2025 Andrei Stenin International Press Photo Contest

2025 Andrei Stenin International Press Photo Contest is now open for entries!

2025 Andrei Stenin International Press Photo Contest : Andrei Stenin International Press Photo Contest 2025 has been recently opened for entries inviting all young photojournalists aged 18 to 33 with aim to promote and support them in their strive for professional perfection.

➜ Short description

Andrei Stenin International Press Photo Contest 2025, photography competition, organized by International Information Agency, Russia’s only platform for discovering new photojournalists, now is opened for entries!

The aims of this competition is to promote young photographers aged 18 to 33 and support them in their strive for professional perfection. Every year, the contest allows young photojournalists from around the globe to show what moves and concerns them.

The Andrei Stenin International Press Photo Contest was established on 22 December 2014 by Rossiya Segodnya under the patronage of the Russian Federation’s Commission for UNESCO. The Stenin Contest is the only competition in Russia that discovers new names in international photojournalism and develops quality standards for documentary photography.

The number of contest participants and the countries they come from has been growing every year. The contest itself is gaining popularity also thanks to the exhibitions of the winning entries, which have become an integral part of the event. They have been held in dozens of countries, including China, South Africa, Mexico, Argentina, Uruguay, Turkey, Lebanon, Germany, Spain, Italy, Greece, Hungary and Poland. The main themes of the contest include global humanitarian challenges, national identity, social equality and the environment.

The contest categories for 2025 are:

➜ Top News — Important events in the lives of individuals and nations form the primary subject of entries in this category: major political and social events, reports from war zones and areas affected by natural disasters, and pivotal moments in people’s lives

➜ Portrait. A Hero of Our Time — Entries in this category feature individual or group portraits of people. The photographs can be either documentary or staged. The defining criterion for this category is the photographer’s ability to reveal the inner world of their subjects, expressing their spirit and personality through the uniqueness of their appearance and overall image

➜ My Planet — This category features works that capture the vibrant diversity of themes and images from across the world. The photographer’s task is to showcase the everyday kaleidoscope of life in its enduring beauty and harmony, uniting scenes from people’s daily lives, the hustle and bustle of big cities and small towns, landscapes, as well as ethnographic and religious celebrations

➜ Sports — This category features images capturing moments from the world of sport: triumphant victories and the drama of defeat, daily training sessions, and the beauty of sports competitions

➜ Top View — This category features single photographs taken from a bird’s eye perspective. The mages may depict plants and animals, urban life, people, scenes from everyday life or sporting events, as well as abstract compositions. The decisive factor is the shooting angle. Photographs can be taken using a drone, a camera, or a mobile phone. We are looking for breathtaking views and captivating stories

ù In the Top News, Portrait. A Hero of Our Time, and My Planet categories, 1st, 2nd and 3rd places are awarded for both single photographs and photographic series.

In the Sports and Top View categories, 1st, 2nd and 3rd places are awarded for single photographs only.

The contest itself is gaining popularity also thanks to the exhibitions of the winning entries, which have become an integral part of the event. They have been held in dozens of countries, including China, South Africa, Mexico, Argentina, Uruguay, Turkey, Lebanon, Germany, Spain, Italy, Greece, Hungary and Poland.

➜ Who may enter?

Professional photographers aged 18-33 can submit their work.

➜ Prize:

The Grand Prize for 2025 is RUB 700,000 and there are three other monetary prizes for the best work in each competition category. Contest Sponsors may also offer additional prizes.