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Get ready for the Flow Photo Contest 2025, presented by Kodak! This exciting international competition opens its doors to photographers across the globe. Flow emphasizes photography’s power to unite us and aims to celebrate light, solutions, and being present in the moment through this contest. It’s more than just an award; it’s tied to raising funds for non-profit organizations aligned with Flow’s mission.
With a substantial $50,000 total cash prize pool up for grabs, the contest invites submissions across five distinct categories: Animal, Water, Human, Travel, and Film. Each category is linked with a partner non-profit with a portion of every entry fee supporting their work. The competition features a world-class panel of judges and offers significant exposure, as winners, finalists, and honorable mentions will be showcased in ‘The Photo Issue’ of Flow Trip Magazine. The entry run from April 14th to May 2nd, 2025. A flat fee of $6 USD applies per photo entry, making it one of the accessible best photography challenges to join.
For photographers looking for a high-profile international competition with significant cash prizes and a charitable component, the Flow Photo Contest 2025 presents a compelling opportunity. The diverse categories accommodate various styles, and the judging by respected figures ensures expert evaluation. The connection to non-profits adds a layer of purpose, while the magazine feature promises valuable exposure for selected works. Given its anticipated global reach, it’s a chance to gain recognition on a major stage.
The Flow Photo Contest 2025 Prizes
The Flow Photo Contest 2025 boasts a significant total prize pool of $50,000, distributed across its categories, along with valuable exposure opportunities:
- Category Grand Prize Winners (5 total – 1 per category): Each winner receives:
- $4,000 USD cash prize.
- Inclusion in the 2025 ‘Photo Issue’ of The Flow Trip magazine.
- Mention on the sponsor’s digital platforms.
- Potential reprinting of their photograph in Sponsor’s residential buildings.
- Category Finalists (10 total – 2 per category): Each finalist receives:
- $1,000 USD cash prize.
- Inclusion in the 2025 ‘Photo Issue’ of The Flow Trip magazine.
- Mention on the sponsor’s digital platforms.
- Potential reprinting of their photograph in Sponsor’s residential buildings.
- Honorable Mentions (Up to 75 total – up to 15 per category): Each honorable mention recipient receives:
- $200 USD cash prize.
- A chance to be included in the 2025 ‘Photo Issue’ of The Flow Trip magazine.
- Mention on the sponsor’s digital platforms.
- Potential reprinting of their photograph in Sponsor’s residential buildings.
The Categories of the Flow Photo Contest 2025
The contest invites submissions across five thematic categories, each linked to a non-profit partner:
- Animal: This category welcomes images featuring our friends in the animal kingdom, relevant for those interested in animal photography competitions.
- Water: Focuses on “the essence of wetness,” inviting diverse interpretations related to water.
- Human: Explores the human condition and relationships, suitable for those seeking people photo contests.
- Travel: Captures journeys and destinations, wherever the road (or jungle, or tour guide) may lead.
- Film: This category has a specific technical requirement: the photograph must have been shot on actual photographic film. Ideal for enthusiasts of film photography competitions.
Flow Photo Contest 2025 Dates and Entry Fees
The timeline for the Flow Photo Contest 2025 is concise:
| Event | Date / Timeframe |
|---|---|
| Entries Open | April 14, 2025 |
| Entries Close (Deadline) | May 2, 2025 |
| Winners Notified | Late May 2025 |
| Public Announcement / Photo Issue | Late June 2025 |
| Website Announcement | Around July 31, 2025 |
Entry fees:
- 1 – 5 Entries: $6 USD per photo.
- 6 – 10 Entries: 20% discount applied automatically at checkout.
- More than 10 Entries: 30% discount applied automatically at checkout.
There is no limit to the number of photos an individual can enter. A portion of each entry fee is donated to the contest’s non-profit partners.
How to Enter:
All entries must be submitted electronically via the official Flow Photo Contest 2025 submission website. Entrants need to complete the online form, upload their photo(s) (JPG, JPEG, or PNG format), provide required information about the photo and themselves, select a category, and pay the entry fee(s) online before the May 2nd deadline.
About the Jury
The Flow Photo Contest 2025 entries will be evaluated by a world-class panel of three professional photographers selected by the sponsor. The judges announced are:
- Shireen Rahimi (Dr.): Underwater storyteller, marine scientist, National Geographic Explorer, and founder of Lightpalace Productions, focusing on humanity’s impact on changing waters, particularly coral reefs.
- Shawn Theodore: Philadelphia-based interdisciplinary artist exploring Black identity through photography, collage, public works, and writing; originator of the “Afromythology” framework.
- Alex Stead: UK-based commercial photographer and videographer specializing in travel, lifestyle, and automotive projects, working with major brands like Bentley, Porsche, and Nikon.
The panel will judge photos based on originality, technical excellence, composition, overall impact, artistic merit, and relevance to the selected category. All judging decisions are final.
Why Enter Flow Photo Contest 2025?
Participating in the Flow Photo Contest 2025 offers a unique blend of high-stakes competition, global exposure, and philanthropic contribution. With a substantial $50,000 cash prize pool distributed among winners and finalists across five diverse categories, the financial incentives are significant. The opportunity to be judged by a panel of accomplished professionals like Shireen Rahimi, Shawn Theodore, and Alex Stead provides valuable validation for selected artists.
Beyond the prizes, the contest promises considerable visibility. Winners, finalists, and honorable mentions will be featured in ‘The Photo Issue’ of The Flow Trip magazine and potentially have their work reprinted in the sponsor’s properties. The association with reputable non-profit partners also adds a layer of meaning for participants whose entry fees contribute to these causes. Despite the brief entry window, the contest’s anticipated high volume of entries positions it as one of the top photography competitions globally in terms of participation, making recognition here particularly noteworthy.
Rules and Copyright
This section about the rules and image rights of the Flow Photo Contest 2025 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
- Eligibility: Open to professional and amateur photographers worldwide, aged 18 and up. Void where prohibited. Excludes Flow employees/family and partners. Entrants must ensure participation is legal in their jurisdiction.
- Originality: Submitted photograph must be shot by the entrant who certifies they are the sole creator and copyright owner.
- Image Requirements: Submit via contest website (JPG, JPEG, PNG). High-resolution originals preferred. Scans of non-digital photos acceptable. Must accurately reflect the subject/scene.
- Manipulation Restrictions: Photos digitally altered beyond standard optimization (cropping, dust spotting, reasonable exposure/color/contrast adjustments) will be disqualified. Adding or subtracting objects is not permitted. AI-generated or significantly AI-altered images are not acceptable.
- AI Explicitly Forbidden: The rules and FAQ explicitly state “No way amigo” to AI images; they are invalid entries and fees won’t be refunded.
- Time Limit: No time limit specified on when photos must have been taken.
- Previously Published: Allowed if entrant retains rights to grant the required license. Must disclose previous publication.
- Releases: Model releases (for recognizable people in private settings) and property releases (for depicting others’ copyrightable work like sculptures/paintings as objects in environment) must be provided upon request for winners.
- Content Restrictions: Photos violating rights (copyright, privacy), or containing sexually explicit, obscene, violent, or other inappropriate content (determined by Sponsor) are ineligible.
- Entry Limit: Unlimited entries allowed per person ($6 fee per photo, with volume discounts).
Copyright and Image Usage
- Copyright Ownership: The photographer retains the copyright to any submitted photograph.
- Usage License Grant: By submitting, the photographer grants Sponsor (FOL Management LLC/Flow), its affiliates, and contest partners (Kodak, non-profits) a fully paid-up, royalty-free, non-exclusive right in perpetuity to:
- Display, distribute, reproduce, and create derivative works of the photograph in any media (now or hereafter known).
- Specific uses include: Sponsor/contest websites, internet/email/social media, internal/external communications (newsletters, marketing, magazines), the Photo Issue magazine.
- For Prize Recipients: Up to 100 prints (any size) for display in Sponsor-owned/operated/managed buildings.
- Use entrant’s name, city, state, country for promotions/publications related to the contest.
- Commercial Use Limitation: The rules state images will not be used in other commercial capacities without written approval from the photographer.
- Crediting: Sponsor may credit photos with the photographer’s name when available, but is not explicitly required to in all instances mentioned in the license grant.
Entrants should carefully review the full Official Rules and Terms & Conditions on the contest website.
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For more information and to participate in the contest, visit: the official website.
