Here’s my list of what I believe are the most important photography contests to enter. Deadlines are close for some of them so have a look at your phtoographs from the past year and submit! There are probably more photography contests out there and if you decide to enter in any of them the most important thing to do is to read the terms and conditions and make sure you retain the rights on your work.

Entering all the contests can be expensive, you should only choose the competitions that feel right to you.

Flash Forward 2011
Contest for Emerging Photographers
Deadline: January 10, 2011
Entry Fees:

  • Canada: $50
  • USA: $50
  • UK: £30

See here for guidelines.

World Press Photo
Photojournalist Competition
Deadline: Thursday, January 13, 2011, at 23.59 CET.
See here for guidelines.

Pictures of the Year International
Photojournalist Competition
Deadline: Friday, Jan. 14, at 11:59 p.m. CST
Entry Fee: $50 (an extra $50 is required for some categories)
See here for guidelines.

Applied Arts: Photography and Illustration Awards
Multiple categoris, see their microsite for the complete list
Deadline: January 14th, 2011
Entry Deadline: January 14, 2011
Entry Fees:

  • Single: $50
  • Series: $65

See here for guidelines.

PDN Photo Annual
Multiple categories (Advertising, Magazine/Editorial, Photo Books, Photojournalism/Sports/Documentary, Corporate Design/Photo Products, Personal, Stock Photography, Web Sites, Student Work, Video)
Deadline: January 25th, 2011 (or pay an extra $10 for an extended deadline of February 17th, 2011)
Entry Fees:

  • Single Entry: $45
  • Series: $55
  • Student: $25

See here for guidelines.

Communication Arts: Photography Competition
Deadline: March 25, 2011
Categories and Entry Fees:

  • Advertising: $35 single entry/$70 series
  • Books: $35 single entry/$70 series
  • Editorial: $35 single entry/$70 series
  • For Sale: $35 single entry/$70 series
  • Institutional: $35 single entry/$70 series
  • Multimedia: $80 single entry/$160 series
  • Self-Promotion: $35 single entry/$70 series
  • Unpublished: $35 single entry/$70 series

See here for guidelines.