Deadline: November 3, 2020
Entry Fee: Young – Free, from £8 to £30
Prizes: Cash and Valuable Prizes
At a time when travel is so restricted, we’re inviting amateur and professional photographers from all countries and of all ages to look through their archives of travel images to submit into the 18th edition of this global contest.
Entries close on November 2nd, so, depending on when travel restrictions are lifted, there may also be time for you to shoot new material before the closing date. But we want to stress that, in these extraordinary times, entrants should not make unnecessary journeys or break any lockdown that may be in force in their country of residence in order to take photographs to submit. We have always allowed entrants to submit images from their archives – i.e. contemporary photography shot in recent years – and have always said that ‘travel starts when you leave your home’ and never has this been more important than in 2020
Travel Photographer of the Year (TPOTY) awards are run by photographers for photographers. TPOTY is truly global – wherever you live in the world and whether you are amateur or professional, beginner or expert, young or old, Travel Photographer of the Year is for you!
Thanks to our hugely supportive sponsors there are some fantastic prizes to be won, but TPOTY is also about more than prizes. This prestigious award offers massive exposure for your work through our media activities, books, photographer profiles and exhibitions.
TPOTY-winning photographers have had their work showcased around the world: established photographic careers received a huge boost, new careers were kick-started, and people who never thought they’d see their photographs in print have had a happy surprise!
In 2016 and 2017 our touring exhibitions were seen by 250,000 visitors. The 2018 and 2019 exhibitions were visited by an estimated 2 million people!
The awards are judged by leading photographers and experts in the field, whose distinction and integrity add greatly to the prestige that comes with being one of our winners – or even being shortlisted. But whether you’re a winner or not, it’s also about fun – the fun of challenging yourself to shoot to a theme, to look at your images with fresh eyes, to be a part of the TPOTY experience. To be part of the adventure!
Categories
- Overall winner – the Travel Photographer of the Year 2020
This is the big one! The Travel Photographer of the Year 2020 will be the photographer who submits the best eight images across the portfolio categories. The Overall Winner will receive a cash bursary plus the new Fujifilm X-T4 camera and lens, a personalised Plastic Sandwich leather portfolio book, membership of the Royal Photographic Society – and the international exposure that goes with winning TPOTY. - Young Travel Photographer of the Year 2020
‘My Travel Album’. For photographers aged 18 and under. Prizes include £500, a personalised Plastic Sandwich leather portfolio book, a place on a Photo Iconic photography workshop and Royal Photographic Society membership. - Travel Folio
Eight varied, stunning images that showcase your travel photography, whether it’s documentary, fine art or somewhere in between. The category winner will take part in a Chris Weston – Life Changing Photography – International workshop and receive membership of the Royal Photographic Society. The recipient of the Best Single Image award receives a Genesis Imaging giclée exhibition print. - Landscapes & Earth Elements portfolio
Landscapes and/or their elements captured in a portfolio of 4 images – earth, air, fire, water, sunshine, storms, lightning etc . This category is about the planet itself rather than the creatures which inhabit it. The category winner will receive the new Fujifilm X-T4 camera and lens and membership of the Royal Photographic Society. The recipient of the Best Single Image award receives a Genesis Imaging giclée exhibition print. - Nature, Sealife, Wildlife portfolio
The living natural world on land, in the air and in the water (4 images per portfolio). The category winner will receive the new Fujifilm X-T4 camera and lens and membership of the Royal Photographic Society. The recipient of the Best Single Image award receives a Genesis Imaging giclée exhibition print. - People of the World portfolio
People and their cultures and traditions (4 images per portfolio). The category winner will receive the new Fujifilm X-T4 camera and lens and membership of the Royal Photographic Society. The recipient of the Best Single Image award receives a Genesis Imaging giclée exhibition print. - One Shot: Colours of Life
A celebration of the colourful planet we live on, whether that be people, places, festivals or anything else you discover on the journey or at the destination. The winner receives a jacket and trousers from Páramo plus membership of the Royal Photographic Society. - One Shot: Islands
This single-image category challenges you to show us the uniqueness of island life and landscape. The winner receives a jacket and trousers from Páramo plus membership of the Royal Photographic Society. - One Shot: Solitude
Capture the places and experiences which have a solitary quality, their uniqueness and the feeling of being away from everyone else – something we have all experienced this year in lockdown. The winner receives a jacket and trousers from Páramo plus membership of the Royal Photographic Society. - Smart Shot – iTravelled
For single travel images taken on a smart phone or tablet. The winner receives £250. - Travel Shorts
Our HD video category for films up to two minutes (120 seconds) in length.
Prizes
- Overall Winner – the Travel Photographer of the Year 2020
The winner of this category will receive a TPOTY cash bursary plus the new Fujifilm X-T4 camera with 16-80mm lens, a jacket and trousers from Páramo, a personalised Plastic Sandwich leather portfolio book or iFolio and membership of The Royal Photographic Society. - Young Travel Photographer of the Year
The Young TPOTY winner receives £500, a Plastic Sandwich leather portfolio book or iFolio, plus Royal Photographic Society membership. The winners of the individual age groups each receive £250 plus Royal Photographic Society membership. All three young winners also win a place on a Photo Iconic one-day photography workshop, or receive a Photo Iconic online imaging critique. - Travel Folio portfolio
The winner of this category will receive a Chris Weston – Life Changing Photography – international workshop, and membership of The Royal Photographic Society. - Landscapes & Earth Elements portfolio
The winner of this category will receive the new Fujifilm X-T4 with 16 to 80mm lens. - Nature, Sealife, Wildlife portfolio
The winner of this category will receive the new Fujifilm X-T4 camera with 16-80mm lens and membership of The Royal Photographic Society. - People of the World portfolio
The winner of this category will receive the new Fujifilm X-T4 camera with 16-80mm lens and membership of The Royal Photographic Society. - One Shot – Colours of Life
The winner of this category will receive a jacket and trousers from Páramo and membership of The Royal Photographic Society. - One Shot: Islands
The winner of this category will receive a jacket and trousers from Páramo and membership of The Royal Photographic Society. - One Shot: Solitude
The prize for the winner of this category will be announced soon. They will also receive membership of The Royal Photographic Society. - Smart Shot: iTravelled
The winner of this category receives £250. - Travel Shorts – HD video
The prize for the winner of this category will be announced shortly.
Entry Fees
- Young Travel Photographer of the Year – entry is free of charge
- Portfolio Categories (4 images) – £18 per portfolio entry (Landscapes & Earth Elements; Nature, Sealife, Wildlife; People of the World)
- Portfolio Category (8 images) – £30 per portfolio entry (Travel Folio)
- One Shot Categories – £10 per single image entry. (Colours of Life; Islands; Solitude)
- Smart Shot – £8 per single image entry (iTravelled)
- Travel Shorts – £30 per video entry
Each entry in a category will require a separate entry fee.
