$1,000USD cash prize
Urban Photographer of the Year
UPOTY trophy + dedicated awards-book spread
EARLY BIRD DEADLINE:
Deadline: 20 November 2026, 23:59 +00:00 (UTC+00:00)Early bird entries have closed.
About UPOTY
Urban Photographer of the Year is an international photography award celebrating the people, places and everyday moments that shape our cities. Open to photographers worldwide, UPOTY recognises distinctive ways of seeing urban life.
CATEGORIES
Awards & recognition
- Open
- Early Bird
- Regular
- Final deadline
- Judging After entries close
- Winners
Entry deadlines at 23:59:59 UTC
$500USD cash prize
Discovery Photographer of the Year
Awards-book inclusion + interview
Personal Photography Book
Urban Perspective Award 2026
Interview + certificate
The Urban Perspective Award 2026 winner receives support to develop and publish their own photography book, subject to having a sufficiently substantial body of eligible work.
Curators
Meet the World-Class International Jury
Babak Mehrafshar
🇦🇪Dubai
Founder & Artistic Director, UPOTY
Josephine Florens
🇸🇪Västerås
Independent Visual Artist, Writer
Apratim Saha
🇮🇳Kolkata
Photographer, Mentor & Educator
Filippo Venturi
🇮🇹Forlì
Documentary Photographer & Visual Artist
Rui Palha
🇵🇹Lisbon
Street Photographer
Olga Bondarenko
🇨🇦Toronto
Photographer, Artist & Visual Editor
Diogo Baptista
🇵🇹Porto
Documentary & Street Photographer
Alessandra Bello
🇮🇹Feltre
Architectural & Landscape Photographer
Qichao An
🇺🇸Orlando, Florida
Graphic Designer
Jon Enoch
🇬🇧London
Photographer & Director
Alessandro D'Angelo
🇮🇹Offida
Freelance Photographer
Carolina Rapezzi
🇬🇧London
Photographer & Journalist
UPOTY 2026
Official Award Badges
Celebrate your achievement. Share your recognition.
1st Place
2nd Place
3rd Place
Honourable Mention
Acceptance
FAQ
View all FAQsHow much does it cost to enter?
Early Bird: $18 for a single image or $25 for a series.Regular: $20 for a single image or $30 for a series.Final: $30 for a single image or $37 for a series.
All fees are in USD for the first category. A series can include up to 10 images. Additional-category fees apply. See the full entry fees.
Do I keep the rights to my photographs?
Yes. You retain copyright. By entering, you give UPOTY non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free permission to use submitted images for the competition, exhibitions, official publications, archives and competition-related promotion, with photographer credit. This applies to all submitted images and has no fixed expiry. Read the full image-use terms.
What file format and size should I upload?
Upload JPEG, PNG or WebP files, no larger than 4 MB each. Images must be at least 100 × 100 pixels, with neither side exceeding 4,000 pixels. Use sRGB where possible and leave out watermarks, signatures and decorative borders. Keep your full-resolution originals. View all file requirements.
When are the entry deadlines?
Early Bird closes on 20 November 2026, Regular on 20 December 2026, and Final entries on 20 January 2027. Each deadline is at 23:59:59 UTC. Complete your entry and payment before the applicable deadline; an upload or unpaid draft is not a completed entry. View the competition schedule.
How are the photographs judged?
Jurors assess visual impact, originality, composition, technical execution, storytelling and relevance to the selected category. Judging is anonymous wherever practicable, and jurors must not assess entries affected by a conflict of interest. Read how judging and winner selection work.
EXPLORE THE CITY
Urban Perspectives
