2026
Image submission day is always the Monday before the 3rd Wednesday of the month in question. i.e. the Monday before Judging night.
Image dimensions are 1920 x 1080 pixels (the width must be either 1920 pixels or the height must be 1080 pixels or both), SRGB colour-space and less than 2mb in file size.
JANUARY: TELL A STORY IN A SINGLE PHOTOGRAPH
Submission Deadline: 19 January 2026
FEBRUARY: CHOCOLATE
Submission Deadline: 16 February 2026
MARCH: ACTION AND SPORT
Submission Deadline: 16 March 2026
APRIL: PINK
Submission Deadline: 13 April 2026
MAY: ROCK, PAPER AND METAL
Submission Deadline: 18 May 2026
JUNE: FLORA
Explore the beauty and diversity of plant life through your lens—flowers, leaves, trees, grasses, and all things that grow. Capture the details, colours, textures, or environments that show the vibrant world of flora in fresh and creative ways.
Experiment with different perspectives, lighting, and compositions: macro shots that reveal hidden details, wide scenes that highlight natural environments, or creative interpretations that showcase the connection between flora and the world around it.
Rules: Colour or Monochrome. Manipulation allowed.
Submission Deadline: 15 June 2026
JULY: EYES
In this set subject, “Eyes” become landscapes that reveal emotion, memory, and identity through light and shadow. Close-up perspectives emphasize texture, reflection, and colour, transforming gazes into compelling narratives. Each image invites viewers to pause, connect, and interpret the unspoken stories held within the pupils, lashes, and the quiet intensity of human sight, all captured with focus and thoughtful framing. The subjects can include human eyes, as well as those of animals, reptiles, or insects.
Experiment with different perspectives, lighting, and compositions: macro shots that reveal hidden details, wide scenes that highlight natural environments, or creative interpretations that showcase the connection between flora and the world around it.
Rules: Manipulation of the images is allowed, including the use of colour and monochrome, but composite images are not permitted.
Submission Deadline: 13 July 2026
AUGUST: MINIMALISM
Minimalism in photography is all about stripping an image down to its essentials so that every element has purpose. Instead of filling the frame, you do the opposite: you emphasize space, clean lines, and a single dominant subject.
Here’s a concise but useful breakdown: Core Principles of Minimalist Photography. 1. Simplicity: Minimalist photos usually contain one subject (or a very small number). Very few colours. Few shapes or lines. 2. Negative Space: Negative space is often the most defining characteristic. Large empty areas (sky, wall, water, sand, etc.) isolate the subject and give a sense of calm, clarity, and visual breathing room. 3. Strong Composition: Because there are so few elements, composition matters even more: Rule of thirds. Centring (often works beautifully in minimalism). Leading lines. Geometric balance. The viewer’s attention should go exactly where you want it to. 4. Clean Backgrounds: Minimalism favours uncluttered environments: Flat colours, Simple textures, Plain surfaces, Fog or soft light to erase detail. 5. Use of Colour and Contrast: Minimalist images often rely on: High contrast between subject and background. Monochromatic palettes. Colour becomes an intentional design element, not an accident. 6. Intentional Light: Soft, even lighting tends to enhance minimalism because it avoids distracting shadows. But strong, directional light can also be used when the shadows are the subject.
Common Subjects in Minimalist Photography: Architecture (clean lines, repeating patterns). Isolated natural elements (trees, rocks, dunes). Shadows and silhouettes. Single objects (chairs, lamps, signs). Empty landscapes. Minimalist photos often evoke: Calmness, Order, Isolation (in a good, reflective way), Focus, Contemplation. They invite the viewer to slow down and pay attention. Practical Tips to Shoot Minimalist Photos: Move your feet: reposition to remove distractions. Use longer lenses to compress and isolate. Shoot in overcast weather for clean light. Look for patterns and then remove all but one. Think of your frame as a graphic design, not a snapshot.
Rules: TBC
Submission Deadline: 17 August 2026
SEPTEMBER: DROPLETS
Capture the beauty, detail, and creativity found in water droplets. For this competition, photographers are invited to explore the visual impact of droplets in any form—whether natural or created. Images may feature raindrops, dew, splashes, condensation, or intentionally placed droplets. The focus should clearly highlight the droplet(s) as the main subject.
Participants are encouraged to experiment with macro photography, lighting techniques, reflections, and depth of field to reveal the shape, clarity, and intricate details within each droplet. Creativity is strongly welcomed: droplets can be found outdoors in nature, on everyday objects, or produced in a controlled indoor setting.
Judging criteria include: Clear emphasis on the droplet(s) as the primary subject. Technical excellence (focus, exposure, lighting), creativity and originality, composition and visual impact.
Rules: All forms of photographic manipulation are allowed as per standard competition rules, provided the integrity of the image remains intact and the droplet remains the central element. Bring your imagination, attention to detail, and patience—tiny moments can create extraordinary photographs.
Submission Deadline: 14 September 2026
OCTOBER: TREES WITH A SOUL
Explore the quiet power, presence, and personality of the natural world in Trees With a Soul. This theme celebrates trees not just as elements of a landscape, but as characters with story, emotion, and spirit. Whether capturing the grandeur of an ancient giant, the quiet resilience of a lonely tree, or the poetic movement of branches in the wind, your image should evoke a sense of connection and depth.
Images may be from any year, season, or moment in your photographic journey. Show us the tree that speaks to you. Let its soul come through your lens.
Rules: Colour, Mono, manipulation allowed and there is no timeline.
Submission Deadline: 19 October 2026
NOVEMBER: FEATHERS
This month’s set subject invites photographers to explore the beauty, texture, and diversity of feathers in all their forms. Images may feature birds in their natural environment, studio-lit feather studies, cultural or decorative uses of feathers, or creative interpretations that highlight their structure, colour, symbolism, or movement.
Photographers are encouraged to consider composition, detail, mood, and storytelling. Macro close-ups, motion-freeze moments, environmental portraits of birds, and abstract interpretations are all welcome. The focus of the image must clearly relate to feathers as a central visual or conceptual element.
Rules: Any photographic technique or style may be used, including monochrome, digital manipulation, and composites, provided all elements are the photographer’s own work.
Submission Deadline: 16 November 2026
2027
JANUARY: ON OUR STREETS
This category focuses on the everyday stories, characters, and moments found in the streets around us.
The aim is to celebrate the raw, graphic, and timeless feel of street photography while allowing artistic freedom in post-processing.
Rules: Images may be creatively edited or manipulated, but all final submissions must be presented strictly in monochrome.
Submission Deadline: 18 January 2027