Amateur Photographer of the Year 2025: Enter Now for a Chance to Win Over $35,000 in Prizes
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The Amateur Photographer of the Year 2025 competition is open for entries, featuring a grand prize of over $35,000 and an open round until February 2026.
Exciting news for photography enthusiasts! The 2025 edition of the Amateur Photographer of the Year (APOY) competition is officially accepting entries. This renowned contest invites amateur photographers from around the globe to showcase their best work. There's also a category specifically for young photographers, Young Amateur Photographer of the Year, which is free for participants aged 21 and under.
The competition consists of ten distinct rounds, with the current one being the FINAL ROUND. This round is titled OPEN, allowing entrants flexibility in their submissions. Photographers can participate in all rounds or select specific ones that align with their styles. For each entry that gets shortlisted, participants earn significant points towards the final leaderboard—10 points for a shortlist! This scoring means every photograph counts.
This year, Camera Centre UK proudly returns as the main sponsor for the APOY contest. The competition is further supported by DxO, BOB Books, The School of Photography, and Viewsonic, with prizes totaling over $35,000 or £26,000!
*In this context, 'amateur' refers to those who pursue photography as a hobby rather than a primary occupation.
Round Ten: OPEN Theme
Currently open for submissions, the theme for the tenth round is OPEN! Entries must be submitted by 2nd February 2026. This round is especially popular as it allows artists to express their creativity freely without constraints. Whether your work features still life, landscapes, abstract art, or portraits, every genre is welcome. It's a fantastic opportunity to share your best work, even if it didn't fit perfectly into previous categories.
Your Judges: Maria Falconer and Ben Brain
This round features esteemed guest judges Maria Falconer and Ben Brain. Maria is a noted photographer, educator, and writer, contributing to the magazine’s Final Analysis section. She's also a fellow of the Royal Photographic Society and leads workshops across the UK and Europe. For more about her work, visit mariafalconer.co.uk.
Ben Brain blends photography with journalism, offering workshops and often serving as a judge at significant competitions such as BPA and IGPOTY. He’s well-respected for his expertise in photography, traveling internationally to share insights. Find more about him at benedictbrain.com.
Need help refining your submissions? Explore these helpful guides for inspiration:
- How to photograph bottles and glass products
- Joel Meyerowitz: The Act of Looking
- 30 Tips for Captivating Close-Ups
- How to Photograph Stars and the Milky Way
- Colour Grading for Cinematic Shots
- Insights into Aerial Photography with Donn Delson
- Understanding Bokeh: Good, Bad, and Beautiful
- Guide to Fine Art Black and White Photography
Prize Details: More than $35,000 in Awards
Round Winners: Each round winner receives a voucher worth £500 for Camera Centre UK**, complimentary licenses for DxO PhotoLab and FilmPack worth £340, a £50 voucher for BOB Books, and a subscription to The School of Photography valued at £120.
Each round’s two runners-up will be awarded a free DxO Nik Collection license worth £146 and a £25 voucher for BOB Books.
Furthermore, the top ten entries will be featured both in Amateur Photographer Magazine and on its website.
Grand Prize: The overall champion, determined after all rounds, will take home a £1,000 voucher for Camera Centre UK** and a £100 voucher for BOB Books.
Young APOY 2025
Young Round Winners: For each round, the winner will secure free software (DxO PhotoLab 8 and DxO FilmPack 7) worth £340, a subscription to The School of Photography valued at £120, and a £50 voucher for BOB Books.
The two runners-up also receive the free DxO Nik Collection license worth £146 and a £25 voucher for BOB Books.
The overall Young Photographer of the Year 2025, based on combined points, will earn a grand prize of a £500 voucher for Camera Centre UK** and a £100 voucher for BOB Books.
Club Winners
The most successful camera club will receive prizes worth £2,600 from ViewSonic, including a high-definition projector valued at £1,600 and a monitor valued at £1,000 for the member who contributed the highest points.
Discover more about our sponsors and prizes.
**All prizes, including Camera Centre UK vouchers, are accessible to winners worldwide, though costs may apply for international winners.
How to Enter
For participation, navigate to the official entry page.
APOY 2025 Rules: Entrants are allowed to submit up to 5 images in each of the 10 rounds. One free entry each round can be acquired through a unique code published in the Amateur Photographer Magazine starting May 6th. Without a code, a maximum of four entries is allowed per round, and additional entries are available for purchase.
Pricing for entry bundles are as follows, allowing flexibility according to how many images you wish to submit:
- 1 image – £8
- 4 images – £24 (£6 each)
- 12 images – £48 (£4 each)
- 40 images – £100 (£2.50 each) – note this bundle will decrease in size and cost as more rounds open.
These rounds are open to amateurs worldwide, welcoming photographers of all ages.
Free Entry for Young Amateur Photographers
The Young Photographer of the Year component is tailored for aspiring photographers aged 21 or younger. Free entry is granted for up to 4 images per round, maintaining the same categories as the main contest.
Participants under 18 must acquire parental consent to enter. Those under 13 are not permitted to register on the platform.
For more details on entry procedures, including terms and conditions, refer to the provided link.
APOY 2025 Schedule:
| Theme | Round Open | Round Close |
| Open | 06 January 2026 | 02 February 2026 |
The Judges Panel
The judging panel for APOY 2025 comprises experts from the Amateur Photographer magazine, along with guest judges who specialize in different themes for the rounds. The main panel includes noted professionals such as Nigel Atherton, Geoff Harris, and Jessica Miller, alongside Ailsa McWhinnie, Peter Dench, and others notable in the field.
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The Amateur Photographer of the Year 2025 competition is your chance to shine among fellow photographers, so gather your best shots and enter now for an opportunity to win substantial prizes!
