Everything you need to know before you enter. If your question isn't here, ask us directly.
Entering
All entries are submitted through our online entry form. You declare amateur or pro status, pay for you package, declare your territory and upload your images. It's designed to be much easier anf flow better than other competitions. We do not accept entries by email or post.
A single image entry is $10 USD. The Explorer Package allows 5 images across any category for $25 USD. The RAW Collection is $40 for 10 images. RAW Junior entry for photographers aged 17 and under is free. No entry fee at any stage.
Yes. The RAW Awards is open to photographers of all nationalities worldwide. There is no geographic restriction on who may enter — only on where the images must have been taken (within 100km of your home).
The 2026 competition deadline will be announced shortly. Follow us on social media or check rawpoty.com for updates. We recommend not waiting until the final week. Submitting early gives you time to utilize all that the interactive site has to offer.
There is no limit. Your money - your photos - you choose.
RAW Pets is a standalone, independent competition dedicated to domesticated animals and the lives we share with them.
The RAW Pet Photographer of the Year is awarded to the single best image entered in this category.
This award is judged separately and does not contribute toward RAW Photographer of the Year. RAW Pets exists outside the core wildlife categories — shifting the focus from wilderness to personality, character, and connection. There will be Commended and Highly Commended awards as well in this competition.
If it’s tame — it’s game.
The 100km Rule
Your permanent residential address at the time the photograph was made. If you have moved since taking the photograph, you should declare the address that was your home at the time of capture. See the 100km Rule page for full details.
As a straight-line (crow-flies) distance between your home coordinates and a 100km radius. This can be viewed easily on our interactive maps. You just verify by zooming in on the map and clicking on your territory around your primary residence when entering the competition.
Yes. GPS metadata is obviously the easiest verification method so if you have it on your phone -please ENABLE it, but it is not mandatory at entry stage. If your image is shortlisted, you will be asked to provide the location (to postcode/zip code level or GPS coordinates) or even a witness so we can verify the 100km compliance. We are trying to be inclusive not exclusive. Images that cannot be verified may be disqualified at shortlisting.
Categories
You enter a specific subcategory (e.g. RAW Neighbors: Wings). Awards are given at the master category level — the best image across all subcategories within a master category wins the category Gold. Subcategory selection helps with routing to appropriate judges, so please choose the most accurate subcategory for your image.
Choose the subcategory that best reflects the primary subject or intent of the image. Judges will evaluate it within that context. If you feel strongly that an image belongs in two categories, you may enter it twice as separate entries — each at the standard entry fee.
Yes, with a separate entry for each. We do not restrict an image to a single category entry, though we encourage you to consider which category genuinely serves the image best rather than entering it everywhere speculatively.
Image Standards
JPEG files, minimum 2000px on the long edge, sRGB colour profile. Maximum file size 10MB per image. We do not accept RAW files or TIFFs at submission stage — please export a high-quality JPEG. Shortlisted entrants may be asked to provide a full-resolution file for printing or exhibition.
Yes. Images are open to any time taken in the past. There is no requirement that images were made in the current competition year.
Yes. We place no restriction on images that have been entered in or won other competitions, provided you retain copyright and all other eligibility criteria are met.
Focus stacking is permitted in the RAW Macro and RAW Perspective Categories in keeping with modern macro, astro and landscape techniques. In all other categories, focus stacking is not permitted. In-camera focus stacking (where the camera composites automatically) follows the same rules as post-processing stacking. No other composites are allowed. No sky changing or foregrounds etc.
Judging & Awards
Everyone enters together in a single open competition. Judging is completely blind to professional status. At the awards stage, two awards are given per master category: the RAW Gold (open winner) and the RAW Amateur Gold (best amateur image). This means amateurs compete on equal terms with professionals — and if their image is the best amateur image in its category, they win Gold and a meaningful credential.
You are considered a professional if 50% or more of your annual income comes from photography, including stock image sales. If you are uncertain, declare amateur — the distinction only affects awards recognition, not your eligibility to enter or win the open Gold award.
Prize amounts for the 2026 competition will be $1000 for RAW Photographer of the Year. There will be $250 awarded to Amateur Gold winners and each category winner. Keep an eye on rawpoty.com and our social channels for more announcements.
RAW Junior
Yes. RAW Junior entry is completely free for photographers aged 17 and under at the time of entry. No entry fee, no card required. Select "Junior Entry" on the entry form. Juniors have a max of 5 uploads so choose wisely.
Photographers under 14 should have a parent or guardian help complete the entry form. There is no personal data needed except a valid email. The photographs must be the child's own work — parents may assist with the submission process but not with taking or editing the images.
No. RAW Junior is an entirely separate competition with its own categories, its own judging, and its own awards. No Prize money. Junior images are never evaluated against adult entries. The amateur/professional distinction does not apply to Junior — a junior photographer selling prints at a farmers market is not considered professional. There is a maximum of 5 uploads for a junior.
After Entry
Yes. All shortlisted entrants will be contacted directly by email through Picter. Shortlisted entrants may be asked to provide location verification, a high-resolution file for printing, and consent for publication of their image on rawpoty.com.
Yes. All images remain the copyright of the photographer. By entering, you grant the RAW Awards a non-exclusive licence to reproduce your image for competition promotion purposes — on rawpoty.com, social media, editorial features, and physical exhibition. This does not prevent you from selling or licensing your image elsewhere. See our Rules page for the full copyright terms.
Winning and shortlisted images will be featured on rawpoty.com and promoted through Atlantic Geographic's editorial network. We are planning a physical exhibition of shortlisted work and a photobook — details will be announced alongside the competition results.
Still Have Questions?
We're happy to answer anything not covered here — especially if you're unsure about image eligibility or the 100km rule.