fashion fine art studio portrait of woman by Ivana Sunjic
© Ivana Sunjic
2025 Portrait AWARD

Win $2700 Cash Awards & International Exposure

Can you tell a story with a single glance? – in May, we invite all photographers to share portraits that narrate compelling tales, whether captured in the controlled environment of a studio, the vibrant chaos of the street, or the rich landscapes of travel.

  • Win $2700 in Cash Prizes
  • International Exhibition
  • +875k Instagram Feature
  • Free Online Portfolio

Concrete prizes, free online portfolio, direct exposure & global visibility

  1st Prize Winner 2nd Prize Winner 3rd Prize Winner All 7
Finalists
Editors' Picks All Entrants
Monthly Cash Prizes $1000 $600 $400 $100
Home Page Exposure
International Gallery Exhibition
Professional Feedback
Featured on +870K IG network
Gallery Exhibition Feature¹
Exposure with Media Partners
FREE Online Portfolio²
Consideration for Online Stories³
Submission to #tipstories ⁴
  • color portrait photo of photographer Luisa Dörr
    © Luisa Dörr

    The Judge

    Luisa Dörr

    Luisa Dörr is a Brazilian photographer who focuses mainly on the feminine human landscape. Through her storytelling, she uses portraits to tell narratives and explore the complexity of human nature and femininity. She won a World Press Photo award in 2019 and has gained international recognition for her masterful portraiture and use of colour since then.

Junko Akita
© Junko Akita
2025 Portrait AWARD

Enter Now
  • Upcoming Awards

    1 Month / 1 Award

    Each month, photographers submit images to a themed competition judged by an acclaimed artist.

    STREET – September 2024
    OPEN CALL – October 2024
    LANDSCAPE – November 2024
    PEOPLE – December 2024
    BLACK & WHITE – January 2025
    VISUAL STORY – February 2025
    STREET – March 2025
    COLOR – April 2025
    PORTRAIT – May 2025
    BLACK & WHITE – June 2025
    TRAVEL – July/August 2025

    Coor photography of a man taking a bath by Ivelina Berova
    © Ivelina Berova
  • WE RESPECT ARTISTS' RIGHTS

    Photographers retain full copyrights for their own work.

    Past Judges

    Our competition jury is comprised of esteemed industry figures representing such prestigious agencies and publications as Magnum Photos, VII, National Geographic, Agence Vu'Vogue & GEO.
    • logo of The Guardian and portrait photo of editor Fiona Shields

      Fiona Shields

      Fiona Shields is Head of Photography for The Guardian News and Media Group. With more than two decades of experience, she has delivered talks, mentored photojournalism students, and served as judge of numerous awards and competitions.

    • Judge Steve McCurry Profile Picture

      Steve McCurry

      Celebrated as one of the most iconic voices in contemporary photography, American photographer Steve McCurry has created a unique collection of work featuring some of the most famous images of our time.

    • Judge Alessia Glaviano Profile Picture Vogue Logo

      Alessia Glaviano

      Based in Milan, Alessia Glaviano is the Brand Visual Director of Vogue Italia and L’Uomo Vogue. She is responsible for Photo Vogue and was a 2015 World Press Photo jury member.

    • Judge Ed Kashi Profile Picture VII Logo

      Ed Kashi

      Represented by the prestigious VII agency, Ed Kashi is an acclaimed photojournalist and educator who uses photography to explore geopolitical and social issues that define our times.

    • Judge Maggie Steber Profile Picture National Geographic Logo

      Maggie Steber

      A celebrated figure in the photographic community, Maggie Steber works for National Geographic and is part of the renowned VII Photo Agency. She has earned prestigious honors, including the Leica Medal of Excellence, the World Press Foundation Award & a Pulitzer prize.

    • Judge REZA Profile Picture

      REZA

      Founder of Webistan Photo Agency and Explorer of National Geographic, internationally acclaimed Iranian-French photojournalist Reza is a three-times world press winning photographer and recipient of the ICP Infinity Award.

    • portrait of photographer Carol Körting

      Carol Körting

      Carol Körting is a professional portfolio reviewer and the photo editor of the renowned Leica Fotografie International Magazine (LFI) and its online platform, producing and editing countless photographic projects since 2011.

    • portrait of photographer Nikos Economopoulos

      Nikos Economopoulos

      Member of Magnum Photos since 1990, Nikos Economopoulos has published several monographs and his iconic images have been published and exhibited worldwide. Economopoulos regularly teach and work around the world, in the context of his long-term On The Road project.⁠⁠

    • Judge Magdalena Herrera Profile Picture GEO Logo

      Magdalena Herrera

      Magdalena Herrera has worked in books, print, and magazines, spending ten years as head of the photo department at National Geographic before joining Geo France as Director of Photography. She was the chair of the 2018 World Press Photo contest.

    Recent Reviews
    • color portrait photo of Xavier Autrey Holschneider

      Xavier Autrey Holschneider
      MX ∙ 08/05/2025
      Trustpilot

      “I have participated in a couple of photo contests but this one in particular was easy from the get go, professional, transparent and by far has a reach that most others would wish for.”

    • street photo by Suresh Naganathan

      Suresh Naganathan
      IN ∙ 16/04/2025
      Trustpilot

      “One of the best photography competitions and website out there.”

    • color portrait of Alessandra Manzotti

      Alessandra Manzotti
      IT ∙ 20/01/2025
      Trustpilot

      “In a sea of photo competitions they are top! Very interesting contents and articles too. The submission fee is very reasonable. Their communication excellent and the quality of the judges is impressive. I highly recommend it”

    • color portrait photo of Mohammad Kamal

      Mohammad Kamal
      AE ∙ 14/01/2025
      Trustpilot

      “Fantastic opportunity to gain exposure an as emerging photographer and to engage with the broader community.”

    • portrait of Nicola Ducati

      Nicola Ducati
      IT ∙ 13/01/2025
      Trustpilot

      “A great award managed by very professional team. One of the most serious and well curated award you can meet.”

    • portait photo of Florian Kriechbaumer

      Florian Kriechbaumer
      DE ∙ 13/11/2024
      Trustpilot

      “This is one of the better photography competitions. High-quality work and judges, fair prices, and good themes. Disclaimer: I also won a few prizes and they always pay out very quickly and communicate properly.”

    • color portrait photo of Joanna Steidle

      Joanna Steidle
      US ∙ 18/09/2024
      Trustpilot

      “The Independent Photographer contests and magazine have offered me a global stage in my beginning chapters as a drone photographer....I can't thank them enough for their encouragement and support.”

    • black and white portrait of Ivana Sunjic

      Ivana Sunjic
      IT ∙ 11/06/2024
      Trustpilot

      “The TIP Team is very professional and kind. I also appreciated the level of the judges. There are many photographic contests around, but only a few are able to inspire and guide, to make you feel a part of the process, and embrace all types of creativity.”

    • color portrait photo of Ashraful Arefin

      Ashraful Arefin
      BD ∙ 15/01/2024
      Trustpilot

      “An amazing resource for photographers and legit competitions judged by some of the most incredible photographers from around the world.”

    • color portrait photo of Diana Barthauer

      Diana Barthauer
      CH ∙ 12/01/2024
      Trustpilot

      “I participated in their 2023 people photography contest and the experience has been seamless. All the communicated with the TIP team has been very pleasant and efficient. I'd highly recommend following their publication and contests! Totally legit and excellently curated.”

    • black and white portrait photo of Sudeep Lal

      Sudeep Lal
      IN ∙ 16/11/2023
      Trustpilot

      “It has been a wonderful experience to participate in the monthly competition. Also, I would like to extend my gratitude to the TIP team for their prompt communication and assistance.”

    • portrait of Stefano Lotumolo

      Stefano Lotumolo
      IT ∙ 14/09/2023
      Trustpilot

      “Well-organised photo competition and really quick in communication and delivery of prizes.”

    • black and white portrait of Ana Alexandrescu

      Ana Alexandrescu
      RO ∙ 25/07/2023
      Trustpilot

      “Communication was great with the TIP team, they have great tools that work very well (like the uploads). I believe that their site has excellent content, and I love what they do for the photography domain in general.”

    • black and white portrait of Sergio Volani

      Sergio Volani
      US ∙ 15/12/2022
      Trustpilot

      “The Independent Photographer it is a great global platform for photographers who wants to share their art and test their skills worldwide. Photos as choosen by professionals and this push everyone to do better and better on every contest. It is also a source of inspiration.”

    • color portrait photo of Greg Mo

      Greg Mo
      KH ∙ 16/06/2022
      Trustpilot

      “Great online magazine about photography. Congrats to the team for the consistency!”

    • portrait of Rebecca Moseman

      Rebecca Moseman
      US ∙ 16/03/2022
      Trustpilot

      “The Independent Photographer is an excellent resource for photographers. They're competitions attract top judges and experts in the field of photography. The gallery and features are educational and very inspiring. Top notch photography platform all around.”

    • portrait black and white photograph of Justin Keene

      Justin Keene
      UK ∙ 13/06/2020
      Trustpilot

      “TIP provides a platform viewed by many industry experts allowing your work to be seen by all kinds of publications. Their social media promotion is excellent and their reward payment service is efficiently prompt.”

    • Submit Page - Previous Winner Conrad Golovac

      Conrad Golovac
      US ∙ 16/04/2019
      Trustpilot

      “Each competition shows a beautiful gallery of talent and work, artfully selecting worthy images in each category. The judge's honest and well-worded critique was a truly welcomed prize.”

    • Previous Winner Marcus Maddox

      Marcus Maddox
      US ∙ 18/01/2019
      Trustpilot

      “It was an honor to be chosen as winner. The prize money will allow the purchase the printer & scanner that I've been wanting. This opportunity has not only given me exposure, but it has allowed me to continue to work. Thank you.”

    • Submit Page - Previous Winner Alessandra D'Innella

      Alessandra D'Innella
      IT ∙ 16/04/2018
      Trustpilot

      “The submit process was easy and smooth. The feedback from the judge was spot on and thoughtful. On top of that, the prize money helped me to expand further my work. Thank you!”

    • Previous Winner Madoka Ikegami

      Madoka Ikegami
      JP ∙ 12/01/2017
      Trustpilot

      “It was an honor to be selected as competition winner. I really appreciated the judge’s comments and the way all photographs are displayed on the website.”

    Trustpilot

    Kickstart your career with
    International exposure & publications

    • color photo of Photo book gallery space in London

      PBC Gallery - London

      We print and exhibit the work of the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd prize winners of all competitions held over the last 12 months. Produced in collaboration with our partners, PCB Gallery and held at the heart of London, the exhibition celebrates the vision of each laureate, showcasing unique talent, artistry, and skill. We also exhibit digitally the work of all winners AND finalists!

    • IG Account

      Global & Direct Exposure

      Winners, finalists and editors' picks of each category are showcased on our Instagram (+855k) and Facebook (+177K) pages, bringing direct visibility and exposure to their work. As part of our commitment to support and celebrate all photographers, our editorial team also regularly shares images submitted during the monthly competitions.

    • The Photographers The Independent Photo contest Independent Photo

      "online gallery" : The independent Photographer Community

      Submit your work for a chance to be featured in our collection and celebrated as a permanent Independent Photographer with your own portfolio page, including an image gallery, and your photo projects.

    Competition Rules

    1. Eligibility:

      The Photography Competition is open only to those who are 18 years of age or older as of the date of entry. The Competition is open to legal residents from all over the world and is void where prohibited by their local law. Employees of The Independent Photographer, its affiliates, subsidiaries, advertising and promotion agencies, and suppliers, (collectively the “Employees”), and immediate family members and/or those living in the same household of Employees are not eligible to participate in the Competition. The Competition is subject to all applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations. Void where prohibited.

    2. Agreement to Rules:

      By participating, the Participant (“You”) agree to be fully unconditionally bound by these Rules, and You represent and warrant that You meet the eligibility requirements. In addition, You agree to accept the decisions of The Independent Photographer as final and binding as it relates to the content of this Competition.

    3. Competition Period:

      Entries must be submitted by the deadline listed on the competition URL, https://independent-photo.com/submit/

    4. How to Enter:

      Participants must pay the entry fees (unless exceptional discount or monthly promotion) and complete the submission form in order to be considered for the Competition. The Competition must be entered by submitting an entry using the online form provided at “https://independent-photo.com/submit/”. The entry must fulfill all Competition requirements, as specified, to be eligible to win a prize. Entries that are incomplete or do not adhere to the rules or specifications may be disqualified at the sole discretion of The Independent Photographer. If You use fraudulent methods or otherwise attempt to circumvent the rules, your submission may be removed from eligibility at the sole discretion of The Independent Photographer.

    5. Prizes:

      The 1st place winner will receive $1000 USD, the 2nd place winner will receive $600 USD, and the 3rd place winner will receive $400 USD. Each of the seven finalists will receive $100 USD. The specifics of the prize shall be solely determined by The Independent Photographer. No cash or other prize substitution shall be permitted except at The Independent Photographer’s discretion. The prize is nontransferable. Any and all prize-related expenses, including without limitation any and all federal, state, and/or local taxes, shall be the sole responsibility of the Winners. No substitution of prize or transfer/assignment of prize to others or request for the cash equivalent by Winner is permitted. Acceptance of prize constitutes permission for The Independent Photographer to use Winner’s name, likeness, and entry for purposes of advertising and trade without further compensation, unless prohibited by law.

    6. Selection & Notification of Winners and Finalists

      The decisions of the judges and editorial team are final. Winners and Finalists will be notified by email within five (5) days following the selection of Winners.

      The Independent Photographer shall have no liability for Winner’s failure to receive notices due to spam, junk e-mail or other security settings or for Winner’s provision of incorrect or otherwise non-functioning contact information. If the Winner cannot be contacted, is ineligible, fails to claim the prize within ninety (90) days from the time award notification was sent, or fails to timely return a completed and executed declaration and release as required, the prize may be forfeited. Receipt by Winner of the prize offered in this Competition is conditioned upon compliance with any and all federal, state, and local laws and regulations.

      Any violation of these official rules by the Winners will result in the Winners’ disqualification as Winners, and all privileges as Winner will be immediately terminated (at The Independent photographer ‘s sole discretion).

      For any unforeseen reason, in the unlikely event that a judge has to cancel their involvement, The Independent Photographer reserves the right to find an alternative judge, making sure that all entrants will be notified.

      All entries will be reviewed by The Independent Photographer’s Editors. Then, selected entries will be reviewed by the Jury. Two (2) Winners and eight (8) Finalists will be selected by our monthly Jury under the supervision of The Independent Photographer, based on the overall beauty, power, photographic skill, creativity, and originality, in accordance with the competition rules. All judges will be appointed by The Independent Photographer. The judging will, as much as possible, be ‘blind’, therefore the photographers will remain anonymous during all the judging process, to ensure that each contestant is judged only on his or her photograph.

    7. Rights Granted by You:

      By entering the competition, You represent and warrant that your entry is an original work of authorship, and does not violate any third party’s proprietary or intellectual property rights. Artificial Intelligence generated images (A.I. Photos) are NOT accepted. If your entry infringes upon the intellectual property right of another, You will be disqualified at the sole discretion of The Independent Photographer. If the content of your entry is claimed to constitute an infringement of any proprietary or intellectual proprietary rights of any third party, You shall, at your sole expense, defend or settle against such claims. Each Participant retains copyright of his or her images, and credit lines will be attributed to each Participant when exhibited or presented anywhere by The Independent Photographer. Images that have been awarded a 1st Prize in other major Competitions are not eligible to the competition. Entries that have been selected as Finalists in previous competitions are eligible to win a cash prize in subsequent competitions. It is possible for a photographer to win multiple cash awards but the same submitted image cannot win multiple cash awards. After each submission, a confirmation page with custom URL is automatically generated, with a thumbnail preview of the image(s) submitted. This confirmation page will be kept online at least 3 months after the competition ended, after what it will be automatically deleted. If a submission to a previous competition has received no prize, that submission is still eligible. You shall indemnify, defend, and hold harmless The Independent Photographer from and against any suit, proceeding, claims, liability, loss, damage, costs or expense, which The Independent Photographer may incur, suffer, or be required to pay arising out of such infringement or suspected infringement of any third party’s right.

    1. Terms & Conditions:

      In its sole discretion, The Independent Photographer reserves the right to cancel, terminate, modify or suspend the Competition due to infection by computer virus, bugs, worms, trojan horses, denial of service attacks, tampering, unauthorized intervention, fraud, technical failures, or any other causes beyond the control of Sponsors that corrupt or affect the administration, security, fairness, integrity, or proper conduct of this Competition, Sponsors reserve the right, at their sole discretion, to disqualify any individual(s) who tamper with the entry process, and/or to cancel, terminate, modify, or suspend the Competition.

      In such case, The Independent Photographer may select the Winner from all eligible entries received prior to and/or after (if appropriate) the action taken by The Independent Photographer. The Independent Photographer reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to disqualify any individual who tampers or attempts to tamper with the entry process or the operation of the Competition or website or violates these Terms & Conditions. The Independent Photographer has the right, in its sole discretion, to maintain the integrity of the Competition, to void entry for any reason. Any attempt by an entrant to deliberately damage any website or undermine the legitimate operation of the Competition may be a violation of criminal and civil laws. Should such attempt be made, The Independent Photographer reserves the right to seek damages to the fullest extent permitted by law.

    2. Limitation of Liability:

      By entering, You agree to release and hold harmless The Independent Photographer and its subsidiaries, affiliates, advertising and promotion agencies, partners, representatives, agents, successors, assigns, employees, officers, and directors from any liability, illness, injury, death, loss, litigation, claim, or damage that may occur, directly or indirectly, whether caused by negligence or not, from: (i) such entrant’s participation in the Competition and/or his/her acceptance, possession, use, or misuse of any prize or any portion thereof; (ii) technical failures of any kind, including but not limited to the malfunction of any computer, cable, network, hardware, or software, or other mechanical equipment; (iii) the unavailability or inaccessibility of any transmissions, telephone, or Internet service; (iv) unauthorized human intervention in any part of the entry process or the Promotion; (v) electronic or human error in the administration of the Promotion or the processing of entries.

    3. Disputes:

      This Competition is governed by the laws of France, without respect to conflicts of law doctrines. As a condition of participating in this Competition, participant agrees that any and all disputes that cannot be resolved between the parties, and causes of action arising out of or connected with this Competition, shall be resolved individually, without resort to any form of class action, exclusively before a court located in France having jurisdiction. Further, in any such dispute, under no circumstances shall participant be permitted to obtain awards for, and hereby waives all rights to, punitive, incidental, or consequential damages, including reasonable attorney’s fees, other than participant’s actual out-of-pocket expenses (i.e. costs associated with entering this Competition). Participant further waives all rights to have damages multiplied or increased.

    4. Privacy Policy & Rights:

      There is no risk to enter!

      Photographers retain all copyright on their images and the competition entries are judged anonymously.

      Information submitted with an entry is subject to the Privacy Policy stated on The Independent Photographer’s website. To read the Privacy Policy, click here: https://independent-photo.com/legal/

    5. Social Networks:

      If you use social networks to communicate or administer a Competition or sweepstakes, include the following: The Competition hosted by The Independent Photographer is in no way sponsored, endorsed, administered by, or associated with these social networks.

    6. Cancelling Rights:

      The Independent Photographer reserves the right to modify, suspend, to discontinue permanently or temporarily, or cancel the Competition at any time and without being required to give any explanation, in case it is in the incapacity to continue operating as anticipated, for any reason that is outside its jurisdiction and influence. The Independent Photographer will refund the entry fees to all Participants if the Competition is permanently suspended for a specific month, and The Independent Photographer will not reserve rights to use any of the pictures that have been submitted that specific month. In case our exhibitions are canceled, there will be no refunds.

    7. Refunds:
    8. All entry fees are non-refundable. In case of unforeseen competition cancellation, The Independent Photographer may, at its sole discretion, refund entry fees for that month. No refunds will be provided for exhibition cancellations.

    9. Competition rules modifications:

      The Independent Photographer reserves the right to alter partially, amend, or modify the Competition rules at any time, and all Participants concerned by this change will be notified by email.

    10. Legal responsibility:

      The Independent Photographer is not liable for any submitted images or any consequences arising from their participation in the Competition. Participants are responsible for ensuring that their submissions comply with all applicable copyright and legal regulations.

    For more information please read our LEGAL.

    Privacy Overview
    The Independent Photographer

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