Origin
From Frame24 to PhotOlympic
2014 — 2023
Frame24 began in Novi Sad in 2014 as a regional photography festival built around a single rule: every photographer shoots the same theme, in the same place, at the same time. For ten years it ran as a live event in Serbia, gathering photographers from across the Balkans and central Europe.
In 2024 the same team launched PhotOlympic — the World Photography Olympiad: the Frame24 idea, opened to the world. Three qualification rounds, twelve themes, three independent international juries, judged online from anywhere. Then a live semifinal and a live final, on location, in real time.
PhotOlympic keeps the discipline of Frame24 — real life, real time, no post-processing tricks — and extends it to photographers from every continent.
PhotOlympic 2024
The first world edition. Three rounds, twelve themes, three juries.
The inaugural season opened registration in January and closed the third round in June. Photographers from 41 countries entered — the first PhotOlympic jury panels convened online, the semifinal and final returned to Novi Sad in October.
Three rounds, three independent juries, and a final evening that gathered the first 24 finalists from five continents.
1,240
Entries
41
Countries
444
Awards
PhotOlympic 2025
A new theme set, a redesigned semifinal, a new host city.
The second season brought a redesigned semifinal structure and a refreshed theme set. The live final moved to Belgrade, gathering 24 finalists from five continents for a single 24-hour competition.
A new jury for each round. A new stage. The same rule: real life, real time, no post-processing tricks.
1,860
Entries
53
Countries
444
Awards
PhotOlympic 2026
A new Young Talent track. The largest season so far.
The third season introduced a dedicated Young Talent track for photographers under 25, running alongside the main competition. The qualification rounds expanded to 64 participating countries.
The live stages returned to Novi Sad for the closing ceremony in October 2026, bringing together finalists from every region where PhotOlympic is now established.
2,460
Entries
64
Countries
528
Awards
PhotOlympic continues in 2027. Register your interest or continue to the official platform.