The Head On Photo Awards 2026, one of the world’s most prestigious annual photography competitions, is now open for entries.
The deadline for submissions is August 16, 2026, and the competition is open to photographers from around the world, with no age or professional-level restrictions. Organized by the Head On Foundation in Australia, all entries will be judged solely on their quality through a completely anonymous judging process.
One of the competition’s most distinctive features is its 100% anonymous judging process. Judges do not see any information about the photographer’s name, background, or equipment. The image itself is the only criterion for selection. In addition to cash prizes and professional photography equipment, selected works will be exhibited at the official Head On Photo Festival 2026 in Sydney, as well as in the festival’s online exhibition.
Competition Categories
The competition features three categories:
- Portrait
- Landscape
- Exposure – an open category for creative work across all areas of photography
There are no subject restrictions in the Exposure category. Entries are accepted from a wide range of genres, including documentary, street, nature, fashion, advertising, architecture, wildlife, food, travel, conceptual art, and other photographic styles.
Who Can Enter?
The competition is open to photographers from all over the world, including photography enthusiasts, students, emerging photographers, and professionals.
Prizes
The total prize value for this edition exceeds AUD 80,000.
The winner of each of the three categories will receive:
- AUD 5,000 cash prize
- A professional OM SYSTEM camera kit
- A photography book printing package
- Subscriptions to specialist photography magazines
In addition:
- 110 finalist works will be exhibited in the festival’s physical and online exhibitions.
- 200 semifinalist works will be featured in the festival’s digital exhibition.
- Finalists’ works will be published in the prestigious annual Head On photography book.
Head On Photo Awards Entry Fees
The entry fee for each photograph is:
- Standard entry: AUD 30
- Photographers under 25: AUD 15
An Early Bird discount is available until July 20, 2026. Entry fees will increase after this date.
Entry Requirements
- Entries must be submitted online.
- Participants must own the rights to their submitted work.
- There is no restriction on when the photograph was taken.
- Images created entirely using artificial intelligence (AI) are not eligible.
- Full copyright ownership of the work remains with the photographer.
Why Is This Competition Important?
Over more than two decades, the Head On Photo Awards has distributed more than AUD 1 million in prizes to photographers around the world and has become one of the leading international platforms for discovering photographic talent.
Having selected works exhibited internationally, published in the official catalogue, and potentially included in international exhibition tours are among the major benefits of participating in the competition.
Important Information
- Submission deadline: August 16, 2026
- Winners announced: November 2026
- Exhibition location: Sydney, Australia
- Entry fee: AUD 15–30 per photograph
- Eligibility: Open to photographers from all countries, including Iran
More Information and Registration
Official website: https://www.headon.org.au/photo-awards/
