Why PhotOlympic?
In real-time
A real-time competition with top photographers from around the world, all taking photos: at the same time, in the same place, on the same topics.
B&W or Color
Capture the world as you see it in the moment and preserve it in your photographs.
“Photomontage and AI are not allowed.”“We capture real life, in real time...”
How it works
Qualifications
- Online
- January – June 2027
Annual entry fee – 45€ per photographer, covering all three qualification rounds. Fee details
First Round – 4 themes, with up to 5 photographs per theme.
Judged by a jury.
Second Round – 4 themes, with up to 5 photographs per theme.
Judged by a new jury.
Third Round – 4 themes, with up to 5 photographs per theme.
Judged by a new jury.
Semifinal
- Location: To be announced
- 2027.
96 photographers
24 new themes – 24 hours.
Judged by a new jury.
24 photographers will be selected for the Superfinal.
Final
- Location: To be announced
- 2027.
24 finalists – 24 new themes
24 hours – 24 new judges.
Photos that have participated in other international competitions are allowed but Photos that have received any award in any PhotOlympic qualification round in previous years may not be submitted again for judging.
In each qualification round, 148 awards will be granted, resulting in a total of 444 awards across all three rounds of the competition.
The ten highest-ranked photographers from the first round and the ten highest-ranked photographers from the second round qualify for the live semifinal. The remaining 76 places are filled according to the ranking from the third round.
Annual Entry Fee
One fee covers the whole qualification season – three rounds, twelve themes and three independent juries, judged online from anywhere in the world. You can also join a single qualification round, or apply for the live stages only.
- Entry to all three qualification rounds
- Twelve themes, published in advance
- Jury evaluation after every round
- Personal ranking and results in your profile
- Digital certificate for every award
The live semifinal and final take place on location and are confirmed separately – participation fees for those stages are announced to the finalists.
Register your interest
This form is informational only. Send us your details and we will reply by email with the link to our official registration platform, where the entry and the payment are completed. You can also go straight to the platform below.
No payment is made on this page – the entry and the payment are completed on the official platform, which we send you by email. By registering you accept the competition rules and the jury evaluation terms.
Continue directly on the official platformOpens the IAAP contests platform in a new tab. The registration and upload page for the 2027 qualification season will be visible on the IAAP platform after its publication in January 2027.
PhotOlympic 2027
Registration for the new season opens in January 2027.
Photographers from 40+ countries took part last year.