1839 Awards Color Photography Contest

1839 Awards is a contest platform with a recurring schedule of category-themed photography competitions. The Color Photography Contest is its color-focused cycle. The platform's name references the year of photography's invention.

The 2026 jury is built from established institutions: Alessa Widmer (University of Zurich), Derek Eng (Dwell), Hanna Girma (Serpentine), Hilary Greenbaum (Whitney Museum), Kelly Sidley (Bonhams), and Maia Murphy (Phaidon Press).

Total cash prizing is $4,000. Selected work is shown in a dedicated digital gallery on the 1839 Awards platform plus placement in the platform's global artist directory.

Eligibility is open globally to photographers 18+. Submission is through the 1839 Awards platform with 1–5 images. Fee is tiered $25–$50 by submission scale. The 2026 deadline was April 9; results announced June 5, 2026.