Make Cash From Competitions

Pit your best images against the rest and you could end up with cash or equipment.

Photo competitions offer big prizes... either in cash or in terms of top-of-the-range kit. It is a great way of trying to get some return from your hobby with the minimum of investment or effort.

Where to look

At any one time there are hundreds of photographic competitions around the world open for entries. The key is finding the right one for you. With prize values running into thousands of pounds or dollars, it’s tempting to jump straight for the extremely prestigious competitions such as the Landscape Photographer of the Year, Travel Photographer of the Year or Wildlife Photographer of the Year. However, these high-profile competitions attract thousands of entries, many of extremely high quality, so your chances of winning are pretty slim. Rather than only looking at these well-known competitions, it’s worth starting out by seeking out some of the less prestigious national or international contests.

You could be better off starting out by entering smaller, local competitions: although the prizes may not be as generous as those awarded to the winners of the major competitions, your chances of winning, or at least being shortlisted, are much better.