Top 5 Photo Competitions for October 2025

As the autumn season gets underway, so do the opportunities for your photography. We’ve curated a list of the top 5 photo competitions with deadlines coming up in October, offering incredible opportunities for exposure, cash prizes, and recognition.

Also worth noting is that there are five prestigious competitions to enter during October, including an editor’s choice.

There’s limited time left to enter, so don’t miss out on these opportunities.

PhMuseum 2025 Women Photographers Grant
- Deadline: October 2, 2025
- Entry Fee: From $35
- Why it’s a top choice: This is a highly prestigious grant that offers significant cash prizes, a solo exhibition, and a featured interview in Vogue Italia, providing a major career boost for women photographers.
- Link: Find out more…

The International Landscape Photographer of the Year Awards
- Deadline: October 7, 2025
- Entry Fee: US$25 per image
- Why it’s a top choice: With a cash prize pool of $12,500 and a reputation as a highly prestigious competition, it’s a premier opportunity for landscape photographers to gain global recognition.
- Link: Find out more…

dodho Color Awards 2025
- Deadline: October 12, 2025
- Entry Fee: From €30 for 3 images
- Why it’s a top choice: This is a prestigious award that offers a €1,000 cash prize, a Gold Diploma, and a featured spot in an annual book, providing excellent exposure for photographers who work with color.
- Link: Find out more…

The RES Insect Week Photography Competition
- Deadline: October 31, 2025
- Entry Fee: Free entry
- Why it’s a top choice: This stands out because it’s completely free to enter and offers generous cash prizes for both adult (£750 for first place) and youth photographers. Beyond the financial incentive, winners gain meaningful exposure by having their work published in the Royal Entomological Society’s bulletin, Antenna, showcasing their skills to a specialised and passionate community.
- Link: Find out more…

Travel Photographer of the Year 2025
- Deadline: October 13, 2025
- Entry Fee: Both Free & Paid
- Why it’s a top choice: With a prize pool of over £10,000, winners also receive valuable exposure through exhibitions and a wide range of categories that allow for diverse forms of travel storytelling. This presents an ideal opportunity for photographers to showcase their work on an international stage.
- Link: Find out more…

Bonus Competition

LensCulture Black & White Photography Awards 2025
- Deadline: October 15, 2025
- Entry Fee: Both Free & Paid
- Why it’s a top choice: As one of the most recognized global platforms, LensCulture offers significant exposure and credibility. Winners receive cash grants of up to $10,000, a solo feature, and a place in a group exhibition in New York. This is a premier opportunity for black and white photographers.
- Link: Find out more…

Also, why not have a look at 7 Prestigious photo competitions closing in November