Kuala Lumpur International Photo Awards (KLPA) 2025

Kuala Lumpur International Photo Awards (KLPA) 2025 is now open for entries!

Kuala Lumpur International Photo Awards (KLPA) 2025 : Kuala Lumpur International Photo Awards, now in its 17th year, continues to engage the global photographic community with the 2025 call for entries inviting all photographers from all over the world, including professionals, amateurs, keen hobbyists and students seeking the deeper trajectories of storytelling, alternative realities or make-believe tales that infect our minds.

➜ Short description

The Kuala Lumpur International Photoawards (KLPA) recently opened for entries is an esteemed annual portrait photography competition recognized for its commitment to showcasing contemporary and innovative portraiture.

Since its inception in 2009, KLPA has attracted photographers of all levels, from amateurs to seasoned professionals, who are eager to share their most compelling visual stories. As a global platform with a strong emphasis on Southeast Asian talent, KLPA serves as a vital bridge between regional and international photographic communities, celebrating diversity, creativity, and cultural narratives. For its 2025 edition, KLPA has announced an exciting thematic shift to street portraiture under the theme "Critical Eye".

CRITICAL EYE challenges street photographers to photograph what they can see in front of them with a keen and discerning eye. Street portraiture is casual but spontaneous, complex but fleeting, and just as skilfully executed as the best studio set-up. Effectively, street photography has no rules, and organiser dose not limit your boundaries in pursuit of that elusive moment.

This year’s open call encourages photographers to push the boundaries of street portraiture, crafting images that are strong, enigmatic, and compelling. There are no strict rules or boundaries in this pursuit—participants are invited to interpret street settings in their unique way, whether through casual, spontaneous shots or complex, thought-provoking compositions. By spotlighting street portraiture, KLPA 2025 aims to inspire photographers to elevate their craft, discover the extraordinary within the ordinary, and impress an esteemed panel of judges with their originality and vision.

Judging will take place in April 2025. A shortlisted finalists gallery will be available on the official website from mid-May 2025.

➜ Submission requirements:

➜ All photographs must have dimensions 1,500 pixels at its longest edge, saved as .jpg at high quality, approximately 1,500Kb in size in SRGB colourspace, Quality 8 and above.

➜ Who may enter?

Open to all amateur and professional photographers worldwide. Contestants must be at least 16 years old by 30 March 2025.

➜ Prize:

The top three winners in the open category will receive USD $2,000, USD $1,000, and USD $500, respectively. The top 35 entries will be exhibited at Hin Bus Depot in Penang in September 2025, with finalists also screened at international partner festivals.

➜ Entry fees:

The fee ranges from USD $15 for a single image to USD $75 for 6 to 10 images. Full-time enrolled students under-25 years can submit 1 image for free.