One entry fee

Three contests

One grand final

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.

Portrait of an elderly man with long white hair and beard, eyes closed in quiet reflection.

B&W or Color

Capture the world as you see it in the moment and preserve it in your photographs.

Two photographers holding hands while carrying professional cameras.
Aerial dusk view of a historic European town with red rooftops and warmly lit windows.

Life, Captured Live

Close-up of elderly hands holding a newspaper against a red jacket.

“Photomontage and AI are not allowed.”

How it works

Qualifications

  • Online
  • January – June 2027

Annual entry fee – 45€ per photographer, covering all three qualification rounds.

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.

Live 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.

Live final

  • Location: To be announced
  • 2027.

24 finalists – 24 new themes

24 hours – 24 new judges.

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.

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.

Annual Entry Fee

One fee covers the whole qualification season – three rounds, fifteen themes and three independent juries, judged online from anywhere in the world. You can also join a single qualification round.

45€ per photographer Full qualification season – all three rounds
  • Entry to all three qualification rounds
  • Fifteen themes, published in advance
  • Jury evaluation after every round
  • Personal ranking and results in your profile
  • Digital certificate for every award
25€ per photographer Single qualification round
  • Entry to one qualification round
  • Five themes, published in advance
  • Jury evaluation after the 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 platform

Opens 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.

Photographers on stage at a photography awards ceremony.

PhotOlympic 2027

Registration for the new season opens in January 2027.

Photographers from 40+ countries took part last year.

PARTNERS

If you are interested in becoming a partner or sponsor,
please feel free to contact us.

PhotOlympic 2027 — footer

PhotOlympic2027

Three international qualification rounds, a live Semifinal and a Grand Final for photographers of every level.

© 2027 PhotOlympic. All rights reserved.