ABOUT THE COMPETITION

Australasia's Top Emerging Photographers encourages and promotes talented photographers in the early stages of their careers. This year, winners and runners-up will share in a prize pool of more than $32,000, including $9,000 in cash prizes. The best entries will be showcased in the Winter 2025 issue of Capture magazine (available mid June 2025) and at www.capturemag.com.au.

ABOUT AUSTRALASIA’S TOP EMERGING PHOTOGRAPHERS

Now in its 17^th year, Australasia’s Top Emerging Photographers is the region’s largest and most prestigious competition for early-career and aspiring photographers.

Capture's Winter 2024 issue, showcased more than 345 entries from the competition.

WHO CAN ENTER?

Australasia's Top Emerging Photographers is open to citizens and residents of Australia and New Zealand who have less than four years' professional photography experience, including amateurs.

Check the Terms and Conditions for more information.

IMAGE CREATION DATE RESTRICTIONS

Images must have been created on or after 1 June 2022. You can enter as many times as you like, but you can't enter images that have previously been entered in Australasia’s Top Emerging Photographers.

PRICING AND DEADLINES

EARLY BIRD (UNTIL 15 DECEMBER 2024)
$29 per entry

STANDARD (16 DECEMBER TO 23 FEBRUARY 2025)
$39 per entry

LAST MINUTE (24 FEBRUARY TO 23 MARCH 2025)
$49 per entry

Entries close: 11.59pm AEDT Sunday 23 March 2024. 

PORTFOLIO AND SINGLE-IMAGE CATEGORIES

Australasia’s Top Emerging Photographers has eight portfolio categories and one single-image category.

Portfolio categories

The following categories require the submissions of multiple images:

• ANIMAL (3 images)
• ARCHITECTURE (3 images)
• ART (3 images)
• BLACK & WHITE (3 images)
• DOCUMENTARY (5 images)
• LANDSCAPE (3 images)
• PORTRAIT (3 images)
• TRAVEL (3 images)

Judges are looking for portfolios that work together cohesively as a series. You should aim to submit images that relate to each other on some level, whether it be narratively, aesthetically, thematically. You can find tips from our judges on how to improve your chances in the competition here.

Single-image categories

• SINGLE SHOT (1 image) category is the only category not requiring a portfolio submission. Please enter one image only.

Images must be wholly photographic in origin. Images created wholly or in part with the assistance of artificial intelligence, 3D, or illustration processes may not be entered.

Stephane Thomas' winning Single Shot entry from Australasia's Top Emerging Photographers 2024.

IMAGE PREPARATION

• Images should be in JPEG (.jpg) format. 
• Images should be 2,500 pixels or more on the longest side.
• Individual images must be no larger than 5MB.
• If you find that an image has not uploaded correctly, please e-mail us at: emergingphotographer@capturemag.com.au
• Please ensure images are free of text and logos. This includes watermarks and added text. Images with text or watermarks will not be shortlisted.
• You may enter multiple categories, and/or the same category multiple times.

IMAGE MANIPULATION

Please check the Terms and Conditions for detailed information about the post production techniques that may be used in each category.

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

 Images created wholly or in part with the assistance of artificial intelligence, 3D, or illustration processes may not be entered.

JUDGES

Australasia’s Top Emerging Photographers will be judged by a panel of leading photographers from Australia and around the world. The 2024 judging panel will be announced in January 2024. You can see the judging panel for Australasia’s Top Emerging Photographers 2024 here.

PRIZES

In 2025 the total prize pool for Australasia’s Top Emerging Photographers is valued at more than $20,000, including $9,000 in cash prizes. Click here for more details.

RECOGNITION

Winners, runners-up, and top-ranked portfolios will be revealed in the Winter 2025 edition of Capture magazine (available in mid-June 2025). A simultaneous announcement will be made at www.capturemag.com.au. Also in June, Winners, Runners-up, Top 10, Top 20, Top 30 (larger categories), Highly Commended, and Commended photographers will be notified via e-mail of their placing in the competition, and will also receive an award badge (similar to those shown below) that they can publish online and on social media.

 

MADE A MISTAKE?

If you make a mistake with your entry (eg you upload the incorrect image, submit an entry to the wrong category, or make a typo) drop us an e-mail explaining the problem and we'll fix it for you.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

Please check the terms and conditions for Australasia's Top Emerging Photographers before entering

CONTACT US

E-mail us at emergingphotographer@capturemag.com.au

 

Our terms and conditions have been approved by the Photowatchdog, and rated . Photowatchdog is the advocate for fair photo competitions in Australia.