The Environmental Photography Award 2025, run by the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation, is a key global stage for photographers. It lets them use their art to spotlight environmental issues. Born in 2021 to mark the Foundation’s 15th year, this yearly contest rewards those who capture Earth’s beauty and highlight today’s environmental challenges. Photographers can show their skills in five diverse areas, adding to the worldwide talk on saving our environment.
This award does more than show stunning images – it’s a call to action. By sharing visual stories that touch people worldwide, the award makes us rethink how we relate to nature. Whether through shots of stark polar views, lush forests, or the complex dance between humans and their surroundings, these photos urge us to reconsider our role in protecting the natural world. The Environmental Photography Award 2025 thus celebrates art and pushes for meaningful environmental change.
Entrants can win big prizes, including grants for the top winner and category champs, plus global exposure. The contest peaks with a grand event in Monaco, where winning photos are shown before touring the world. If you’re new to environmental photography or a seasoned pro, this award offers a unique chance to gain recognition and make a real impact with your work.
The Environmental Photography Award 2025 gives photographers a powerful platform to show their skills and spark talks about our planet’s future. You might capture stunning polar scenes or highlight hopeful change-makers. This contest pushes photographers to use their art for a bigger purpose. If you’re looking for more chances to showcase your work, check out this list of photography contests or explore free photography contests.
The Environmental Photography Award 2025 prizes
The Environmental Photography Award 2025 offers exciting, far-reaching prizes. These rewards honor the photographers’ skills and artistry, as well as the impact of their environmental messages. Winners gain both professional acclaim and global exposure.
The top winner, named Environmental Photographer of the Year 2025, gets a €5,000 grant. They also receive an all-expenses-paid trip to the opening event in Monaco. Each of the five category winners earns a €1,000 grant, ensuring recognition for the best images in each theme.
Special prizes include the Public Award and Students’ Choice Award, each with a €500 grant. The Public Award winner also gets to visit SEK International University’s Amazon research base in Ecuador. All shortlisted photographers will see their work in the 2025 award exhibition, which tours worldwide, and in a photo book.
Prize List:
- Grand Prize Winner (Environmental Photographer 2025): €5,000 grant and invitation to Monaco.
- Category Winners: €1,000 grant for each of the five category winners.
- Public Award Winner: €500 grant and an invitation to Ecuador’s Amazon research station.
- Students’ Choice Award Winner: €500 grant.
- Shortlisted Photographers: Featured in the exhibition and published in the Environmental Photography Award 2025 book.
The categories of the Environmental Photography Award 2025
The Environmental Photography Award 2025 features five distinct categories. Each highlights key aspects of nature and human impact. These categories push photographers to capture stories that show both the beauty and fragility of our world.
- Polar Wonders: This category invites images of pristine polar regions. It includes landscapes, wildlife, and local communities in the Arctic and Antarctic. These areas are very sensitive to climate change, making this category a powerful reminder of what’s at risk.
- Into the Forest: This category celebrates the rich ecosystems of world forests. It focuses on diverse plants and animals in boreal, temperate, and tropical forests. It also includes the native communities that rely on these forests.
- Ocean Worlds: A tribute to the vast oceans and their diverse life. This category seeks images that capture wonders above and below the waves. From coral reefs to large sea mammals, photographers can showcase the wealth of marine life.
- Humanity versus Nature: This category shows the often tense relationship between humans and nature. Images of climate change, loss of biodiversity, and resource exploitation serve as stark reminders of our environmental crises.
- Change Makers: Reasons for Hope: This category focuses on optimism. It celebrates efforts of communities and groups working for a sustainable future. Images here aim to inspire hope and highlight positive actions to heal our planet.
Submission deadlines and entry fees
Key dates for the Environmental Photography Award 2025:
- Submit by: November 3, 2024
- Public voting starts: March 31, 2025
- Winners revealed: April 15, 2025
Entry is free. You can submit up to five images per category, with a max of 25 total. Images must follow specific size, format, and content rules.
