Cover image by Althea Casey
NOW IN ITS TENTH EDITION, APA 2026 IS CELEBRATING A DECADE OF AUSTRALIAN PHOTOGRAPHY
The Australian Photography Awards returns for its 10th edition in 2026, celebrating the strength and diversity of photographic practice across the country.
This year, the awards move to a single Open Category, inviting photographers to submit work across all genres from portraiture and landscape to documentary, wildlife, experimental, and contemporary practices.
Rather than dividing photography into separate categories, the awards recognise that today’s image-making often moves fluidly across styles and disciplines. The judging committee will select five winning images from the pool of entries that best represent where Australian photography is at in 2026.
Students currently enrolled in a recognised course may also opt into a Student Category at no additional cost when submitting a paid entry.
The awards remain committed to photography grounded in original image capture. While digital editing is permitted, AI-generated imagery is not accepted, and any AI-assisted editing must be disclosed during the entry process.
