPIE merchandise. Winners will be notified on 16 October 2024, and the official announcement will be made on 30 October 2024.

Featured Photo Contest

AAP Magazine #48/Portrait

$1,000 cash prizes | Winning image(s) published in AAP Magazine #48 | Extensive press coverage and global recognition

Best Photography Contests in 2023

Each year, there are hundreds of photography competitions all over the world, so we've decided to select for you the best of the best! Our selection of the best photo contests in 2023 is thoroughly curated to help you, whether you are a professional photographer or an amateur, to help find your next creative breakthrough. These all-star competitions offer the greatest opportunities for international exposure and/or incredible financial benefits. Some of them are closing soon, so get your photo submissions in!

ENDS 05/12/25
This prize, with a production budget of €25,000, is open to any new photographer or artist using photography, submitting a previously unpublished dummy book.
ENDS 05/13/25
Our 48th printed issue of AAP Magazine will feature the best projects showcasing the theme "Portrait".
ENDS 05/16/25
Submit your best work to our photo competition for a chance to win up to $11,500 in cash prizes, be selected by our curators for the PX3 exhibition in Paris and inclusion in the Annual PX3 book.
ENDS 05/18/25
MonoVisions Photography Awards are an international open call for photographers using black and white medium to express their visual language.
ENDS 05/18/25
Exhibition Dates: June 21 – July 12, 2025
ENDS 05/18/25
The Global Peace Photo Award recognizes and promotes photographers from all over the world whose pictures capture human efforts towards a peaceful world and the quest for beauty and goodness in our lives.
ENDS 05/30/25
If you're a passionate amateur or professional photographer, we invite you to share your photographic project with us.
ENDS 05/31/25
POWER will be the main theme of the season. The Grand Prize of USD $200,000 will be awarded to one winner from any category this season, not limited to the main theme.
ENDS 05/31/25
The international photography contest URBAN Photo Awards is here: registrations will open on March 28th and this 16th edition will be the largest and most important ever.
ENDS 06/01/25
This year’s PhotoVogue Global Open Call celebrates the limitless ways women see and are seen—embracing photography and film as powerful tools to reclaim, redefine, and expand visual storytelling
ENDS 06/01/25
The Paula Riff Award was created by the Center of Photographic Art and Lenscratch in 2021 as a way to celebrate and continue the legacy of artist Paula Riff.
ENDS 06/02/25
BUDAPEST INTERNATIONAL FOTO AWARDS is an international platform for photographers from all levels and genres to share their best images with the creative community in Hungary and Eastern Europe.
ENDS 06/02/25
The Lenscratch Student Prize has opened up a whole new line of connections, opportunities and exposure.
ENDS 06/05/25
Jon Lee Anderson, president of the jury of the 32nd edition
ENDS 06/10/25
Four winners will be chosen and will see their work exhibited at the Paris Photo fair
ENDS 06/20/25
Be Featured in our June 2025 Online Juried Solo Exhibition!
ENDS 06/30/25
Wherever you are in the world, we invite you to send us your most beautiful Colors or Black & White street photos.
ENDS 08/01/25
TIFA connects photographers from around the world with the creative community in Tokyo, Japan, providing them with an excellent platform to present their work to a new market.
ENDS 08/05/25
The 2025 Global Contest promotes climate justice. We believe climate change is a human rights issue, so we are looking for images that show people impacted by the escalating climate crisis.
ENDS 09/01/25
The Ian Parry Scholarship is divided into two categories: The Sunday Times Award for Achievement and The Canon Award for Potential.