Photometria Awards 2026 — Coming of Age

Photometria Awards is the international competition track of the Photometria International Photography Festival in Ioannina, Greece. The 2026 edition is the festival's 18th — Photometria has run since approximately 2008 and is one of the longer-standing photography festivals in Greece.

The 2026 theme is "Coming of Age (18+)" — the brief asks for work exploring transitions to adulthood through personal and collective experiences, examining autonomy, identity negotiation, and the tension between freedom and responsibility. The themes are ambiguous by design and welcome both literal and metaphorical interpretation.

Selection is unusual in being decided by a single judge: Alec Soth, the Minneapolis-based photographer, Magnum Photos member, and Guggenheim Fellow. The 25 selected photographs are exhibited at Photometria in Ioannina during the festival's run (September–November 2026) and tour to other cities in Greece afterward.

Top prizes: 1st place receives a Nikon Z30 Kit with NIKKOR Z DX 12-28mm lens; 2nd and 3rd receive signed photo albums by Alec Soth; one of the top three winners is awarded a solo exhibition at the following year's Photometria.

Entry fees are minimal: 1 photo is free; 3 photos cost €5. AI-generated images are not accepted, and all submissions must be original work. Images must be a maximum of 400 KB. Eligibility is open globally. The 2026 deadline is May 31; results announced within 2 months.