SUBMISSIONS OPEN ON DECEMBER 1st – SUBMISSION LINKS AT THE END OF THIS PAGE !

International Photography Call

Applications for the FotoDoc Photo Contest 2026 open on December 1st. The contest is a platform dedicated to showcasing the work of photographers from Brazil and around the world, with annual awards and worldwide visibility. The first 60 selected entries will be published for free—don’t miss the chance!

Organized by FotoDoc – Documentary Photography Festival, the contest seeks to highlight a wide range of photographic approaches, without limitations of theme or style, always prioritizing excellence in form, narrative, and visual impact.

How It Works

Participants may submit their work free of charge in one of the three categories: Single Image, Photo Essay, or Portfolio. All submissions are reviewed by the festival’s curatorial team.

If selected, the work will be published on the FotoDoc website and Instagram after a publication fee of USD 29 is paid.

All revenue is used to compensate contributors, cover the contest’s operational costs, and invest in its outreach and visibility. The FotoDoc Photo Contest is an independent initiative of the Festival FotoDoc and receives no cultural incentive funding.

Rolling Submissions

Submissions remain open until June 30, 2026, and selected works will be published continuously on the page Selected – FotoDoc Photo Contest 2026.

The earlier you submit, the longer your work stays online—maximizing visibility if selected!

After the submission period closes, 60 finalists will be announced:
9 Portfolios, 21 Photo Essays, and 30 Single Images.

A Jury of 5 experts will then meet in person to select 25 winning works, consisting of:
3 Portfolios, 7 Photo Essays, and 15 Single Images.

Among the three Portfolio winners, the Jury will choose the overall winner, who will receive the FOTODOC PHOTO CONTEST 2026 Trophy.

Winners Exhibited at Festival FotoDoc 2026

Winning works will be part of a major exhibition at the 2026 FotoDoc Festival, held in São Paulo in November.

The overall winner will receive airfare and accommodation to attend the festival as a guest, present the winning Portfolio during the festival’s Talks, and receive the FOTODOC PHOTO CONTEST 2026 Trophy.

All finalists will be published in the FotoDoc Festival 2026 catalog.

FOTODOC PHOTO CONTEST 2026 – RULES

PLEASE READ THE RULES CAREFULLY. SUBMISSION LINKS ARE PROVIDED AT THE END OF THE PAGE

With submissions open from December 1, 2025, to June 30, 2026, the FOTODOC PHOTO CONTEST is a platform dedicated to publishing the work of Brazilian and international photographers, with annual awards.

To participate, carefully read the Regulations and select the desired category at the end of this page.

1 – OBJECT

1.1 The applicant must submit their entry in accordance with these rules. Photographic works will be accepted in the following three categories:

• Single Image – Photographs with strong standalone impact, capable of synthesizing an event, story, or idea.

• Photo Essay – Visual narratives addressing specific themes or events, with a concise conceptual approach.

• Portfolio – Visual narratives resulting from long-term projects or in-depth themes. Note: portfolios should preferably consist of images from a single series/project. If images from multiple series/projects are included, they must demonstrate coherence and dialogue among themselves.

1.2 Each submission to the Single Image category allows 1 to 3 images, which will be evaluated separately. Only one image may be selected from each submission. The selected image will be published on the festival website accompanied by the photographer’s title and description. If none is provided, the curatorial team will assign one.

1.3 Each submission to the Photo Essay category allows a cohesive set of 6 to 8 images, evaluated in the order submitted, as a single body of work. Selected essays will be published in full on the festival website, with title and description provided by the photographer.

1.4 Each submission to the Portfolio category allows a cohesive set of 10 to 15 images, evaluated in the order submitted, as a single body of work. Selected portfolios will be published in full on the festival website, with title and description provided by the photographer.

1.5 Each photographer may submit as many entries as they wish, without selection limits. However, a photographer may only appear once per category among the Winners.

1.6 Images may be captured using any photographic device, analog or digital. AI-generated images are not accepted. The use of artificial intelligence for retouching or manipulation must be indicated in the submission form.

2 – SUBMISSION

2.1 Submissions will be accepted starting December 1, 2025. The deadline is June 30, 2026, at 11:59 PM (UTC -3, Brasília official time).

2.2 Submissions must include a completed form and JPEG files with the longest side measuring 1920 pixels. Incomplete or incorrect submissions will be discarded.

2.3 The FotoDoc Photo Contest curatorial team will evaluate all submissions compliant with the Regulations. Selected works will be published on the FotoDoc website and Instagram after payment of a US$ 29 (USD) publication fee.

2.4 Participants will receive feedback regarding their submissions via email. If selected, they will have 7 calendar days from receipt of the email to pay the publication fee. Failure to pay within the deadline will result in disqualification.

2.5 Revenue will be used to compensate contributors, cover costs of the award, and invest in its promotion. The FotoDoc Photo Contest is an independent initiative without any cultural incentive funding.

2.4 Submissions are accepted exclusively online. Submitting an entry implies full acceptance of these Regulations.

2.5 Applicants or their legal representatives are solely responsible for the visual quality and content of the submitted files, as well as the information provided, and acknowledge that evaluation depends on this material.

2.6 Once submitted, images may not be altered. The FotoDoc Photo Contest team may request complementary materials when necessary.

​3 – SELECTION

3.1 Submissions will be evaluated on a rolling basis by the festival curators. As selections are made, the works will be published on the festival website after payment of the publication fee.

3.2 After the submission period ends, the curatorial team will re-evaluate all published works and select 60 finalists:
9 Portfolios, 21 Photo Essays, and 30 Single Images.

3.3 A Jury of 5 members—recognized professionals such as photographers, researchers, specialized journalists, gallerists, editors, and curators—will select 25 winning works from the finalists:
3 Portfolios, 7 Photo Essays, and 15 Single Images.

3.4 The Jury will also select the overall winner among the 3 Portfolio winners, who will receive the FOTODOC PHOTO CONTEST 2026 Trophy.

3.5 The identities of the Jury members will be revealed only at the time of the final results.

4 – AWARDS

4.1 Selected works will be published on the website and shared on the Festival FotoDoc Instagram. A profile page will also be published for each photographer, including a short bio provided upon submission, portrait (if provided), links to Instagram and website (if provided), and the works selected in the FotoDoc Photo Contest.

4.2 All finalists will be published in the Festival FotoDoc 2026 Catalog.

4.3 Winning works will be exhibited in a featured exhibition at the FotoDoc Festival 2026, held in São Paulo (SP) in November.

4.4 The overall winner will receive airfare and accommodation to participate in the festival as an invited guest during the Talks program and will receive the FOTODOC PHOTO CONTEST 2026 Trophy.

4.5 The final results will be widely published on the festival website and in the Festival FotoDoc 2026 catalog.

5  – COPYRIGHT AND IMAGE RIGHTS

5.1 By entering this call, participants authorize the organizers of the FotoDoc Photo Contest to use the submitted works, without compensation, in the following ways, always crediting authorship:

– On the festival website, indefinitely
– In exhibitions and projections at festival events or partner events, at any time
– In printed and/or digital media for award promotion, at any time
– In catalogs and other promotional materials related to the FotoDoc Photo Contest, at any time

Authors acknowledge and accept these uses upon submission.

Note: The use of awarded photographs does not imply in any way the loss of the authors’ copyright or moral rights. Authors remain free to use their images in any other context without needing prior authorization from the festival.

5.2 By entering the contest, participants declare full authorship of the works submitted, assert that no plagiarism is involved, and confirm possession of all necessary third-party permissions. Participants are responsible for any claims arising from unauthorized use.

5.3 The photographer is solely responsible for obtaining all image rights related to the content submitted.

5.4 The organizers commit to properly crediting the authors in all uses of their work.

​6  – FINAL PROVISIONS

6.1 Questions may be sent at any time to: festival@fotodoc.com.br

6.2 Submission implies full agreement with these Regulations. All participants agree to have their works and names published in communications directly related to the award.

6.3 Jury decisions are final and unappealable.

6.4 The FotoDoc Photo Contest is an international cultural photography call organized exclusively by Vertente Edição, Impressão e Produção LTDA, owner of the FotoDoc Festival brand, based in São Paulo (SP), CNPJ: 34.862.316/0001-04.

6.5 The courts of São Paulo, Brazil, are elected to resolve any disputes regarding these regulations.­

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