Golden Shot Photography Awards 2026 is the kind of contest that can turn a single frame into a title, a trophy, and a headline. The 2026 edition is presented as an international photography awards program with 16 categories and an overall “Photographer of the Year” distinction, backed by a cash prize and a formal trophy. Entries are handled online, with both single-image and series submissions available.
Photographers can enter across genres, from portrait and street work to drone and mobile imagery, with the option to submit the same photo into multiple categories. Fees are set at $20 for a single entry and $30 for a series entry, with a stated 20% discount applied to additional categories. For photographers who find Golden Shot Photography Awards 2026 aligned with their style or ambitions, there is a much broader landscape to explore. On Deartline’s list of photography competitions, similar awards and category-based contests are updated regularly, making it easier to discover other opportunities that may also match their work.
On the awards side, the overall winner receives a $1,000 cash prize, an official Golden Shot trophy, and the “Golden Shot Photographer of the Year” title, while first-place category winners receive medals and certificates. The program also points to winner visibility through an online gallery exhibition, an official announcement, and an annual publication that features selected work.
Contents
Prizes
The prize lineup in Golden Shot Photography Awards 2026 combines a headline award with category-level recognition and winner visibility, including publication and online display.
- Photographer of the Year (Overall Winner):
- $1,000 cash prize
- Official Golden Shot Awards trophy
- Title “Golden Shot Photographer of the Year”
- Gold Medals (First Place in each category):
- Gold medals awarded to first-place winners in each category
- Plus official certificates
- Winners and Honorable Mentions:
- Official certificates for winners and honorable mentions
- Winner Visibility:
- Online gallery exhibition featuring winning works and an official announcement where winners’ names are featured in a press release
- Selected work may also be included in an annual publication
Related Photo Contests
Categories or Themes
Golden Shot Photography Awards 2026 is structured around clearly defined categories. Photographers can submit to one or multiple categories, and the same image may be entered in more than one if relevant. The official categories are:
- Portrait
- Landscape
- Street
- Fine Art
- Documentary
- Environmental
- Black & White
- Nature / Wildlife
- Minimalist
- Travel
- Architectural
- Daily Life
- Editorial / Press
- Drone
- Mobile Photography
- Other
This category-based structure allows participants to position their work according to subject, approach, or capture method, whether it is genre-driven, concept-focused, or technology-specific.
Dates and Entry Fees
Golden Shot is run on an online submission cycle, with entries accepted until a stated final deadline time. The contest also sets separate pricing for single images and series submissions.
| Early deadline | March 25, 2026 |
| Final deadline | April 10, 2026 |
| Winners announcement | July 2026 |
Entry fees:
- Single entry fee: $20
- Series entry fee: $30
- Additional categories: 20% off the initial entry fees for each extra category selected for a single entry
How to Enter
Submit through the online entry system on the official Golden Shot Photography Awards site. Complete the submission form with the credit name, entry title (letters and spaces only), description, and chosen category or categories. Then upload the image files and finalize payment.
About the Jury
Golden Shot Photography Awards 2026 presents an international jury and states that judging is anonymous, meaning judges do not see participant names or personal details during evaluation. The jury lineup shown for the 2026 edition includes:
- Tomas Neuwirth
- Remi Masson
- Muneera Alobaidli
- Dikye Ariani
- Mehdi Nazeri
Why Enter Golden Shot Photography Awards 2026?
Golden Shot is built for photographers who want their work evaluated within clear genres. With 16 categories, the contest supports targeted submissions, including portrait, documentary, editorial, and drone, and it also allows the same photograph to be entered into multiple categories. That structure can matter for photographers who produce work that crosses boundaries, like street images that also read as fine art, or travel photographs that overlap with landscape and daily life.
There is also a defined top award. The overall winner receives a $1,000 cash prize, a trophy, and a formal title, while category winners earn medals and certificates. Add in the planned online gallery exhibition, official announcement coverage, and the annual publication pathway, and the contest offers several concrete outcomes beyond a simple winner list. For photographers scanning Deartline for popular photo challenges online that still keep a juried-awards identity, this Golden Shot Photography Awards 2026 combines anonymous judging with a straightforward online workflow.
Rules and Copyright
This section about the rules and image rights of the Golden Shot Photography Awards 2026 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
Entries are submitted online, and incomplete submissions at the competition close (for example unpaid entries or uploads that did not complete correctly) are not eligible for jury consideration.
Single entries and series entries are both accepted. A series consists of at least 2 and no more than 7 photographs, shares a common theme or concept, and is judged as one body of work rather than as separate images.
There is no stated time limit on when submitted photographs must have been taken. Awarded photos from other contests may be entered, but a photograph that has won a Golden Shot contest cannot be submitted again.
After payment is made, entries cannot be altered, so filenames, titles, and uploads should be reviewed carefully before finalizing.
Copyright and Image Usage
The contest states that copyright remains with the photographer. Selected works grant the competition a non-exclusive usage license for promotional purposes related to the competition and its media coverage.
The FAQ also notes that there is no monetary remuneration for image use in promotion, and that if an image were to be used for something other than promoting the competition, the photographer would be contacted and given the option to decline.
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For more information and to participate in the contest, visit: the official website.
