LensCulture Portrait Awards 2026
LensCulture Portrait Awards 2026 is now open for entries!
LensCulture Portrait Awards 2026, an international photo competition recently opened for entries every year seeking the best portrait photography, open to all points of view, all levels of expertise and all ideas of portraiture.
Short description
LensCulture Portrait Awards 2026 has been recently opened for entries in its 13th edition, seeking the best portrait photography from all the corners of the world, open to everything, all points of view, all levels of expertise and all ideas of portraiture.
LensCulture is on a mission to discover the most imaginative, talented, creative photographers out there, regardless of location, age, background or experience level. This year, LensCulture is searching for photographers whose portraits stand out for their vision, emotional depth, and creative originality.
There are two categories: Photo Series and Single Image.
These awards are open to photographers at all levels of experience, and all genres of portraiture are welcome — from fine art to spontaneous selfies, from hyper-perfect photoshopped portraits to seductive (and often fictitious) social media profile pics, to mobile phone snaps altered with digital nostalgia filters. Some are candid, some are staged, some are outrageous and silly, others are just plain beautiful.
The awards are open to all types of artistic approaches, too, including staged, fiction, fashion, metaphoric, self-portrait and conceptual work.
All entrants must be able to supply high-resolution images suitable for printing in media, and for public exhibition.
Winning photographers will be exhibited during Photo London, the premiere international photo fair that brings together hundreds of galleries, publishers and collectors, as well as an ambitious program of exhibitions, conversations, artist book signings and curated fair events.
An opening reception will be held for LensCulture artists, invited media, photo editors and industry insiders for a night of art appreciation and networking during the world’s largest international art fair dedicated to photography.
Submission requirements:
➜ For best results, upload the highest-quality JPEGs, sized a minimum of 1200 pixels on the longest side but up to 2000 pixels is even better. Maximum size is 10MB. The file name should be under 50 characters.
Who may enter?
This competition is open to everyone, from professionals, semi-professionals, amateurs and passionate beginners.
Prize:
The total prize cash fund for 2026 is $10,000, divided between six award winners. Each juror will select an individual Juror’s Pick to receive special distinction. 25 Finalists will be selected.
Entry fees:
Your first single-image entry is free.
➜ 5 single-image entries, judged individually (not as a series) cost $35.
➜ 10 photographs, judged as a series, can be submitted for $45.
Your first single-image entry is free.
