BigPicture 2026
Entries closed
Results are out
- Closed 08 MAR
- Fee from $15
- UW cat. 1 of 7
You're viewing a past edition. See BigPicture 2027 →
Key dates
Entries open
Final deadline
Results
Deadline extended — originally Sun 1 Mar 2026.
Entry fees
| Single images (up to 10 in any category) | $25 |
|---|---|
| Photo Story (1 video plus up to 5 supporting images) | $15 |
Fees are non-refundable. Early-bird and promo codes were reported by listing sites but not confirmed on official pages.
Prizes
$5,000 Grand Prize
- cash
- exhibition
$1,000 for first place in each category and $300 People's Choice per the Academy's launch release; the competition site quotes $12,000 in cash prizes overall.
Which category to enter
This is a general contest. Underwater work belongs in this category:
Aquatic Life
OpenAnimals living in salt or fresh water — marine mammals, fish, reptiles, amphibians and invertebrates such as corals and jellyfish (polar bears also count here).
Other categories (6)
Art of Nature · Winged Life · Terrestrial Wildlife · Landscapes, Waterscapes and Flora · Human/Nature · Photo Story
Who can enter
Not verified yet.
Rules at a glance
Not summarised yet — check the official rules.
Your image rights
Standard licenceYou keep copyright. The Academy may reproduce and display your images for the competition, its website and social media, the exhibition and their promotion, forever. If print sales or merchandise are planned, it says it will ask you first and agree terms.
- Licence
- Contest promotion only
- Duration
- Perpetual (Non-exclusive, irrevocable, worldwide licence in all media, limited to uses relating to the competition.)
- Commercial use by organiser
- No
How "Standard licence" is decided
- Read carefully: the entrant grants an exclusive licence or transfers rights, or the organiser may use entries commercially (sell, license, use in paid products).
- Photographer-friendly: use is limited to promoting the contest, there is no commercial use by the organiser, and credit is promised.
- Standard: everything in between — typically a broad non-exclusive licence for marketing without commercial resale.
This is our plain-language summary, not legal advice. Read the official terms before entering: official rules & terms (opens in a new tab).
Judges
- Suzi Eszterhas · Chair
- Sebastian Kennerknecht
- Thomas Nicolon
- Sophie Stafford
- Georgina Goodwin
- Michelle Valberg
- Anand Varma
Research notes
The Academy's launch release gave 1 March 2026 as the close; the competition site states 11:59 pm Pacific on 8 March 2026 (the night US daylight saving began). Winners shown at the Academy from 10 September 2026. Rights text was found on the rules page but may predate the 2026 rules document; official pages were read via search-engine extracts rather than directly.
Provenance
Verified · 4 sources
- Academy press release - 2026 competition open (opens in a new tab) · accessed 2026-10-15
- Competition details and categories (opens in a new tab) · accessed 2026-10-15
- 2026 winners (opens in a new tab) · accessed 2026-10-15
- Academy press release - winners announced (opens in a new tab) · accessed 2026-10-15
All editions
- BigPicture 2027≈ early Mar 2027Expected
- BigPicture 2026closed Sun 8 Mar 2026Results out7 judges Results (opens in a new tab)