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Monte-Carlo Photo Contest 2026 is back—and it’s your chance to join one of the most popular photo challenges online. Open to professionals and enthusiasts worldwide, this annual event invites you to capture moments of glamour, culture, landscapes and any subject you can imagine. With submission opening on 15 June 2026 and closing on 4 October 2026, there’s ample time to plan your entries and make every shot count.
Participants may enter up to four JPEG works per theme (16 images maximum) via the FIAP-approved HiHo platform, with fees starting at €38 for one theme and capping at €50 for all four. Winners in each of the four themes—Glamour & Beauty, World in Focus, Landscape and Free Theme—will receive FIAP medals, plus Honourable Mention and Jury’s Special Mention diplomas. This year, the contest also features exciting new prizes, including professional Retouch4me photo-editing software for top winners and cloud retouches for all admitted participants.
Under the patronage of FIAP and AAPMC, this contest’s classifications are valid for AFIAP, EFIAP, CAFIAP and CEFIAP distinctions. A distinguished international jury evaluates every entry, and awarded works will appear in a digital catalogue sent to participants and featured in online magazines. Emerging talents and seasoned professionals alike value the Monte-Carlo Photo Contest as a benchmark of excellence and a springboard for global recognition.
The Monte-Carlo Photo Contest 2026 Prizes
The Monte-Carlo Photo Contest 2026 will award a total of more than 370 prizes across all four themes:
- 1st Prize in each theme: FIAP Gold Medal
- 2nd Prize in each theme: FIAP Silver Medal
- 3rd Prize in each theme: FIAP Bronze Medal
- 4th to 10th Prize in each theme: FIAP Honourable Mention Diplomas
- 11th to 30th Place in each theme: ‘Jury’s Special Mention’ Diplomas
- Best Overall Author: Light Blue Pin FIAP
- Software Prizes (Top 3 in each theme): 2 Retouch4me AI editing plugins of the winner’s choice (perpetual licenses) and 1,000 cloud retouches each.
- Participant Bonus: All admitted participants receive 20 free cloud retouches and a 20% discount on any Retouch4me plugin purchase.
- Publication: Awarded works featured in a digital catalogue and online magazines.
- FIAP Honours: Classifications valid for AFIAP, EFIAP, CAFIAP and CEFIAP distinctions.
Related Photo Contests
The Categories of the Monte-Carlo Photo Contest 2026
The contest is divided into four themes, with a maximum of four works per theme (up to 16 photos in total):
Theme 1 – Glamour & Beauty: Portrait and fashion-focused images that highlight elegance and beauty.
Theme 2 – World in Focus: A FIAP section encompassing street, travel, architecture, culture, events, portraits, food and more; images that capture the spirit of an era or the essence of a place.
Theme 3 – Landscape: Natural vistas and environmental contexts showcasing the grandeur of the outdoors.
Theme 4 – Free Theme: Complete creative freedom to explore any subject or concept.
Monte-Carlo Photo Contest 2026 Dates and Entry Fees
Competition Opens: 15 June 2026
Submission Deadline: 4 October 2026
Jury Voting: 18 October 2026
Winners Announced: 25 October 2026
Award Ceremony: 4 December 2026
Digital Catalogue Distribution: From 15 December 2026
Entry Fees:
- €38 for one theme (up to 4 photos)
- €42 for two themes (up to 8 photos)
- €46 for three themes (up to 12 photos)
- €50 for four themes (up to 16 photos)
How to Enter:
Register on the official website via the FIAP-approved HiHo platform, choose your themes, and upload up to four digital JPEG images per theme (sRGB, 1,920–3,000 px longest side, 300 dpi, max 4 MB, no signatures/watermarks/frames). Specify a title for each photo, pay the applicable fees, and submit before 4 October 2026.
About the Jury
The 2026 jury meets online to select winners and is composed of esteemed photography experts: Riccardo Busi (FIAP President, MFIAP, EFIAP/p, HonEFIAP, Italy), Paolo M. Mosti (AAPMC Monaco President, FIAP Monaco Liaison Officer, AFIAP, Monaco), Romain Nero (Member of FIAP Executive Board, EFIAP/d2, HonEFIAP, HonFLPA, Luxembourg), Ioannis Lykouris (FIAP General Secretary, MFIAP, EFIAP/p, PFIAP, HonEFIAP, Greece), and Jesús M. García Flores (Director of FIAP Collections, MFIAP, EFIAP/b, ESFIAP, Spain). All decisions are final.
Why Enter Monte-Carlo Photo Contest 2026?
Participating brings unrivaled prestige under FIAP and AAPMC patronage, with medals and diplomas awarded in Monaco and worldwide visibility through digital catalogues and media coverage. Evaluate your work against top talents, earn FIAP distinctions, and take advantage of the new Retouch4me software prizes. For photographers seeking more photography challenges online, Deartline offers an extensive directory of global contests.
Rules and Copyright
This section about the rules and image rights of the Monte-Carlo Photo Contest 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
Open to all nationalities, amateurs and professionals who own all rights to submitted images. Maximum four digital JPEG images per theme (up to 16 total). Images must be original, photographed entirely by the author, without AI generation or composite creation from different locations. JPEG in sRGB, 1,920–3,000 px on longest side, 300 dpi, ≤ 4 MB. No signatures, watermarks or frames. HDR, focus stacking, focal blending, time blending and minor post-production (removal of disturbing elements without adding external content) are allowed. Compliance with FIAP document 048/2025 E is required.
Copyright and Image Usage
Photographs remain the property of the authors. By submitting, participants grant the Monte-Carlo Photo Contest the right to publish them on its website, social media, exhibitions, brochures, catalogs, videos, books and related materials without compensation. Proper credit will always be given. Participants must obtain model releases for recognizable persons (and guardians for minors).
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For more information and to participate in the contest, visit: the official website.
