NIPA 2026 | Rules

Overview

Participation Guidelines

The NIPA is dedicated to celebrating the art of photography and supporting photographers worldwide. These rules outline the requirements, conditions, and guidelines for participation.

100+ Countries Open to photographers worldwide

18+ Minimum Age Participants must be at least 18 years old

2500px Maximum Size Longest dimension must be 2500 pixels

4MB File Limit Maximum file size for each submitted image

Eligibility

The NIPA is open to photographers worldwide, both amateur and professional. Participants must be at least 18 years old to enter.

By registering and submitting an entry to the NIPA, you agree to comply with these Terms and Conditions. You also acknowledge and consent to the NIPA collecting and using your registration data as part of the competition process.

There are no restrictions on when the submitted artwork was created. AI-assisted works are accepted only in the dedicated AI category. The original photograph must be captured by a camera, and AI may only be used as part of the editing, enhancement, or creative post-production process. Fully AI-generated images that are not based on a camera-captured photograph are not eligible.

The NIPA reserves the right to request evidence proving the origin of the submitted work, including proof that the base photograph was captured by camera, as well as proof of ownership of the original files.

Employees of the NIPA, its affiliated companies, or any sponsors providing prizes for the competition are not eligible to participate.

General Conditions

To take part in the competition, simply upload your entry to www.nipawards.com and follow the step-by-step instructions provided on the website.

The NIPA reserves the right to publish, edit, or remove any content you submit, upload, email, or transmit to the website or the competition, at its sole discretion.

By entering the competition, you grant the NIPA and its media partners a non-exclusive, irrevocable license to use your submitted images for marketing and promotional purposes related to the competition. This includes the use of your work in all media formats worldwide.

All winning entries will be featured and showcased online at www.nipawards.com.

There is no limit to the number of images you can submit. Images that have won awards in other competitions or are currently entered in other contests are still eligible for submission.

There are no restrictions on when your images were taken—they can be from any time period.

You are welcome to submit the same image into multiple categories.

Please note that nude photography is not allowed in this competition.

How to Enter

Simple Entry Process

Create Your Profile

Create your online profile [here](insert link).

Upload Your Work

Complete your entry by uploading your images and adding descriptions, if desired.

Pay the Entry Fee

Once payment is successfully processed, you will receive a confirmation email.

Submission Guidelines

What Your Entry Must Meet

Accepted Formats

Images can be created using film, digital cameras, or mobile phones.

Orientation

Square, portrait, or landscape orientations are all welcome.

File Specifications

sRGB color space, 8-bit.
The longest dimension must be 2500 pixels.
Maximum file size: 4MB.
Save as a JPEG at a quality setting of 10 (100%) or higher.
No watermarks, copyright units, or logos on the images.
Only bleed photographs without borders.
File names must not include special characters such as @, $, or #.

Additional Notes

Sepia-toned photos are allowed for the Black and White Photo Competition or any black and white category.
Ensure your files meet all specifications to avoid disqualification.

AI Policy

Camera-Based Photography, AI-Assisted Editing

For this year of the competition, AI-assisted works are accepted only in the dedicated AI category.

The submitted image must be based on a photograph originally captured by a camera. AI may be used as part of the editing, enhancement, retouching, compositing, or creative post-production process.

Fully AI-generated images that are not based on a camera-captured photograph are not eligible for submission.

Participants submitting to the AI category may be asked to provide the original camera file, source materials, editing details, or other evidence confirming the photographic origin of the work.

Any AI-assisted image submitted outside the AI category may be moved to the AI category or disqualified at the discretion of the NIPA.

Key Dates

Important Dates to Remember

5 Jul 2026 Early Bird Deadline Early Bird Deadline: 5 July 2026

5 Aug 2026 Final Deadline Final submission deadline: 5 August 2026

5 Sep 2026 Extended Deadline Extended Submission Deadline: 5 September 2026

5 October 2026 Winners Announced Winners announced: 5 October 2026

15 Oct 2026 Published Book Published Book: 15 October 2026

20 Oct 2026 Awards Sent Awards Sent: 20 October 2026

Copyrights

The copyright of all images will always remain with the photographer. For selected images, the copyright holders grant the Nexus International Photography Awards the exclusive right to use high-resolution images indefinitely and across all media platforms, including social media, for promotional activities related to the contest. No remuneration is required.

Additionally, copyright holders of awarded images allow the Nexus International Photography Awards to use low-resolution images non-exclusively on their website without any compensation. The use of these images will be strictly limited to purposes related to the awards and will not be utilized for any other marketing purposes. These images will not be resold, and any similar requests will be forwarded to the photographer via email.

The Nexus International Photography Awards is also authorized to display images of the winners on various social media platforms, including Facebook and Instagram. By participating in this competition, you agree to the use of your name and images for advertising and promotional purposes without any additional compensation. The Nexus International Photography Awards and its media partners will not be held responsible for any misuse of your images by third parties.

Judging Conditions

Entries will be judged by nominated judges.

Images will be judged category by category. Category winners will be chosen based on the highest individual image score.

The decision of the Nexus International Photography Awards is final, and no appeals are accepted. Winners will be announced according to the competition timeline.

Final Note

Please Review Before Submitting

By submitting your work to NIPA, you confirm that you have read and accepted these rules, including the eligibility requirements, submission guidelines, AI policy, copyright conditions, and judging conditions.

Competition Rules