Get ready for the International Photographic Competition!

 

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Get the latest updates and information regarding PPA's International Photographic Competition, ask questions, and learn more about the competition and judging process.

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IPC FAQs

You must be a PPA member to enter. Members of PPA’s Board of Directors, PPA staff, and their spouses are not eligible to enter.

There is an entry fee of $49 per image.

You can enter as many images in each category as you would like, but only one image can advance to the round of 32 in each category. 

In the first round of judging each image is assigned a score based on 4 criteria: Composition, Impact, Style, and Technical Excellence.  The image can receive 25 points per criteria for a possible total score of 100.

Images that have merited in an IPC prior to 2024 are not eligible for submission. Images entered in the Merit Image Review process are allowed in the new IPC.

Proprietary software will be used to shuffle images before each round of head-to-head judging, ensuring the pairings will be completely randomized.

No, the IPC is a non-merited event.  You can earn exhibition merit by entering PPA’s Merit Image Review.

All the bracket rounds of judging will be live at Imaging USA and are open to all convention attendees.

In addition, the competition's Final Four, Diamond, and Championship rounds will be broadcast live on Monday night. The rounds of 32, 16, and 8 on Saturday will not be broadcast, but the action can be tracked live online via a new software interface developed by PPA.

All images must be submitted digitally.

You may enter images in each of the following 16 categories:

  • Commercial
  • Illustrative/Digital Art
  • Landscape
  • Wildlife
  • Illustrative Portrait
  • Natural Portrait
  • Reportage/Photojournalism
  • Day of Wedding
  • Sports
  • Portrait groups / Families (3 or more people)
  • Yearly Theme: Maternity
  • Newborn (up to 6 months)
  • Boudoir
  • Pets and Domestic animals
  • Children and Teens (7 months to 16 years of age)
  • High School Seniors (17 to 19 years of age)