Environmental Photography Award 2026

Environmental Photography Award 2026 is now open for entries!

Environmental Photography Award 2026 : Environmental Photography Award 2026 has been recently opened for entries with aim to once again reward photographers who put their creativity to good use in raising awareness on environmental protection.

➜ Short description

Environmental Photography Award 2026 has been recently opened for entries inviting all photographers worldwide participate.

The Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation Environmental Photography Award was launched in 2021, in honour of the Foundation’s 15th anniversary. This annual award was created with the aim to reward photographers who put their creativity to good use in raising awareness on environmental protection.

By participating in this competition, photographers can contribute to raising awareness about the intricate relationship between humanity and the natural world, highlighting the crucial connection between human health and the well-being of our planet.

The Award aims to celebrate the incredible beauty of our planet and illustrate the different relationships that human beings have with nature – whether destructive or regenerative – through 5 categories:

➜ Polar Regions - Images depicting landscapes, wildlife and local communities in the Arctic and Antarctic polar regions illustrated as pristine areas to be preserved.

➜ Humanity Vs Nature - Images that depict the conflicting relationship between humans and nature, and the negative impact of human activities on the environment: issues related to the consequences of climate change (droughts, wildfires, extreme climate events…), the loss of biodiversity (endangered species, disastrous interactions between humans and wildlife…), as well as the depletion of the world’s water resources.

➜ Ocean - Images that illustrate the richness of our seas and oceans, whether on or under the surface, and showcase the diversity of marine wildlife.

➜ Forest - Images highlighting the beauty of the flora and fauna that make up the forest ecosystem and the lives of native communities in the boreal, temperate and tropical forests.

➜ Changemakers - Images that highlight the efforts and actions implemented globally by communities and organisations that help build a more sustainable world and more harmonious relationship between man and nature. It aims to demonstrate hope for Humanity and for the Planet. This category is more about the human aspect than the technologies themselves.

By focusing on these diverse themes, the competition encourages photographers to capture unique perspectives, from the beauty and vulnerability of natural ecosystems to the resilience of communities fighting for sustainability.

Photographers can enter up to 5 images in each of the 5 categories, allowing therefore for a maximum of 25 images in total.

For each of the five categories, the jury will choose a winning image and 2 runners-up. The jury will choose the grand prize winner (Environmental Photographer 2026) among the category winners. The Public Award and the Students’ Choice Award will be voted for online, starting on 30 March 2026, for a period of two weeks. A total of 36 photographs will be selected for the 2026 edition, its exhibition and publication.

The exhibitions of the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation's Environmental Photography Award have already travelled to Italy, San Marino, Spain, the United States, Canada and France, and a book is published every year.

➜ Who may enter?

The award is open to both professional and amateur photographers of all nationalities aged 18 or over on 5th November 2023.

➜ Prize:

The Environmental Photographer of the Year 2026 will receive €5,000 and an invitation to the exhibition opening in Monaco. Other prizes include €1,000 for category winners, and €500 for the Public and Students’ Choice winners. The Public Award winner also gets a trip to SEK International University’s Amazon research station in Ecuador. Selected photographs will be displayed in a Monaco exhibition during summer 2026 and featured in an international touring exhibition.