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Rps Documentary Photography Awards 2025 welcomes entries through 1 September 2025. This international open award for documentary and visual storytelling invites photographers and image-makers of all ages to present coherent narratives using projects of 10–15 images. Part of the broader Documentary Photography Awards series, this competition highlights real-world issues and personal experiences alike. Selected entrants will feature in a UK touring exhibition, complemented by a series of online talks and digital showcases, granting exposure to a worldwide audience. As one of the best photo contests to enter, it challenges creators to craft compelling stories that resonate far beyond a single frame.
Submission deadlines are transparent: entry opens on 30 June 2025 and closes on 1 September 2025. Entrants may submit up to three projects—each consisting of 10–15 JPEG images—anonymously via the RPS Entry Platform. Projects require a title and a statement, with optional captions. Fees apply only to the Open category at £20 per project; Student and RPS Member categories are free, and concessions are available on request. After anonymous review, images move through longlisting and shortlisting before the final exhibition selection.
Selected photographers benefit from professional curation, free printing and framing for the touring exhibition, and the chance to win development support and RPS membership awards. This well-structured process offers photographers a clear route to professional recognition and portfolio growth. For image-makers focused on storytelling and social impact, the Rps Documentary Photography Awards 2025 provides an objective platform to share work and connect with new audiences.
The Rps Documentary Photography Awards 2025 Prizes
The Rps Documentary Photography Awards 2025 recognizes outstanding documentary storytelling with the following opportunities:
- Three projects per category (Open, Student, RPS Member) selected for a UK touring exhibition.
- Presentation through online talks and digital showcases, reaching a global audience.
- Professional curation, printing, mounting, and framing of selected projects at no cost.
- Consideration for additional development support and RPS membership awards, at the selectors’ discretion.
All selected projects will also have opportunities for publication in the Decisive Moment and The RPS Journal and selected photographers will be invited to present at our Engagement Talk series.
Related Photo Contests
The Categories of the Rps Documentary Photography Awards 2025
- Open: Available to anyone, allowing up to three projects of 10–15 images each, regardless of experience or affiliation.
- Student: For those enrolled in a formal photography course (diploma, bachelor’s, or master’s level) or who graduated during the 2024–25 academic year; up to three projects per entrant.
- RPS Member: Exclusive to Royal Photographic Society members with a valid membership number at submission; up to three projects allowed.
Rps Documentary Photography Awards 2025 Dates and Entry Fees
- Submission Opens: 30 June 2025
- Submission Deadline: 1 September 2025
Entry Fees:
- £20 per project for the Open category
- Free for Student and RPS Member categories
- Concession rates available on request
How to Enter:
Register or log in to the RPS Entry Platform on the RPS website, select “Documentary Photography Awards 2025,” choose your category, and complete any payment. Provide a project title, statement, and upload 10–15 JPEG images (sRGB, max 10 MB), then review and submit your entry before the deadline.
About the Jury
The RPS Documentary Photography Awards 2025 selectors bring a breadth of expertise in documentary storytelling, curation, and editorial practice:
Roy Mehta is a photographer and Senior Lecturer at London College of Communication whose books explore cultural identity. His recent work in Mumbai examines second-generation immigration and the fluid boundaries between “nature” and human experience.
Liz Hingley, photographer, curator and anthropologist, is Artist in Residence at King’s College London and Honorary Research Fellow at the University of Birmingham. Her award-winning projects blend community engagement with cross-disciplinary storytelling, and she founded The SIM Project to archive migration narratives via everyday objects.
Mimi Mollica (Palermo, Italy) is an award-winning documentary photographer, multimedia artist and lecturer. His immersive long-term projects on identity, migration and environmental change have appeared in The Guardian Weekend Magazine, The New York Times Lens and at festivals from Somerset House to the Rencontres d’Arles. He also directs the Offspring PhotoMeet, fostering global portfolio reviews and discussions.
Maysa Moroni has served as Photo Editor for Internazionale since 2008, curating the magazine’s cover imagery. A graduate of Milan’s Riccardo Bauer School of Photography, she previously worked as an assistant photographer, iconographic researcher and photo editor for major Italian media groups, bringing deep editorial insight to the selection process.
Why Enter Rps Documentary Photography Awards 2025?
As one of the leading photography contests and challenges, the Rps Documentary Photography Awards 2025 offers a unique chance to bring real-life stories to both a UK touring exhibition and a global online audience through talks and digital features. Participants gain free professional curation, printing, and framing for selected projects, plus the opportunity to receive development support and RPS membership awards, making this competition stand out among other documentary photo competitions.
Rules and Copyright
This section about the rules and image rights of the Rps Documentary Photography Awards 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
Entrants may submit up to three projects of 10–15 JPEG images (sRGB, max 10 MB) per project, accompanied by a title and statement. Images must be submitted anonymously, without watermarks, and may include minor digital adjustments but not AI-generated alterations. The RPS reserves the right to reject entries that fail to meet these criteria. All fees are non-refundable, and entries cannot be modified after submission.
Copyright and Image Usage
Photographers retain full copyright of their work. By entering, participants grant the RPS a royalty-free license to reproduce submitted images for promotional purposes—including print, digital, and social media—for up to three years, with credit given to the creator.
For more information and to participate in the contest, visit: the official website.
