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The Photography 4 Humanity 2025 Global Prize Competition is now officially open for submissions, inviting photographers worldwide to lend their vision to a critical global issue. This initiative, presented by Right Here, Right Now, focuses specifically on climate justice, framing climate change as a fundamental human rights concern. The competition seeks powerful photographic work that illuminates the human face of the climate crisis, moving beyond abstract statistics to showcase real-world impacts and responses.
At its core, the competition calls for images documenting people affected by the escalating climate emergency – this includes climate refugees, vulnerable populations like the young, elderly, disabled, poor, indigenous peoples, island communities, and women. Equally welcome are photographs highlighting the efforts of climate champions advocating for policy shifts, and individuals or groups actively working on mitigation and reversal strategies. The single Global Prize Recipient will be awarded $5,000, but significant exposure is offered to a wider group, with the Top 10 Finalists and Top 20 Honorable Mentions being exhibited globally via the United Nations website. The submission window runs from April 1st to August 5th, 2025. There is no entry fee for this contest, which places it among the free photography competitions. This specific focus makes it a significant climate change photography competition.
For photographers passionate about human rights, environmental issues, and social documentary, the Photography 4 Humanity 2025 offers a unique and impactful platform. It provides a direct channel to connect powerful visual storytelling with a major global institution – the United Nations. The $5,000 prize is a substantial acknowledgment for the winner, while the exhibition provides international visibility for a larger group of selected photographers. This focus on using photography for advocacy on a critical theme distinguishes it from many other popular photo challenges.
The Photography 4 Humanity 2025 Prizes
The competition centers around a main cash prize and significant global exhibition opportunities:
2025 Global Prize Recipient:
One photographer will be selected to receive a cash prize of $5,000 USD.
United Nations Online Exhibition:
The work of the Global Prize Recipient, along with the Top 10 Finalists and the Top 20 Honorable Mentions, will be featured in an exhibition hosted globally on the UN.org website.
Future Exhibition Potential:
Selected images (winner, finalists, honorable mentions) may also be included in future Photography 4 Humanity initiatives, such as traveling group gallery exhibitions, screenings, or projections at arts and photography festivals worldwide.
Other Free Contests
The Categories of the Photography 4 Humanity 2025
The Photography 4 Humanity 2025 Global Prize Competition does not operate with distinct subject categories in the traditional sense. Instead, the competition is defined by its central theme: Climate Justice as a Human Rights Issue. All submitted photographs must relate to this core theme. Specifically, the organizers are looking for images that show:
- People being impacted by the escalating climate crisis (including climate refugees, the very young, the very old, the disabled/injured, the poor, indigenous peoples, island peoples, and women).
- Climate champions who are advocating for change.
- People actively helping to mitigate and/or reverse climate change.
Therefore, the “category” is thematic, focusing on photography about people within the specific context of the climate crisis and climate action. The competition clearly aligns with areas like conservation photography and could be considered a unique environment photography competition.
Photography 4 Humanity 2025 Dates and Entry Fees
Here is the timeline and cost information based on the details provided for the 2025 competition:
| Event | Date / Timeframe |
|---|---|
| Submissions Open | April 1, 2025 |
| Submissions Close (Deadline) | August 5, 2025 |
| Eligible Image Capture Window | August 1, 2024 – August 5, 2025 |
Entry Fees:
The Photography 4 Humanity 2025 Global Prize Competition is free. This aligns it with searches for free photo contest online opportunities.
Entrants can submit up to five photographs in total.
How to Enter:
Submissions must be made through the Photography 4 Humanity 2025 official website. Entrants need to provide complete information for each photograph, including photographer name, image title, date taken, location, and a description. Up to five photographs can be submitted per entrant. Ensure images meet the file specifications outlined in the rules.
About the Jury
The judging process for the Photography 4 Humanity 2025 Global Prize involves a two-stage review:
- Pre-screening: All submitted entries will first be reviewed by the Photography 4 Humanity editors.
- Final Judging: Entries that pass the initial screening will then be evaluated by a panel described as “Photography 4 Humanity eminent judges.”
Why Enter Photography 4 Humanity 2025?
The Photography 4 Humanity 2025 Global Prize Competition offers photographers a unique and potentially high-impact opportunity. Its direct connection to the United Nations and the theme of climate justice provides a platform to contribute meaningful work on a critical global issue. Being selected for the UN.org exhibition offers unparalleled international exposure, reaching policymakers, advocates, and a vast global audience far beyond typical gallery viewership. This makes it stand out amongst the best online photography challenges.
The $5,000 USD prize for the Global Prize Recipient provides significant financial recognition. Furthermore, the lack of an entry fee removes financial barriers to participation, making it accessible to photographers worldwide, regardless of their professional status or resources. The focus on narrative and impact, guided by ethical considerations aligned with the NPPA, encourages thoughtful documentary and advocacy work. For photographers committed to using their skills for social and environmental commentary, this competition provides a prestigious and relevant avenue.
Rules and Copyright
This section about the rules and image rights of the Photography 4 Humanity 2025 Global Prize Competition 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 amateur and professional photographers worldwide, aged 18 or older.
- Submission Limit: Maximum of five photographs per entrant.
- Required Information: Each entry must include photographer name, title, date, location, and description.
- Editing Guidelines: Images should comply with NPPA ethical guidelines. No people or objects may be added, rearranged, reversed, distorted, or removed. HDR and stitched panoramas are not accepted. Minor adjustments (color, spotting, dodging/burning, sharpening, contrast, cropping, dust removal) are permitted if content is not altered drastically.
- File Specifications: JPG, JPEG, or PNG format. File size between 5MB and 20MB. Color space RGB or sRGB. No watermarks, logos, or overlays.
- Originality & Rights: Entrants must be the creator and own/control the copyright. Photos must not infringe third-party rights (copyright, trademark, privacy, etc.) and must not contain defamatory, obscene, or other inappropriate content. Stock images are prohibited.
- Verification: RAW or unaltered files may be requested for finalists to verify integrity.
Copyright and Image Usage
- Copyright Ownership: The photographer retains the copyright for all submitted images.
- Usage Grant: By entering, photographers grant Photography 4 Humanity a non-exclusive right to reproduce (with credit) and use submitted images to conduct and promote the Global Prize competition. This includes potential use in UN exhibitions, future gallery shows, festival screenings, website display, and social media.
- Crediting: Photography 4 Humanity will provide credit lines for used images and endeavors to rectify any accidental omissions.
- Third-Party Misuse: The organizers state they assume no responsibility for image misuse by third parties.
- Data Use: Entrant data (name, contact info) will be used for administering the competition. Entrants agree to receive newsletters/updates.
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For more information and to enter the competition, visit: the oficial website.
