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Shin Kong Mitsukoshi International Photography Contest 2027 (SKM PHOTO 2027) is built around a simple format: photographers choose their own theme and tell a visual story through a series of five images. Entry is free, there are no age or nationality restrictions, and submissions are open from September 1 to October 31, 2026. Photographers browsing the best photography challenges online listed on Deartline will find a competition focused on sequencing and the development of a photographic idea rather than a single standalone image.
The awards include $8,000 in cash prizes, led by a $5,000 First Prize, together with photography equipment from DJI, Fujifilm, Vanguard and Pentax. Prizewinning works may also participate in the 2027 SKM Photography Art Fair, and winners receive a commemorative album, certificate and tickets to the event.
Although registration can begin online, the competition requires a physical submission of five printed photographs. With no entry fee, SKM PHOTO 2027 also joins the free photography competitions available to international photographers, although entrants sending work from abroad should account for printing and postage costs.
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Prizes
The Shin Kong Mitsukoshi International Photography Contest 2027 awards $8,000 in cash across its three main prizes, together with equipment awards and opportunities for prizewinning work to be presented through SKM PHOTO.
- First Place – 1 winner: $5,000.
- Second Place – 1 winner: $2,000.
- Third Place – 1 winner: $1,000.
- Special Jury Award – 2 winners: DJI Osmo Pocket 4 Standard Combo.
- Outstanding Work Award – 5 winners: Fujifilm instax mini EVO Cinema.
- Selected Work Award – 10 winners: VANGUARD VEO LITE 20L Camera & Everyday Backpack.
- Annual Special Award – 3 winners: PENTAX 17 35mm Film Camera. This award is made to individual photographs and can be received alongside another competition award.
Prizewinning works may participate in the 2027 SKM Photography Art Fair. Winners also receive a 2027 commemorative album, certificate of merit and tickets to the SKM PHOTO Art Fair. This combines cash prizes, photography equipment and a potential exhibition opportunity.
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Categories or Themes
There are no fixed categories. Entrants choose their own theme and submit one series of five photographs intended to work together as a visual story.
This open theme structure leaves room for very different photographic approaches. A series may develop through documentary photography, portraiture, street, fine art or other photographic styles, provided the five images form a coherent body of work.
Dates and Entry Fees
SKM PHOTO 2027 accepts entries for two months, with the official results scheduled before the end of 2026.
| Key Date | Event |
|---|---|
| September 1, 2026 | Submissions open |
| October 31, 2026 | Submission deadline |
| Before December 31, 2026 | Prizewinners announced |
Entry Fee: Free.
There is no stated limit on the number of series a photographer may enter. Each entry must contain five photographs and requires its own registration materials. Entrants submitting from outside Taiwan should note that they are responsible for printing and mailing their physical submission.
How to Enter
Each entry consists of five printed photographs based on a self-defined theme. Color and black and white work are accepted, and photographs may be made with digital cameras, film cameras, mobile phones or other photographic devices.
Prints must measure 8 × 10 inches, 8 × 12 inches or A4 (21 × 29.7 cm). Square-format photographs must fit within the shorter side of one of those formats. A white border is optional and does not affect judging.
Entrants can register online and print the resulting registration form and labels, or use the forms provided with the competition guidelines. The five photographs must then be submitted physically, either at a Shin Kong Mitsukoshi service counter in Taiwan or by mail to the competition office in Taipei. Postal entries are accepted according to the postmark date and must be postmarked no later than October 31, 2026.
Prizewinners must later provide digital files for their winning photographs in JPG or TIFF format, with a minimum resolution of 3000 × 3600 pixels (8 MP).
About the Jury
The organizer appoints the judges for SKM PHOTO 2027, although individual jury members are not currently named in the published competition information. Submitted prints cannot contain a watermark, text, symbol or other marking that could identify the photographer.
The published judging criteria consider photographic quality, use of light and timing, composition, creativity, visual impact, coherence across the five photographs and the relationship between the series and its chosen theme. Post-processing is permitted according to the photographer’s style and creative intent, although excessive manipulation that compromises the photographic qualities of the work may affect the evaluation.
Why Enter Shin Kong Mitsukoshi International Photography Contest 2027?
The five-image format makes this competition particularly relevant to photographers developing projects rather than individual photographs. Entrants need to consider sequencing, visual consistency and how each frame contributes to the overall idea, giving portfolio-style and narrative work a natural place within the open theme.
The competition is also free to enter and combines substantial cash prizes with equipment awards and the possibility of presenting winning work at the 2027 SKM Photography Art Fair. Photographers comparing this opportunity with other photography contests to participate listed on Deartline should also consider the practical requirement to produce and physically mail five prints when entering from outside Taiwan.
Rules and Copyright
We reviewed the official rules of the Shin Kong Mitsukoshi International Photography Contest 2027 to summarize the key participation requirements, copyright terms and image usage conditions. Before entering, we recommend checking the complete rules published by the organizer.
Rules
The competition is open to photographers of any age and nationality. Participants under 20 must obtain the signature of a legal guardian on the required agreement. Each entry consists of a five-photograph series based on a theme chosen by the photographer, and multiple entries are permitted.
Submitted photographs must have been created between September 1, 2023 and October 31, 2026. They must not previously have received an award in another competition or have been publicly published or exhibited in print publications or exhibitions. The organizer states that appearances on personal websites, blogs or Facebook pages do not count as previous public publication or exhibition for this rule.
Participants must hold the necessary rights to their work and are responsible for avoiding infringement of third-party copyright, trademarks, patents and other protected rights. Submitted physical prints are not returned, including entries that are not selected or do not comply with the submission requirements.
Copyright and Image Usage
Participants must hold the rights to the photographs they submit. The additional licensing agreement only takes legal effect for prizewinning work.
Winners grant the organizer a free, irrevocable and perpetual worldwide license covering reproduction, distribution, public display and derivative works in current or future media. The permitted uses include SKM PHOTO exhibitions and related activities, promotional materials, online publication, advertising and related products, with attribution to the photographer.
The separate winner agreement also states that the organizer may authorize third parties to use prizewinning photographs. The terms do not clearly describe this license as exclusive or non-exclusive.
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For more information and to participate in the contest, visit: the official website.
