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AUTOPORTRAIT 2025 — Experimental Self-Portraits is back with a clear challenge: push the face you know best beyond the familiar frame, and do it by October 31, 2025. This interim edition of Kuala Lumpur International Photoawards (KLPA) focuses on experimental self-portraiture that bends process and form. Cash awards for the top three entries, a dedicated student prize, and screenings for the best 35 portraits anchor the offer, positioning this call close to the among the best photography contests aggregated on Deartline. For photographers tracking portrait photography contests, this is a timely brief.
The theme invites analogue and digital approaches, from darkroom to performance-based methods, so long as the result reads as a self-portrait. Entry fees scale from one to ten images, with a free single-image option for full-time students under 25 and a limited concession for photographers without card access. Submissions close at midnight on October 31, 2025, with jury sessions in November and finalists announced December 7, 2025. In short, it’s a focused opportunity with a clear timeline and tangible outcomes.
The AUTOPORTRAIT 2025 – Experimental Self-Portraits Prizes
Prizes are awarded to individual entries, plus a separate student recognition. Beyond cash, the best works gain festival exposure through screenings.
- 1st Prize: €1,000.
- 2nd Prize: €500.
- 3rd Prize: €300.
- Student Awards: three prizes of €200 each (for the student category’s best entries).
Festival Screenings: the best 35 entries will be screened at the KLPA 2026 finalists exhibition and partner festivals (with associated online promotion).
Also relevant for readers comparing awards: see more opportunities with cash prizes and exhibition prizes.
Related Photo Contests
The Categories of the AUTOPORTRAIT 2025
There are two tracks: the Main Category and a Student Category. Both accept single-image entries only, created within the central theme of experimental self-portraiture. The brief values originality of process and idea over conventional self-portrait approaches.
AUTOPORTRAIT 2025 Dates and Entry Fees
Key dates:
- Submissions open: September 7, 2025
- Deadline: October 31, 2025
- Jury sessions: November 2025
- Finalists announced: December 7, 2025.
Entry fees:
- 1 image €10
- 2 images €20
- 3–6 images €45
- 7–10 images €65.
Students (full-time, under 25) may submit 1 image free.
A limited concession offers three free single-image entries for photographers in countries without card access.
How to Enter:
Submit via the KLPA website or through the dedicated Picter page. Upload up to 10 single images per submission (maximum two submissions per photographer). Provide captions where relevant and complete the form; students must upload proof of enrolment. Payment is processed on Picter for paid tiers.
About the Jury
The 2025 selection panel brings curatorial and artistic viewpoints from across the region and Europe: Andrialis Abdul Rahman (artist and senior lecturer, UiTM), Benedetta Donato (curator and editor), Eiffel Chong (artist and educator, Kuala Lumpur), and Louise Fedotov Clements (Director, Photoworks). The panel is tasked with identifying uniqueness, process and narrative in experimental self-portraits.
Why Enter AUTOPORTRAIT 2025 – Experimental Self-Portraits?
This interim edition is tightly framed and results-focused: cash awards, student recognition, and screenings give clear outcomes, while the jury’s cross-sector expertise adds credibility. For photographers mapping out the year’s fixtures, AUTOPORTRAIT sits alongside popular photography challenges online, yet stands apart with its singular emphasis on experimental self-investigation. It is particularly relevant to creators exploring experimental photography contests and conceptual photography competitions within a portrait framework.
Rules and Copyright
This section about the rules and image rights of the AUTOPORTRAIT 2025 – Experimental Self-Portraits has been generated automatically. If you are interested in participating in this contest we suggest you review the complete rules provided by the contest.
Rules
Open worldwide to photographers aged 16+ as of September 7, 2025. Entries are single images only; up to 10 images per submission and a maximum of two submissions per person. Photographs must have been taken between 2023 and 2025. AI-generated images are not permitted. Heavy digital manipulation and commercial/advertising imagery are not allowed; in-camera multiple exposures and alternative or vintage processes are accepted when disclosed. Minimal post-processing is advised. Images should be prepared as high-quality JPEGs at 1,500 px on the long edge; follow the requested filename format. Submissions close at Midnight (UTC+8) on October 31, 2025.
Copyright and Image Usage
Photographers retain copyright at all times. Selected works may be exhibited and used by the organisers and collaborating festivals for exhibition, marketing, educational and publicity purposes for up to three years from the contest’s close, with credit. Model releases are the entrant’s responsibility when applicable, and safeguarding standards apply for images depicting minors.
For more information and to participate in the contest, visit: the official website.
