Organizer Information
Shoot The Frame is a highly respected, global photography platform established in 2012. For over 13 years, the organization was renowned for hosting successful monthly contests across portrait, landscape, and wildlife photography, celebrating thousands of photographers internationally. The Global Portrait Photography Awards 2025 marks a significant evolution, pausing the monthly rhythm to launch an inaugural annual award dedicated exclusively to portraiture, reinforcing its commitment to elevating the craft, storytelling, and recognition of photographers worldwide.
Title & Description
Global Portrait Photography Awards 2025
The Global Portrait Photography Awards 2025 is the inaugural annual competition presented by Shoot The Frame, a respected organization in the photography community established in 2012. For over 13 years, Shoot The Frame was known for its popular suite of monthly contests across portrait, landscape, and wildlife genres, celebrating thousands of photographers and their compelling craft from around the world. The 2025 Annual Award marks a significant evolution, placing the monthly contests on pause to focus entirely on the art of portraiture, allowing for a deeper exploration of storytelling, artistic vision, and global recognition for the photographers who bring humanity to life, one frame at a time.
The primary purpose of this annual open call is simple yet profound: to showcase and celebrate powerful, creative, and technically brilliant photographic portraiture. The awards are dedicated to people and their stories, providing a unique platform to bring exceptional portrait work before a globally renowned, independent jury and an international audience. By shifting to an annual format, the organization aims to elevate the standard of submission and increase the weight of the recognition granted. The competition is structured around two distinct categories designed to honor both the single, impactful image and the cohesive visual narrative: the "One Frame" category and the "Photo Essay" category.
The "One Frame" category challenges photographers to capture the essence of a subject in a single, definitive photograph, emphasizing immediate artistic and emotional strength. The "Photo Essay" category, conversely, is for a curated series of up to 15 portraits, where the collection must connect as a complete body of work, telling a unified story through consistency in tone, subject matter, or thematic exploration. The prize structure is designed to provide substantial, career-advancing benefits. Winners in both categories receive cash prizes totaling $4,000 USD, along with high-value professional equipment like Fujifilm camera gear and ViewSonic ColorPro professional monitors. Crucially, the top winners and two finalists in each category are awarded exhibition opportunities at major international photo festivals, including the prestigious 2026 Indian Photo Festival and Rotterdam Photo 2026. This level of exposure, combined with subscriptions to portfolio platforms like Format, ensures that the award is not just a competition, but a catalyst for global career advancement. The entire process, from submission to judging, upholds ethical standards, including a firm stance against AI-generated imagery and heavy digital manipulation, ensuring the focus remains on authentic photographic talent.
Categories
- Photography (Portraiture)
- One Frame: Single photographic portrait.
- Photo Essay: A cohesive series of up to 15 portrait images.
Eligibility
- International: Open globally to all photographers.
- Professional & Amateur: The competition is open to both amateur and professional photographers.
- Age Limit: Participants of any age can enter; minors (under 18) must have explicit permission from a parent or guardian.
Program Benefits & Awards
A total of USD $4,000 in cash prizes is distributed, alongside significant equipment and exhibition opportunities.
Application Fee
| Category | Number of Images | Fee (USD) |
| One Frame | 1 photo | $17 |
| One Frame | 3 photos | $27 |
| One Frame | 7 photos | $37 |
| Photo Essay | Up to 15 photos | $49 |
Application Requirements
- Sample Artworks: Submitted photographs must be in JPG or JPEG format.
- File Specifications: Minimum 2MB and maximum 10MB file size. The shortest edge of the image must be at least 2000 pixels. The sRGB colour space is recommended.
- Model Release: Required for all portraits featuring an identifiable person, especially minors.
- Post-Processing: Standard post-processing (e.g., cropping, color correction) is allowed.
- Restrictions: Composites, heavy digital manipulations, and AI-generated portraits are not permitted.
How to Apply?
Online Application
Key Dates
- Application Deadline: 31 December 2025
Location
Australia
Additional Details
- Copyright: Photographers retain full copyright of their submitted images. By entering, entrants grant Shoot The Frame permission to use their images for promotional purposes related to the awards, with full credit always provided to the photographer.
- Judging: All images are judged blind (anonymously) by an independent jury of industry experts.
- Re-entry: Images previously submitted to the monthly Shoot The Frame contests are permitted, but images that have won or been a finalist in a previous Annual Shoot The Frame award may not be re-entered.