Rules and Categories 2025

The Czech Press Photo Competition Enters Its 31st Edition.

CZECH PHOTO o.p.s. invites photographers from the Czech Republic and from European countries to participate in the 31st edition of the CZECH PRESS PHOTO competition.
Under the newly revised rules, photographers who meet the conditions outlined in the competition rules below are eligible to enter.
The competition is open to works created for the purpose of publication in the media – whether in print, online, television, or other news formats.
The Czech Press Photo competition is held under the auspices of the President of the Czech Republic, Petr Pavel, the Minister of Culture of the Czech Republic, Martin Baxa, and the Mayor of Prague, Bohuslav Svoboda.
All competition categories and awards within Czech Press Photo are open to photographers with permanent residence in the Czech Republic.
The Project Europe category is additionally open to authors from any of the European Union member states, the countries of the European Economic Area, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, and selected Balkan countries: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Kosovo, North Macedonia, and Serbia , including photographers from the Czech Republic.

What’s new in the competition (detailed descriptions are provided under each category):

  1. A new category “Life in the Czech Republic” focuses on regional visual journalism and also supports long-term photographic projects.
  2. The Project Europe award opens the competition to European documentary and reportage photographers. Note: This award is not eligible for the “Photograph of the Year” price.
  3. Portrait photography is now included in the merged category Art, Culture and Portrait.

 

CONTEST CATEGORIES:

Competition categories from which the jury selects the main award – Photograph of the Year.
News, Reportage, Everyday Life, People in the News, Sports, Art, Culture and Portrait, People and the Environment, Life in the Czech Republic.

Please read the rules carefully – ensure the photographs were taken within the eligible period and pay close attention to correctly written captions. Note: single images and series are not separated and compete together within the same category.

 

Spot News (single/series)

These are news photos of unexpected events for which the photographer could not prepare in advance. Only photographs from the current year - that is, taken from 1.10.2024 - 30.9.2025 - may be submitted. See the winning pictures from the last years: 2024, 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011.

Reportage (single/series)

Reportage photos describe and display reality on the basis of specific facts acquired through direct participation in, or observation of, a given event. Here the photographer has had the opportunity to prepare for the event in advance. Only photographs from the current year - that is, taken from 1. 10. 2024 - 30. 9. 2025 - may be submitted. See the winning pictures from the last years: 2024, 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019,

Daily life (single / series)

Photographs that capture everyday activities. In this category, series that stretch beyond one year may be submitted – photographs may have been taken from 30.9.2023, but at least one photograph must have been taken from 1.10.2024 to 30.9.2025, provided that the same photographs have not already been entered in the competition in previous years. See the winning pictures from the last years: 2024, 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011.

People in the news (single / series)

Reportage photographs capturing people who play an important role in media news coverage. Only photographs from the current year – i.e. taken between 01.10.2024 and 30.09.2025 – can be sent. 2024, 2023, 2022, 2021, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011.

Art, Culture and Portrait (single / series)

Reportage or documentary from the world of art, including photojournalistic or stylized portraits. The interaction of people within a cultural environment. Art is the subject of the photograph, but the image itself is not considered artistic photography. In this category, it is possible to submit a series spanning more than one competition year – photographs may be taken starting from September 30, 2023, but at least one image must be taken between January 1 and September 30, 2025, provided that none of the submitted images have been entered in previous editions of the competition. Take a look at the winning images from recent years – Art and Culture: 2024, 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011.

Take a look at the winning images from recent years – Portrait: 2024, 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011.

Sports (single / series)

CPP sports photos depict sports at every level from amateurs to the very top. Action. Adrenaline. Pro and amateur sports. Only photographs from the current year - that is, taken from 1. 10. 2024 - 30. 9. 2025 - may be submitted. See the winning pictures from the last years: 2024, 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011.

Humans and the environment (single/series)

This category reflects the impact of humans on the environment. A separate competition, Czech Nature Photo, deals with wildlife photography. In this category, series that stretch beyond one year may be submitted – photographs may have been taken from 30. 9. 2023, but at least one photograph must have been taken from 1. 10. 2024 to 30. 9. 2025, provided that the same photographs have not already been entered in the competition in previous years. See the winning pictures from the last years: 2024, 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011.

Life in the Czech Republic – Long-Term Project (Series)

This category is intended for photo series documenting life in the Czech Republic, especially those that capture regional events, human stories, and long-term documentary projects. Eligible submissions include projects developed over an extended period that offer a comprehensive view of a chosen topic.

Series may include individual photographs taken across multiple competition years. However, all images must have been taken from October 1, 2020 onwards, and at least one photograph must be taken between October 1, 2024 and September 30, 2025.

A condition of participation is that none of the submitted photographs may have been entered in previous editions of the competition.

Grant of Prague mayor

Transformations of Prague - series

Works applying for the CPP 2025 Prague Grant, an annual creative scholarship announced by the Mayor of Prague. To apply for the Prague Grant, it is necessary to send an explanation marked with the ID to cp@czechphoto.org and upload a set of finished photographs to the eContest system, representing the concept of the series and the theme the author intends to explore next year. The photographs can be from an older date if they haven't been submitted to the Czech Press Photo competition in the past, but at least one photograph must be taken after October 1, 2024. Learn more about the history of winners in the Prague Grant category: the Prague Grant winners history.

Photographs will be accepted in electronic form. The entry fee from participants will be used for printing exhibition photographs. The jury has the right to request RAW data from authors for subsequent printing in higher resolution.

Project Europe (Single / Series)

This special category is open for photographers who are citizens or permanent residents of any of the European Union member states, the countries of the European Economic Area, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, and selected Balkan countries: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Kosovo, North Macedonia, and Serbia who engage in documentary projects capturing the life of people, society, and the environment in Europe. The award will recognize series that provide an authentic view of contemporary Europe, its transformations, challenges, and everyday realities—whether in an urban, rural, political, or cultural context.

Both single images and series can be submitted. A project submitted as a photographic series may span across multiple years—entries may include work created over a longer period, with an emphasis on a reportage or documentary approach. Photographs may have been taken from October 1, 2020 onwards, but at least one image must be taken between October 1, 2024 and September 30, 2025.

A condition of participation is that none of the submitted images may have been entered in previous editions of the Czech Press Photo contest.

Photographs will be accepted in electronic form. The entry fee from participants will be used for printing the exhibition photographs. The jury reserves the right to request RAW files from the authors as well as higher-resolution files for subsequent printing.

 

APPLICATION 2025 (from September 1, 2025)

  

Czech Photo Junior

We focus on the younger generation that grows up with photography, or rather among a plethora of photographs. Therefore, the Czech Photo Junior competition was created, running in parallel with the Czech Press Photo competition. Young photographers compete in three age categories:

Younger pupils – 6 - 10 years
Older pupils – 11 - 15 years
High school students – 15 years and above

Individuals under 18 years of age can participate in the Czech Press Photo competition only with the written consent of their legal representative, available here in .docx format in CZECH.. It is the participant's obligation to submit the consent of the legal representative of Czech Photo o.p.s., which should be sent to the email junior@czechphoto.org. If the participant fails to submit the written consent of the legal representative within 5 days from the day of the request, Czech Photo o.p.s. has the right to exclude the participant from the Czech Press Photo competition without compensation.

Young photographers can submit photographs to the competition until the closing date of September 30, 2025, and participation in the Czech Photo Junior competition is FREE.

Entries meeting the conditions of individual categories listed in Czech Press Photo will be accepted without the obligation to specify the purpose for media:

  1. Spot news
  2. Reportage
  3. Daily life
  4. People in the news
  5. Art, Culture and Portrait
  6. Sport
  7. Life in the Czech republic
  8. Humans and the environment

The technique used to take the photographs (mobile phones, cameras) does not matter.

Images generated by artificial intelligence will be excluded from the competition.

The minimum image size is 1MB. The maximum number of works for one junior author is 10, with a series counted as one work. The maximum number of photographs in a series is 9. An author can submit only 2 series. Photographs with the author's name and age, title of the image, and category designation should be submitted through the judging system Cewe.

Application system Czech Photo Junior

The evaluation of the best works will take place alongside the professional Czech Press Photo competition by an expert jury.

In each of the Czech Photo Junior competition categories, nominations for winners will be announced after the jury's deliberation. The international jury will determine the winner of each category and subsequently the 2nd and 3rd places. All winners of individual categories will receive a smart phone from Samsung and a diploma. The 2nd and 3rd place winners will receive a diploma and prizes from partners Fomei and Cewe. The awards will be announced and presented at a ceremonial event together with the winners of the Czech Press Photo competition at the National Museum.

By entering the competition, participants declare themselves as the authors of the photographs. For submitted images, participants grant Czech Photo unlimited use of high-resolution images for activities across all media, including social media, online and print, related to the competition, exhibition, yearbook, public archive, and all promotional and educational activities of Czech Photo and under its patronage, without any obligation for payment.

The conditions set forth in the Rules of Participation are binding, and Czech Photo reserves the right to reject or exclude any entry at its own discretion.

Partners of Czech Photo Junior are Samsung, Cewe, and Fomei.

 

Competition dates

Announcement: September 1, 2025,
Competition Opening: September 1, 2025
Deadline: September 30, 2025
Jury: November 06-07, 2025
Nominations Announcement: December 9, 2025
Award Ceremony: January 2026 (subject to change) at the National Museum building.
The Czech Press Photo 2025 exhibition will be open to the public from March 2026 (subject to change).
Dates of the jury sessions, nominations, ceremony, and exhibition are subject to change.

Applications will be accepted only electronically and can be uploaded starting from September 1, 2025.
The photographer must demonstrate their professionalism through one of the following points:

  • A press card
    • or
  • member of an association such as APF (The Czech Association of Professional Photographers), Klub sportovních novinářů (The Czech Sports Photographers’ Club), etc.
    • or
  • Employer – media house or agency,
    • or
  • Letter of recommendation from a cooperating editorial board
    • or
  • A precise description of the medium for which the photo was taken
    • or
  • A scan showing where the photo was published
    • or
  • A trade certificate
    • or
  • For students: confirmation of studies at a school of photography or other relevant school
Entry fee: 1,200 CZK / 50 EUR. Students up to 23 years of age, inclusive, are exempt from the entry fee.

If the photographs do not meet the specified criteria, the organizer or the jury has the right to exclude them from the competition.
The expert jury selects nominations in each category and has the right not to award a prize or nomination.
Nominations will be announced after the jury's deliberation.

How to Caption News Photos

Photos’ authors bear full responsibility for the correctness of caption information.

  1. Verify all factual information concerning photos’ contents.
  2. Each caption should provide new information that is not obvious from the photo; it should contextualize the image.
  3. Always identify the main characters and the location of the photo’s events.
  4. Photographs depict a specific moment. Write the caption in the present tense.
  5. The impression from the caption should match the impression from the photo.
  6. Always state the exact date the photo was taken.
  7. Be brief. Write in full sentences. Stick to the facts; do not use evaluating adjectives (beautiful, fantastic, awful, terrifying, etc.).
  8. The permitted maximum length of one caption is 400 characters.

AWARDS

Taxation of prizes won in the Czech Press Photo competition: The amount of the prize exceeding 50,000 CZK is stated as the pre-tax amount, which is subject to the relevant laws of the Czech Republic. For non-monetary prizes, this amount is meant to represent the customary value of the goods, also pre-tax. Prizes up to 50,000 CZK are exempt from taxation.

2025 CZECH PRESS PHOTO OF THE YEAR

The "Photograph of the Year" title is the main prize of the competition. It will be awarded to the photograph that the international jury evaluates most highly in terms of journalistic qualities (timeliness, informativeness, expressiveness, readiness), possesses an excellent aesthetic level, and symbolizes a significant theme of the year. The winner of the award will receive a cash prize of 100,000 CZK, a diploma, and a sculpture by David Černý. The prize will be disbursed no later than March 31, 2026, after the necessary details for the bank transfer have been provided.

See the winning pictures from the last years: 2024, 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010.

Prizes in competition categories

In each of the competition categories, nominations for winners in all categories will be announced after the jury's deliberation. The international jury will determine the winner of the category and subsequently the 2nd and 3rd places. All winners of individual categories will receive 10,000 CZK and a diploma, while the 2nd and 3rd place winners will receive a diploma. The prizes will be disbursed no later than March 31, 2026, after the necessary details for the bank transfer have been provided. The awards will be announced and presented at the ceremonial event held at the National Museum in January 2026.

See the winning pictures from the last years: past years.

Prague Grant Czech Press Photo 2025

The annual creative scholarship awarded by the Prague City Hall for photographing the transformations of the capital city is personally presented by the Mayor of Prague to a participant in the competition whose work, presented in the competition, and a demonstration of the project outlined in the competition application, provide the greatest assurances of a professional approach to the given project. The scholarship amounts to 100,000 CZK. The holder's obligation is to submit two sets of thirty best photographs to the Prague City Hall after a year of work, for archival and exhibition purposes. Applications for the Prague Grant must be submitted along with an explanation (maximum length of one standard page) and a set of finished photographs representing the concept of the series the author intends to systematically pursue. The prize will be disbursed o later than March 31, 2026.

See the winning pictures from the last years: 2024, 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011.

Project Europe

A special award will first be announced as a nomination for the winner after the jury meeting. The international jury will then determine the winner, as well as the 2nd and 3rd places. The winner of this award will receive EUR 1,000, a diploma, and a sculpture by David Černý. The 2nd and 3rd place winners will receive a diploma. The awards will be announced and presented at the official ceremony at the National Museum.

CANON JUNIOR AWARD

An award for the Discovery of the Year in the field of photography, for a young author up to 23 years old across all categories. Canon offers the winner a prize worth 30,000 CZK.

See the winning pictures from the last years: 2024, 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011.

Czech News Agency (ČTK) Award

Is awarded as part of the Czech Press Photo competition to news photography that has exceptional journalistic qualities - topicality, instancy, and resonance. Rewarded with a placement at ČTK (photographic news reporting or photo bank) for a photographer under the age of 26.

See the winning pictures from the last years: 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019,

UNHCR Award (UN Refugee Agency)

The award from the UN Refugee Agency is given to a photograph or a series of photographs from the Czech Republic or abroad that capture the destinies of people forced to leave their homes due to war conflicts and persecution. The winner of the award receives 25,000 CZK.

See the winning pictures from the last years: 2024, 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011.

PICTOART Award

The award from the professional laboratory PICTOART, worth 25,000 CZK, is intended for the production and adjustment of a separate exhibition collection of the holder of the Prague Grant Czech Press Photo 2025 at PICTOART laboratories.

See the winning pictures from the last years: 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011.

The SAMSUNG Award

"A special award given within the categories of portrait, art and culture, or sports in the Czech Press Photo competition. The award is selected by representatives of Samsung from a preselection made by the international expert jury. The winner receives a diploma and a material prize in the form of The Frame Lifestyle TV from Samsung." View the winning images from the latest edition. 2024, 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020.

Committee of Good Will – Olga Havel Foundation “My Life with a Handicap” AWARD

The prize is awarded to a photograph or series of photographs from the Czech Republic which show(s) the specific life conditions of persons with sensory, physical, or mental disability, or of people who are at risk of social exclusion. The winner will receive prize of CZK 20,000.

See the winning pictures from the last years: 2024, 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014.

The Czech Radio Radiožurnál Award - Radiožurnál

The Czech Radio Radiožurnál Award of the Czech Press Photo competition is given to the most powerful photograph or series of photographs taken in a location of armed conflict, significant natural disaster, social unrest, or crisis situation. The recipient receives 20,000 CZK and a digital DAB+ radio.

VISITORS AWARD

Awarded to the photograph which receives the highest number of votes in a poll of visitors to the exhibition in Prague. Prizes for the winners are donated by the competition’s partner – the company SAMSUNG.

See the winning pictures from the last years: 2024, 2023, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011.

RULES

All competition categories and awards are open to photographers with permanent residence in the Czech Republic.

Special category Project Europe is open for photographers who are citizens or permanent residents of any of the European Union member states, the countries of the European Economic Area, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, and selected Balkan countries: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Kosovo, North Macedonia, and Serbia

The photographer must demonstrate his/her professional status by way of one of the following:

  1. Press card
  2. Membership in associations (e.g., APF, Sports Journalists' Club)
  3. Employment by a media house or agency
  4. Business license for photographic services
  5. Letter of recommendation from a collaborating publication
  6. Scan of any published photograph in the media
  7. Confirmation of enrollment at a photography or specialized school for students
  1. The organizer reserves the right to request additional information to clarify professional status.
  2. Co-authors are permitted (if multiple creators produce a photograph). Each co-author must provide proof of their professional status.
  3. Photographers must be the sole author(s) of the submitted images.
  4. The photographer(s), or an agent or representative acting on their behalf, must be the exclusive holder(s) of the copyrights or be authorized in writing to submit the photographs.
  5. Photographs may only be submitted once, either as individual images, part of a story, or as part of a long-term project. Photographs submitted more than once will be disqualified from the competition.
  6. Photographs can be submitted regardless of whether they have been published.
  7. Winning photographs will be used for the preparation of exhibitions, catalogs, and books, and by submitting an application, photographers agree to this unlimited, royalty-free license for such use.
  8. Photographs must meet the following specifications:
    • JPG (High quality)
    • TIFF (LZW or ZIP compression) - max file size 200 MB per file
    • Files must be in RGB color space and contain ICC Profile
    • Preferred for color photographs: AdobeRGB, ProPhoto, sRGB
    • Preferred for black and white photographs: Dot Gain 20%, Gamma 2.2
    • Photographs without a profile will be displayed and printed as if they had an sRGB profile
    • Photograph resolution must be a minimum of 3000 pixels on the longer side
  9. Author names, co-author names, agency names, publisher names, or any other identifying information must not appear on the photographs themselves. Such details can be included in the image metadata but must not appear on the photograph.
  10. All single photographs must have accurate captions in both Czech and English, and must include all the information specified in the captioning guidelines.
  11. Photographs submitted as a series require only a series description, which must be accurate, in both Czech and English, and must include all the information specified in the captioning guidelines.
  12. The maximum allowed length of a single caption is 400 characters.
  13. Only single exposures and single photographs are accepted. The following are not accepted:
    • Multiple exposures, polyptychs (diptychs, triptychs, etc.)
    • Composite scenes created by camera or image processing software
  14. The content of the photograph must not be altered by adding, rearranging, reversing, distorting, or removing people and/or objects from the shot.
  15. The use of artificial intelligence to generate images is not allowed. Any usage of AI, except for minor post-production adjustments that do not impact the essence of the photograph, will result in disqualification and a ban from future Czech Press Photo editions.
  16. Entries must be submitted through the official competition platform. Entries sent by other means will not be accepted.
  17. Copyright holders retain all copyright to their works. For awarded photographs, the copyright holders provide Czech Photo with an irrevocable, royalty-free non commercial license to use high-resolution images for all media uses, including social media, online, printed materials, exhibitions, archives, and promotional and educational activities conducted by Czech Photo, without restrictions on the number of uses, method of use, or territory, throughout the entire duration of copyright protection, free of charge.
  18. For all photographs, except for award-winning images, the copyright holders provide Czech Photo with an irrevocable and royalty-free non-commercial license to use low-resolution photographs in a non-public archive for educational and research activities, free of charge.
  19. Copyright holders declare and guarantee that the submission of photographs does not constitute a violation of any rights, and furthermore, no third party can assert any claims or objections related to the rights granted to Czech Photo. Copyright holders release Czech Photo from any claims by third parties related to the photographs submitted to the competition. In the event of the untruthfulness of such a declaration, copyright holders are obligated to compensate or release Czech Photo from any claims if any rights are asserted against it in connection with the awarded photograph.
  20. Participation rules and any disputes, proceedings, or claims of any nature arising from or related to the participation rules (including non-contractual disputes or claims) shall be governed by Czech law.
  21. The conditions specified in the participation rules are binding, and Czech Photo reserves the right to change or modify them at any time, as well as the right to reject or exclude any submission at its sole discretion.

Jury, Results Announcement, and Exhibition:

  1. The journalistic value of the images (informativeness, immediacy, topicality) will be assessed along with their aesthetic value.
  2. The jury acts independently from the management of the company; sponsors and partners have no influence on the decision-making process.
  3. All submitted works are judged anonymously.
  4. The jury must award the Photograph of the Year prize.
  5. The jury is not obligated to award all prizes in each category.
  6. Results – the nominated images for the Czech Press Photo 2025 competition will be announced on December 2, 2025.
  7. After the results announcement, nominated authors and authors of selected images for the exhibition may be asked to provide the images in maximum quality.
  8. The final winners will be announced at the official award ceremony in early December at the National Museum.
  9. Awarded and other selected works will be exhibited at the Czech Press Photo 2025 exhibition at the National Museum in Prague.
  10. Unclaimed prizes until March 31, 2026, become the property of the competition organizer.