About

The Paris Photo–Aperture PhotoBook Awards are an annual celebration of the photobook’s enduring role within the narrative of photography. The awards, established in 2012, recognize excellence in three major categories of photobook publishing: First PhotoBook, PhotoBook of the Year, and Photography Catalog of the Year. Each year, winners are selected from among nearly one thousand books submitted by artists and publishers from around the world.

How to enter

• Generate your submission form
• Complete payment via picter.com
• Send one copy of each submitted photobook with your submission form(s) to Aperture for arrival by 5 p.m. EDT on Friday, September 4, 2026. Please allow ample time to enter and mail your book. Late submissions will not be considered by the jury.

You will need to provide the following information for each book submitted:

• Book title, year of publication, and publisher information
• A short description, or summary, of the book that includes a few words about which prize category best fits the book
• Full names of the photographer or artist, designer, and editor
• Book dimensions, number of pages, and edition number or print run
• A short description of where your book can be purchased or acquired
• An image or render of the book cover (JPG file)
• Hardcopy of the book, with printed submission summary forms, to be mailed to Aperture's offices

Please note: Aperture is not responsible for the return of submissions. All books submitted to the awards remain the property of Aperture and will become part of the Aperture library. If your book is selected, you will need to send a minimum of two additional copies (and up to three additional copies) to become part of the exhibition of shortlisted books.

Entry Fees

• First PhotoBook: $30 per book

• PhotoBook of the Year: $60 for first entry from a given publisher, $30 for each subsequent entry from the same publisher

• Photography Catalog of the Year: $60 for first entry from a given publisher, $30 for each subsequent entry from the same publisher

From June 10 to July 10, 2026: Early Bird Special

• First PhotoBook: $15 per project
• PhotoBook of the Year: $40 for first project from a given publisher, $15 for each subsequent project from the same publisher
• Photography Catalog of the Year: $40 for first project from a given publisher, $15 for each subsequent project from the same publisher

Delivery of Books
All books must be received by 5 p.m. EDT, on Friday, September 4, 2026. Please be aware that the time required for packages to be received may be longer than expected. All books should be mailed to Aperture's Upper West Side address. This date does not include postmark. All entries must be physically received by this date, and there will be no refunds if the books are not delivered on time. Books should be sent to the following address:

Aperture
ATTN: PhotoBook Awards
380 Columbus Avenue
New York, NY 10024

What winners receive

First PhotoBook Prize
A $10,000 prize is awarded to the photographer(s) or artist(s) whose first finished, publicly available photobook is judged to be the best of the year. Twenty books will be shortlisted in this category, presented to the jury for final selection, and exhibited during Paris Photo.

PhotoBook of the Year Prize
This prize is awarded to the photographer(s) or artist(s) and the publisher of the photobook judged to be the best of the year. Ten books will be shortlisted in this category, presented to the award jury for final selection, and exhibited during Paris Photo.

Photography Catalog of the Year Prize
This prize is awarded to the publication, publisher, and/or organizing institution responsible for the exhibition catalog or museum publication judged to be the best of the year. Five books will be shortlisted in this category, presented to the award jury for final selection, and exhibited during Paris Photo.

The thirty-five shortlisted books, accompanied by the jury's statements, will be on view at Paris Photo. An exhibition of shortlisted books will also travel internationally following their display in Paris.

About Paris Photo

Paris Photo is the world's largest international art fair dedicated to the photographic medium. The annual event for collectors, professionals, artists, and enthusiasts, Paris Photo offers its visitors the most qualitative and diverse selection of artworks alongside an ambitious public program with leading figures in the field.

About Aperture

Aperture is a nonprofit publisher that leads conversations around photography worldwide. From our base in New York, Aperture connects global audiences and supports artists through our acclaimed quarterly magazine, books, exhibitions, digital platforms, public programs, limited-edition prints, and awards. Established in 1952 to advance “creative thinking, significantly expressed in words and photographs,” Aperture champions photography’s vital role in nurturing curiosity and encouraging a more just, tolerant society.

Exhibition

Each year, the thirty-five shortlisted books are exhibited around the world, ensuring maximum exposure for all titles, including the winners in each category.

In addition to a presentation at Paris Photo, all the shortlisted books and the winners in each category will be exhibited around the world, ensuring maximum exposure for all the titles.

In past years, venues have included Backlight, Tampere, Finland; Copenhagen Photo Festival, Denmark; Flash Forward Festival, Boston; Fotofestiwal, Lodz, Poland; FotoFocus, Cincinnati; Huis Marseille, Amsterdam; IMA Concept Store, Tokyo; Istituto Italiano di Fotografia, Milan; Landskrona Foto, Sweden; Leipzig Photobook Festival, Leipzig, Germany; PhotoIreland, Dublin; Printed Matter, New York; Tenderbooks, London; and Visual Studies Workshop, Rochester, New York.