Organizer Information
The Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation is a global non-profit organization dedicated to environmental protection, biodiversity conservation, marine preservation, and mitigating the impacts of climate change. Launched in 2021, the Environmental Photography Award serves as a flagship awareness initiative and one of the three core pillars of the Foundation's Green Shift program, which promotes impactful environmental storytelling through visual media.
Title & Description
Environmental Photography Award 2027: Call for Entries
The Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation has opened submissions for the Environmental Photography Award 2027. Hosted on Photocrowd.com, the competition invites photographers worldwide to document the planet's natural beauty and examine the complex human-nature relationship—whether destructive or restorative. Accepting entries across five thematic categories, the contest offers a €11,000 EUR total grant purse, including a €5,000 EUR Grand Prize that incorporates an invitation to attend the exhibition opening ceremony in the Principality of Monaco with travel and lodging covered. A selection of 36 finalist works will be published in a bilingual photobook and featured in an international touring exhibition.
Categories
Submissions are accepted across five dedicated categories:
- Polar Regions: Wildlife and landscapes in the Arctic (above 66°33’ N), Antarctica, Sub-Antarctic islands, and polar oceans. Must portray pristine environments free of human presence.
- Forests: Flora and fauna within boreal, temperate, and tropical forest ecosystems.
- Ocean: Underwater-only photography illustrating marine biodiversity. (Sub-surface images only; rivers/lakes excluded; polar ocean images belong in Polar Regions).
- Changemakers: Positive human-nature stories highlighting solution-oriented conservation efforts, indigenous/community practices, and climate action.
- Humanity vs Nature: Documenting human-wildlife conflicts, destructive activities, climate impacts, pollution, and biodiversity loss. (Extremely bloody or graphic images excluded).
Eligibility
- Age & Nationality: Open globally to photographers of all nationalities who will be 18 years of age or older on November 1, 2026.
- Shot Window: Submitted images must have been taken on or after September 1, 2021 (shot within 5 years of entry).
- Submission Limits: Photographers may submit up to 5 images per category (maximum 25 images total).
- Prior Awards: Images that have previously won national/international photography awards remain eligible to enter.
- Ethics & Welfare: Subjects must be treated respectfully without harm, baiting, or distress. Captive animals are prohibited unless documenting a specific ethical/conservation context.
- Strict Generative AI Ban: AI generation, AI background extensions, or composite AI manipulation tools are strictly forbidden. All longlisted finalists must supply original camera RAW files containing EXIF metadata. Violators face lifetime bans, prize reimbursement, and legal prosecution for moral prejudice.
Program Benefits & Awards
- Grand Prize Winner (Environmental Photographer 2027):
- €5,000 EUR grant (awarded in addition to the category grant, yielding €6,000 total).
- All-expenses-paid invitation (travel and lodging included) to the exhibition inauguration in Monaco.
- Category Winners (5 Winners): €1,000 EUR grant for each category.
- Public Award & Student’s Choice Winners: €500 EUR grant for each.
- 36 Shortlisted Finalists:
- Inclusion in the official Monaco exhibition and its global touring showcase (spanning Italy, France, USA, Spain, etc.).
- Publication in the bilingual (English/French) hardcover 104-page exhibition photobook + 2 free physical copies.
Application Fee
Participation in the competition is 100% free of charge (€0 / $0 entry fee).
Application Requirements
- Technical Specifications:
- High-quality JPEG format saved at 300 dpi (preferably in Adobe RGB 1998 color profile).
- Minimum resolution of 3,000 pixels on the shortest side.
- Metadata & Clean Presentation:
- Images must contain original EXIF metadata (camera model, lens, shot settings).
- Images must be free of watermarks, text, frames, or copyright overlays.
- Must include an image title, exact location, and species name (where applicable).
- Shortlist Verification: Finalists must provide original unedited RAW camera files upon request to verify authenticity.
How to Apply
Register a free user account on Photocrowd and upload image entries via the official contest portal.
- Official Contest Platform: Environmental Photography Award Web Portal
- Hosting Portal: Photocrowd Competition Page
- Inquiries Email: photoaward@fpa2.org
Key Dates
- Application Submission Deadline: November 1, 2026, at 23:59 CET / 22:59 UTC
- Public & Student Online Voting: April 1 – April 15, 2027
- Winners Announcement: April 26, 2027
- Monaco Exhibition Inauguration & Photobook Release: May / June 2027
Location
The primary exhibition inauguration and awards ceremony take place live in Monaco at:
- Principality of Monaco
- Touring exhibitions continue internationally across Europe and North America
Copyright & Usage Rights
Photographers retain full underlying copyright ownership of all submitted images. Selected finalists grant the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation and Photocrowd a non-exclusive, royalty-free license to reproduce and display accepted works strictly for award promotion, the photobook, and global touring exhibitions. Unselected images will not be used in any capacity.