The Head On Photo Awards 2026 is an international photography competition presented by the non-profit Head On Foundation. Judged anonymously, the awards assess photographs on their creative and technical merit rather than the entrant’s identity, experience, equipment or professional profile.
Photographers may enter the Portrait, Landscape or Exposure categories. Portrait welcomes individual, group and self-portraits; Landscape takes a broad view of natural, urban and industrial environments; and Exposure accepts work across genres including photojournalism, street, architecture, fashion, fine art, wildlife, sport and travel.
Selected photographs will form printed and online exhibitions during Head On Photo Festival 2026, while additional semi-finalists will appear in a digital presentation at a major festival venue. The programme gives emerging and established photographers an opportunity to present their work within a professionally curated international festival and to be considered by photography-sector judges through a fully anonymous process.
Entry fee: Until July 20, entry costs AUD$30 per image for general entrants, AUD$25 per image for Head On Festival Friends and AUD$15 per image for photographers under 25; from July 21, the general fee rises to AUD$35 per image and the under-25 fee to AUD$17.50 per image, while the Festival Friends fee remains AUD$25 per image.
Eligibility
Open to photographers worldwide aged 18 or over, or to parents or guardians entering on behalf of a person under 18, submitting original photographs they created and own in the relevant Portrait, Landscape or Exposure category; photographs may have been made at any time and previously entered elsewhere, but fully AI-generated images are prohibited and original RAW files or film may be requested.
Prize
Each of the three category winners receives AUD$5,000 cash, a premium OM System camera kit, a Photobook Australia printing package and premium magazine subscriptions; two runners-up in each category receive a Photobook Australia printing package and premium magazine subscriptions. A total of 110 finalists will be included at no additional cost in professionally produced printed and online exhibitions at Head On Photo Festival 2026 and in a hardcover catalogue, while 200 semi-finalists will be presented in a digital exhibition.