The competition’s photo revue and exhibition. Czech Photo o.p.s. and the City of Prague invite photographers from throughout the Czech and Slovak Republics to participate in the 26th year of the Czech Press Photo news photo competition.
The Mayor of Prague and Czech Minister of Culture have sponsored the CPP contest.
We urge you to read the rules carefully – and to respect the rules for when photos are taken and take due care to caption them correctly. Also note that unlike in previous years, single photos and series compete in each category together, not separately as before.
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 1.10.2019-30.9.2020 - may be submitted. See the winning pictures from the last years: 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011.
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 1.10.2019-30.9.2020 - may be submitted. See the winning pictures from the last years: 2019,
Photographs that capture everyday activities. In this category, series that stretch beyond one year may be submitted – photographs may have been taken from 30.9.2018, but at least one photograph must have been taken from 1.10.2019 to 30.9.2020, provided that the same photographs have not already been entered in the competition in previous years. See the winning pictures from the last years: 2019, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011.
A reportage or document from an artistic environment. Human interaction in the cultural environment. Art is the subject-matter of the photograph(s) - i.e. not artistic photography. In this category, series that stretch beyond one year may be submitted – photographs may have been taken from 30.9.2018, but at least one photograph must have been taken from 1.10.2019 to 30.9.2020, provided that the same photographs have not already been entered in the competition in previous years. See the winning pictures from the last years: 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011.
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 1.10.2019-30.9.2020 - may be submitted. See the winning pictures from the last years: 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011.
Portraits for cover pages, interviews, reportage and stylised portraits. Only photographs from the current year - that is, taken from 1.10.2019-30.9.2020 - may be submitted. See the winning pictures from the last years: 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011.
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 30.9.2018, but at least one photograph must have been taken from 1.10.2019 to 30.9.2020, provided that the same photographs have not already been entered in the competition in previous years. See the winning pictures from the last years: 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011.
Work applying for a Prague CPP 2020 grant, an annual creative scholarship announced by the Mayor of Prague. In order to apply for a Prague Grant, you must send a description and in an e-mail to cp@czechphoto.org and upload a set of completed photographs, the concept of an ensemble, a topic that the author wants to address next year, to the eContest system. This might involve older photographs if they have not been submitted for the Czech Press Photo competition in the past, but at least one photograph must have been taken after 01.10.2019. Find more information on the Prague Grant winners history.
Photos will be accepted in electronic form. The entry fees sent by the competitors will be used to pay for printing the competition’s exhibition photographs. The jury has the right to request photographers’ data in RAW format and in high resolution for final printing. The authors of the photographs that are selected for the exhibition will be informed and will be given the opportunity to monitor their photos’ printing.
Photographs will be accepted in electronic format.
The entry fee collected from entrants will be used to print out exhibition photographs.
The panel of judges has the right to request data from the photographer in RAW and for subsequent printing in a higher resolution.
Contest opening for entries: 01. 09. 2020
Contest closing for entries: 30. 09. 2020
Photo Jury: 14. - 16. 10. 2020
Nominations announcement: 29. 10. 2020
Award ceremony: 12th of December 2020
Official opening of the Czech Press Photo 2020 exhibition: early March 2021 - to be decided
Submissions will only be accepted in electronic form.
Photographers must provide proof of their status as a professional in any one of the following forms:
Photos’ authors bear full responsibility for the correctness of caption information.
Czech taxation of Czech Press Photo prizes: Prizes with a value of above 10,000 CZK are stated as an amount in CZK before taxation. This taxation is governed by the relevant national laws. For non-monetary prizes, this amount is stated as the usual price of the goods, once again before taxation. Prizes of less than 10,000 CZK are tax-free.
The title of "Photograph of the Year" is the main prize in the competition. It will be awarded to the photograph which the international panel of judges ranks highest in terms of journalistic qualities (topicality, informativeness, expressiveness, instancy), which is of an outstanding aesthetic standard, and which symbolises an important topic of the year. The winner will receive prize-money of CZK 120,000, a certificate, and a sculpture from David Černý. The prize will be paid out no later than 31st of December 2020.
See the winning pictures from the last years: 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010.
Nominations for prize-winners in each of the competition categories will be announced after the meeting of the panel of judges. The international panel of judges will determine the winners of the category, followed by 2nd and 3rd places in that category. All winners of each individual category will receive CZK 20,000 and a certificate, 2nd place CZK 10,000, and 3rd place CZK 5,000. Prizes will be announced and presented at a ceremony. The prize will be paid out on 31.1.2021 at the latest.
See the winning pictures from the last years: past years.
The annual creative scholarship announced by Prague City Hall for photographs to concern the transformation of the capital will be awarded by the Mayor of Prague in person, at the recommendation of the international panel of judges, to the entrant in the competition who, through the work submitted in the competition and a demonstration of the project articulated in the competition application form, provides the greatest guarantees of taking a professional approach to the project. The scholarship is worth CZK 100,000. After a year of work, the holder must present Prague City Hall with two sets of his/her thirty best photographs for archiving and exhibition purposes. Applications for the Prague Grant must be accompanied by a description (of a maximum length of one standardised page) and a set of completed photographs, representing the concept of an ensemble that the photographer wishes to systematically address. The prize paid out on 31.12.2020 at the latest.
See the winning pictures from the last years: 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011.
A prize for newcomer of the year in the sphere of photography, presented to a young photographer under the age of 23, across all categories. Canon will award a prize of voucher for CZK 30,000 to the winner.
See the winning pictures from the last years: 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011.
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: 2019,
The UN Refugee Agency Prize is awarded to a photograph or series of photographs from the Czech Republic or abroad that capture(s) in the most poignant way possible the issue of refugees, i.e. people who have had to leave their homes for fear of persecution. The winner will receive prize of CZK 25,000.
See the winning pictures from the last years: 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011.
A prize of CZK 25,000, awarded by this professional laboratory, is intended for the preparation and adaptation of a separate exhibition collection of the work of the winner of the Prague Grant Czech Press Photo 2020 award at PICTOART laboratories.
See the winning pictures from the last years: 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011.
A special prize awarded in the portrait, art and culture or sport categories of the Czech Press Photo competition. The winner will be chosen by Samsung representatives from an initial selection made by the international panel of experts. The winner will receive a certificate and a prize from Samsung: a QLED Frame TV.
Will be awarded to the photograph given the highest number of votes by a panel of child judges put together by Czech Radio.
See the winning pictures from the last years: 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011.
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: 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014.
Awarded to the photograph which receives the highest number of votes in a poll of visitors to the exhibition in Prague.
See the winning pictures from the last years: 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011.
Czech and Slovak photographers and photographers permanently resident in the Czech or Slovak Republics can participate in the contest with work produced for publication in the media during the period:
A maximum of ten individual works (where one photographic series is considered one work) may be entered in the contest. A photographic series may contain a maximum of 9 thematically-related pictures.
The photographer must demonstrate his/her professional status by way of one of the following: