Legality/Terms of Entry

Assertion of Copyright

All persons submitting entries ("Entrants")  in the National Press Photographers Association Best of Photojournalism competition ("Contest") warrant and represent that each and every image submitted ("Entry" or "Entries") is his/her own original work, whether created as an independent photographer or an employee, and that he/she has the unrestricted right to grant to the National Press Photographers Association ("NPPA") and the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia, by and on behalf of the University of Georgia Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication ("UGA") (collectively, "BOP"), the permissions set forth below.

Permission to Use Entries

The Entrant–or their employer or assignee–retains the copyright to all entries. All Entrants to the Contest warrant that they are either the copyright holder or are authorized by the copyright holder to submit entries to the Contest. The Entrant hereby grants permission to the BOP to reproduce, display, publish and distribute the submitted entries in order to promote and carry out the mission of the BOP, including, but not limited to: (1) executing, reporting on, highlighting, promoting, and publicizing the Contest judging, results and winning entries; (2) showcasing the BOP and the Contest results through exhibitions, online displays, awards ceremonies and compendiums such as the Best of Photojournalism issue of News Photographer Magazine; (3) educational, research, and archiving purposes related to the BOP and  inclusion in perpetuity in the permanent BOP archive which is housed in part on NPPA and UGA servers and in the University of Georgia Special Collections Library archive; and may be publicly displayed as such; and (4) to sublicense to third-parties and service providers as needed to carry out the above BOP initiatives. Additionally, the BOP is not obligated to publish any submitted entries.

The Entrant further warrants that the entered images were taken or initially published during 2025 (unless otherwise allowed by division rules) and that submission of the Entry does not breach any law, and that no third party has any claim or objection regarding the above rights granted to the BOP.

Entrants understand and agree that the BOP is the final authority on the Contest awards and Entrants are not entitled to appeal the decision of the judges and the BOP.

Finally, each Entrant consents to, and waives any claims over, the use of his/her name, and/or likeness by BOP and any sponsors in any BOP promotional and public relations materials or for any other purpose related to the National Press Photographers Association and/or the Best of Photojournalism Contest.

Agreement to Rules

I accept all Entry rules of the NPPA Best of Photojournalism Contest.

Acceptance of Code of Ethics

I adhere to the NPPACode of Ethics and promise that my entries were created in accordance with its principles. I understand that an award may be rescinded if the BOP determines that an Entry violates, or was created in violation of, the NPPA Code of Ethics.

By clicking I agree to terms and conditions on the submission form, you are agreeing to the statements above.

Visual Integrity

The Best of Photojournalism places a high priority on visual integrity and representing the ethical standards of the National Press Photographers Association and the industry at-large. All entrants are expected to adhere to the National Press Photographers Association Code of Ethics.

NPPA Code of Ethics

Visual journalists and those who manage visual news productions are accountable for upholding the following standards in their daily work:

1. Be accurate and comprehensive in the representation of subjects.
2. Resist being manipulated by staged photo opportunities.
3. Be complete and provide context when photographing or recording subjects. Avoid stereotyping individuals and groups. Recognize and work to avoid presenting one's own biases in the work.
4. Treat all subjects with respect and dignity. Give special consideration to vulnerable subjects and compassion to victims of crime or tragedy. Intrude on private moments of grief only when the public has an overriding and justifiable need to see.
5. While photographing subjects do not intentionally contribute to, alter, or seek to alter or influence events.
6. Editing should maintain the integrity of the photographic images' content and context. Do not manipulate images or add or alter sound in any way that can mislead viewers or misrepresent subjects.
7. Do not pay sources or subjects or reward them materially for information or participation.
8. Do not accept gifts, favors, or compensation from those who might seek to influence coverage.
9. Do not intentionally sabotage the efforts of other journalists.
10. Do not engage in harassing behavior of colleagues, subordinates or subjects and maintain the highest standards of behavior in all professional interactions.

Ideally, visual journalists should:

• Strive to ensure that the public's business is conducted in public. Defend the rights of access for all journalists.

• Think proactively, as a student of psychology, sociology, politics and art to develop a unique vision and presentation. Work with a voracious appetite for current events and contemporary visual media.

• Strive for total and unrestricted access to subjects, recommend alternatives to shallow or rushed opportunities, seek a diversity of viewpoints, and work to show unpopular or unnoticed points of view.

• Avoid political, civic and business involvements or other employment that compromise or give the appearance of compromising one's own journalistic independence.

• Strive to be unobtrusive and humble in dealing with subjects.

• Respect the integrity of the photographic moment.

• Strive by example and influence to maintain the spirit and high standards expressed in this code. When confronted with situations in which the proper action is not clear, seek the counsel of those who exhibit the highest standards of the profession. Visual journalists should continuously study their craft and the ethics that guide it.

Visual Integrity

To photograph means to write with light. Visual journalists must attain and maintain the highest ethical standards in order to be considered the best of photojournalism. The last year has seen tremendous technological growth in the areas of artificial intelligence in the most common software applications we use.

The use of AI generative tools to create, add, remove, expand or alter images or videos in any way is expressly prohibited. The content of a photograph or video clip – what is seen and what is not seen, what is heard and what is not heard – is locked at the moment it is recorded.

Making/capturing the image

Photographers must not intentionally alter the scene they capture in any of the following ways:

• You must not add objects.

• You must not move/take away objects.

• You must not "stage" situations – meaning you must not deliberately arrange objects, subjects or situations that are not already occurring.

• You must not "set-up" situations – meaning you must not deliberately create a situation that does not exist. For example, bringing disparate characters together in a place they would not be, giving or directing subjects to wear particular clothing, or creating or altering a scene by painting, adding objects, or people that aren't normally in that location or occur in that location.

• You must not ask your subject to re-enact actions or scenes that occurred in the past in order to make a photograph.

• Portraits and formal interviews have different rules. Portraits and formal interviews can be constructed as long as they are identified as such. They must not be made to look like they are naturally occurring events.

Post-production

Post-processing, in and of itself, is not manipulation as long as it is within normal limits of toning and color correction.

Types of post-processing that count as manipulation:

• Dramatic changes in color that alter the original color of the scene. For example, changing a gray sky to blue. Color correcting sensor/white balance issues from incorrect camera settings is allowed.

• Changes made by dodging or burning, adjustments to brightness, contrast, color, saturation, sharpening or clarity that significantly alter content by obscuring, enhancing or diminishing elements in the photograph.

• Just like during the making/capturing of an image you may not add, move or remove any objects or persons. You may only use the cloning tool – or any other tool – to remove dust spots on the image created by the lens, the camera sensor or dust from scanning physical negatives.

• You may NOT use digitals tools or software to alter the content that was visible to the camera at the moment the photograph was made.

• Altering the sequencing of an audio or video recording so as to change the meaning of someone's statement or apparent actions is prohibited.

Entry disqualification due to manipulation

If the judges have any questions regarding any possible image manipulation, entrants will be required to submit images as recorded by the camera. The judges will have a private conversation regarding the entry and the entry may be disqualified.

Additionally, filmmakers and photographers cannot be paid by anyone with a commercial stake in the story, and no branded content will be accepted. Work created as a team photographer or videographer or if you are on assignment for the organization represented in the story is therefore prohibited.

Stories should honor the viewer's trust, and under no circumstances should scenes depicted as candid be set up, directed or controlled in any way.

Any re-creations of scenes to illustrate events in the past must be clearly marked as such. Special effects and music should be used sparingly and not alter the truthfulness of the narrative.

If the judges or Best of Photojournalism committee finds cause to disqualify an entry after judging has been completed and awards have been announced, that award position will be vacated. Decisions about the eligibility and integrity of all entries reside wholly with the committee and their decisions are final.

Technical Guidelines

Entries for the 2026 Best of Photojournalism competition will be entered via the online portal, which will go live on December 22, 2025.

Entries will be accepted from December 22, 2025, through 11:59 P.M. PT on January 18, 2025. All entries must have been made or initially published between January 1, 2025, and December 31, 2025 unless otherwise noted in the division or category rules.

Entry is free for NPPA members in good standing at the close of the contest (January 18, 2026) and $90 for non-members. If you choose not to join the NPPA, the fee will be collected during the entry process. Membership status will be checked at the closing of the entry time frame. Non-members who have not paid the entry fee may be disqualified. If you are entering on behalf of others (e.g., you are a contest editor), you may not use your membership status to waive the registration fee for others – each individual entrant must be a member or pay the fee. On team entries, if one of the team members is a member of the NPPA, the entry fee is waived.

Each entrant may have up to 20 entries spread across any combination of disciplines (Still Photojournalism, Picture Editing, Online Video, Presentation and Innovation, Video Photojournalism and Editing and Documentary) and categories. Multiple entries in one category will count towards the total number of entries. (For example, if you enter two images in the Sports Action category, that accounts for two of your 20 total entries.) A single photograph, story, video or package may not be entered on its own in more than one division. A photo may be entered in both a single category and as part of a picture story, portfolio, or compilation. A video may also be entered in both a single category and as part of a compilation. Each entry counts as one towards the 20-entry total.

Please read the individual Category descriptions for more information as some categories have additional restrictions.

Thumbnails will be required for video entries and should be 1920 x 1080 pixels in a JPG format. Online entries will need a screen grab to be uploaded. These will be uploaded with the media or links on either the first page of an entry or the second.

Non-English language videos may be entered but must be subtitled, there is no promise that the judges will be fluent in other languages.

For some categories, you may be asked when material was first published or broadcast.

The rules as posted to the Best of Photojournalism web site are considered final. Please feel free to send any questions along to bop@nppa.org. All effort will be made to answer questions regarding the contest that are received up to 12 hours before the final deadline.

Preparing Your Entries

We will not fix or recategorize any entries that do not follow the guidelines. Entries that do not meet the criteria or are improperly categorized will be disqualified from the competition.

Still Photojournalism

The Best of Photojournalism – Still Photojournalism division recognizes visual journalists who, working through the medium of still photography, tell stories that are relevant to their communities, helping them understand trends and issues so that they can make informed decisions. Judges will look at technical excellence as well as composition, but the key factor will be the journalism that is demonstrated.

Entries in this category are created and entered by individual photojournalists – there are no team categories. Entries will be submitted as individual images, stories or portfolios, depending upon the category.

Photojournalists may work as either members of a publication staff or as independent photographers. The work must have been made with the intent of journalistic publication, either in print or online – work created as sponsored content or for a company, brand, team or other entity is not allowed. All images MUST have credits removed – no names or publications should appear in captions.

NOTE: Photographers can only enter one of the full-portfolio Photojournalist of the Year categories (International, National, Community or Emerging), but may also enter the Sports Photojournalist of the Year. Please also be aware that the method for determining which Photojournalist of the Year category you should enter has changed from being defined by newsroom size and circulation to what is being covered in the images and the intended audience. For each of the POY categories, the judges will be looking at both the depth of coverage as well as the breadth of coverage.

Eligibility of Work

Images and stories must have been made or initially published during the competition year. Images and stories may only be entered in one competition year – for instance, a single image entered in the 2025 Best of Photojournalism competition (or an image that is substantially similar) cannot be entered again as a single image or as part of a story in the 2026 Best of Photojournalism competition.

Entrants to the Still Photojournalism division must ensure their pictures provide an accurate and fair representation of the scene they witnessed so the audience is not misled.

Photographs must have complete, accurate captions and associated metadata as described below. Photo credits or other identifying information must be removed from the caption (but may remain in other metadata fields).

No multiple exposures, panoramas or stitched photos, produced either in-camera or with software, will be accepted.

Photographs may not be altered or manipulated during post-processing except for basic toning/contrast adjustments or by cropping. See the Visual Integrity guidelines for further information.

Entrants must be prepared to provide file(s) as recorded by the camera for images that proceed to the final stages of the contest when requested. These file(s) will be requested between February 20 and February 27, 2025. Failure to provide these files when requested may lead to the disqualification of the entry.

Please remove any personal tags, rating or color codes.

File names in story and portfolio categories must begin with a sequence number (01, 02, etc.) to ensure the final round judges see them in order. Each image should be saved as an RGB file. Do not save them as CMYK.

Images should be sized to at least 3000 pixels on the long dimension.

Image files must be saved as a JPG with a quality setting of High (9 on a 12 point scale, 8 on a 10 point scale). File sizes should be no more than 5 MB.

Including the correct metadata and file formats in your entry is critical to the smooth running of the competition as well as the post-event archiving of material. The judges will rely upon the entrants to ensure the following standards are met. Failure to meet these requirements may result in a disqualification of an entry.

Image metadata can be entered in whichever image management program you are most familiar with. So, if you already use Photo Mechanic, Bridge, Lightroom, MediaPro or some other tool, you can enter the metadata in your familiar working environment.

If you do not currently have a preferred image management tool, Camera Bits has a free 1-month trial version of Photo Mechanic.

The following IPTC fields are required for entries:

• Caption/Description – See Caption Guide below.

• City, State/Province and Country

• Date – The date the image was made.

• Photographer and Credit/Byline (please fill in both) – The name of the photojournalist who made the image. Please be consistent from photo to photo. For example, please use Joe E Smith for each image, not Joe Smith on one, Joseph Smith on another, J.E. Smith on a third, and so on.

• Source – Your employer or client.

• Copyright – Who holds the copyright on the image (this may be the entrant, employer or client).

• Contact Email – Please use the same address here as you will use when you create your account for submission.

• Contact Phone – Please use the same phone number here as you will use when you create your account for submission.

Caption Guide:

Captions must be accurate and answer the basic questions of good journalism. They must be written in English only and follow basic AP style. Here are the basic AP guidelines.

The first sentence of the caption should follow this structure:

The first clause should describe who is in the photograph and what is going on within the photo in the present tense followed by the city, state or province and country (if outside the United States) as appropriate. The last portion of the first sentence should be the date. Use absolute dates and absolute locations, meaning you should have a date of, "Monday, December 15, 2025" and not just, "Monday" or "last Tuesday."

Captions must give attribution of action not seen (e.g. the scene of an accident where more than 10 died, according to police).

Names should always be listed in order, left to right, unless it is impossible for the caption to read normally otherwise.

With multiple people identified within the caption, enough representations to placement are necessary that there is no confusion for who is who.

The second sentence of the caption is used to give context to the news event or describes why the photo is significant.

If in doubt of the need for a second sentence, leave it off.

Whenever possible, try to keep captions to no more than two concise sentences, while including the relevant information.

Try to anticipate what information the reader will need. 

Example: Democratic presidential hopeful U.S. Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., delivers his policy on Iraq speech in Clinton, Iowa, on Sept. 12, 2007. Obama called for the immediate withdrawal of all U.S. combat brigade.

(Adapted from the AP Style Guide)

If the photograph is a portrait, the caption must make it explicitly clear that the photograph is a portrait and was posed and directed.

For the story categories, within the caption block of the first image in a story, you must include a short overall story description at the top of the caption (up to 100 words). There may also be a fillable field for this in some categories.

How to Enter

When you select a category, you will see a window where you can drag and drop your image or images. In single-image categories, you’ll be able to bring in all the images for that category at once. In multiple image categories, you can drag them in as a group. You will be able to change the order on this page as well. If you are entering more than one story in a category, they will need to be entered separately.

Captions will be automatically read from the metadata (provided they are in the correct field). After uploading, click NEXT and you'll see the images and their captions. You can edit the captions if needed – for instance, if you forgot to remove your credit information. Depending on server load, it may take a few moments for the captions to be encoded and displayed.

Picture Editing

The Best of Photojournalism's Photo Editing division recognizes teams and individuals who practice and promote great photojournalism and storytelling through excellent picture editing.

Photo editing is an inherently collaborative process. It starts with the conception and assignment of an idea with a photographer or photographers. Photo editors must then identify the best pictures and organize and shepherd them to the public eye through a balance of risk and restraint. They ensure that text, pictures, design and layout all work together to tell the story with impact. The act of editing may be a team effort, or it may be performed by an individual, but it is never completely in isolation.

Judges will consider design, layout and innovative uses of technology, but will weigh most heavily the quality of storytelling and how the photos have been considered, sequenced, and presented. Entries, whether featuring original photography or photo research or a mix, will be judged based on how effectively the photos and storytelling inform and entertain the reader.

For newspaper and magazine entries, you must convert the entry to JPG files. Please make sure they have been saved as RGB files and not CMYK. They should be at least 3000 pixels tall.

Double-page spreads should be combined into one JPG so judges can see how the entire page works. Multiple-page entries should have each single page or double-page spread entered as an individual JPG – you want the judges to experience turning the pages as your audience did.

Digital category entries should be in the form of one (or more) URLs. For sites with a paywall, you will need to provide a login and password for judges to access the site.

For all categories, you'll have the opportunity to tell the story of how these presentations came to be. This is a place where editors can talk about behind-the-scenes work that was done by them or their team to get the photographer to a place to make great pictures, the designer to agree to the space, all the unseen work that is a big part of picture editing.

In the Editor(s) of the Year categories, the former divisions based on circulation and/or newsroom size have been replaced with an intent to recognize the scope of the work that is being presented. The Community category is designed to focus on local or regional publications. The National category is designed for larger publications with the resources to cover national stories. The International category is designed for the largest publications which routinely cover international news events. An International category entry may contain elements from national or community stories. A National category entry may contain elements from community stories.

An individual may only enter in one Editor of the Year category. A publication entering in the Picture Editing Team of the Year, Community category may not enter in the National or International categories. A publication can have one entry in the National and International Picture Editing Team of the Year categories.

If you have questions about how to classify your entry, please reach out at bop@nppa.org for clarification.

For newspaper and magazine entries, you must convert the entry to JPG files. Please make sure they have been saved as RGB files and not CMYK. They should be at least 3000 pixels tall.

Double-page spreads should be combined into one JPG so judges can see how the entire page-spread works. Multiple-page entries should have each single page or double-page spread entered as an individual JPG – you want the judges to experience turning the pages as your audience did.

Digital category entries should be in the form of one (or more) URLs. For sites with a paywall, you will need to provide a login and password for judges to access the site.

How to Enter

When you select a category, you will see a window where you can drag and drop your image or images. In single-image categories, you'll bring one image in. In multiple image categories, you can drag them in as a group. You will be able to change the order on this page as well.

For online galleries, when you select a category that requires a link or links, on the first page you will see a window where you can drag and drop a thumbnail of the page. When you click NEXT, you'll be able to paste in the links that are part of the submission as well as a login and password combination if the work is behind a paywall. Presentation entries without thumbnails may be disqualified.

If you have a team entry, there will be a field to fill out on the second page for team members. Please include the entire team there as this is what will be published.

Video Photojournalism and Editing

The Video Photojournalism and Video Editing contests have been merged into a single, comprehensive competition. Please review the updated rules and categories carefully.

This division recognizes visual journalists who, through video, tell stories relevant to their communities. Judges will evaluate entries based on technical excellence, storytelling, and demonstrated journalism. The contest acknowledges the distinct and fundamental roles of both the reporting process in building a powerful narrative and the editing process in creating a compelling final story. The critical factor will be the quality of the journalism and the audience's ability to understand the story.

All entries must have been created for journalistic distribution through broadcast or online channels. Sponsored content or work created for non-journalistic entities is not eligible. This is a craft contest. All entrants are one person being recognized, except for the Station Of The Year categories.

Entrant Categories

This contest is open to individual journalists who fit into the following roles. Please read the descriptions carefully. This year, several categories are combined, with a few specific to the craft.

• Video Journalist (VJ): Journalists working as members of a newsroom staff or as independent photographers. For categories where filming is judged, at least 90% of the video must be filmed by the entrant (unless otherwise specified).

• Solo Video Journalist (SVJ): Journalists who are regularly responsible for filming, reporting, writing, tracking, and editing their stories daily. Entrants must have filmed at least 90% of the video and be the sole editor (unless otherwise specified). "Nat Sound" packages (stories without a reporter track) are not allowed for SVJs.

• Editor: Journalists who craft the story in the edit are solely responsible for every action in the editing process. For editing-focused categories, it does not matter who filmed the video.

• Reporter / Field Producer: Reporters and field producers who, in collaboration with a visual journalist, produce outstanding visual stories. A Solo Video Journalist can be considered a Reporter / Field Producer in this contest.

Entry Limitations & Guidelines

• General Limit: A maximum of 4 entries per individual is allowed in each story category.

• '- of the Year' Awards: Individuals may submit an entry to each '- of the Year' award for which they are eligible. Each entrant may be eligible to enter more than one  '- of the Year' category.

• Station of the Year: Each station may submit only 1 Station of the Year entry. No other compilation entries are allowed.

• On-Air Identification: If an entrant's name is mentioned in a story (e.g., "With photographer John Doe..."), it does not need to be edited out.

Contact & Technical Information

Please refer to the Technical Guidelines section of the competition website for more details. For questions, please contact bop@nppa.org.

All entries should be compressed for smooth playback online. Videos must be mp4 format at 1080p resolution. If you already have a video compression tool that you're familiar with, use it. If you don't, Handbrake is a popular choice.

How to Enter

When you select a category, you will see a window where you can drag and drop your video file. Once it finishes uploading (there is a purple progress bar below the file as it uploads), click NEXT and you must upload a thumbnail on that screen. Video entries without thumbnails may be disqualified.

If you have a team entry, there will be a field to fill out on the second page for team members. Please include the entire team there as this is what will be published.

After selecting your category, upload your video file by dragging it into the upload window.

After clicking NEXT, upload your thumbnail and add any team members.

Online Video, Presentation and Innovation

The Best of Photojournalism's Online Video, Presentation and Innovation division recognizes teams and individuals that excel in promoting visual journalism through digital delivery. While judges will pay attention to innovative usage of technologies, the journalism, storytelling and impact will be the primary determinants.

Online Video entries are self-contained, "click-to-play" video stories. These entries will be judged on the video alone and on no other story components. Video categories allow for individual and team entries. Videos with a run time exceeding 10 minutes belong in the Documentary division.

Video stories originally produced for television audiences, especially if they feature voice-overs or reporter stand-ups, have typically been entered in the Video Photojournalism division. Video stories originally produced for news websites, online publications or multi-platform distribution have typically been entered in the Online Video, Presentation and Innovation division. Video stories may only be entered in one division or the other, not both.

An individual entry is one in which a single visual journalist filmed, edited, and produced at least 90% of the entry themselves. Acceptable help includes another journalist running a second camera during an interview, standard story feedback from an editor or editors, and the use of archival content or limited external content not created by the entrant. The spirit of the individual competition is to recognize journalists who work nearly or wholly solo. If there are other bylines on your entry, please consider first entering a team category, otherwise you must include a note explaining the division of work between yourself and other credited journalists.

There are no limits on the size of a team in a team entry, please include a note with your submission explaining the role of each person credited if an explanation is not delineated in the project itself.

The Online Visual Presentation categories are for visually driven stories that feature multiple elements such as text, photos, videos, graphics, illustrations and animations. Entries will be judged on the whole experience, including the journalism, storytelling, design, interactivity and engagement.

Stories should honor the viewer's trust, and under no circumstances should scenes depicted as candid be set up, directed or controlled in any way. Any re-creations of scenes to illustrate events in the past must be clearly marked as such. Special effects and music should be used sparingly and not alter the truthfulness of the narrative. Journalists cannot be paid by anyone with a commercial stake in the story and no branded content will be accepted.

Either web links or videos may be submitted, depending on the categories (web links are required for Innovation and Presentation categories).

How to Enter

When you select a category that requires a link or links, on the first page you will see a window where you can drag and drop a thumbnail of the page. When you click NEXT, you'll be able to paste in the links that are part of the submission as well as a login and password combination if the work is behind a paywall. Presentation entries without thumbnails may be disqualified.

For video entries, when you select a category, you will see a window where you can drag and drop your video file. Once it finishes uploading (there is a purple progress bar below the file as it uploads), click NEXT and you must upload a thumbnail on that screen. Video entries without thumbnails may be disqualified.

If you have a team entry, there will be a field to fill out on the second page for team members. Please include the entire team there as this is what will be published.

Documentary

This division is to honor documentary video storytelling in all its forms. Documentaries may have been made for any platform – broadcast, OTT delivery, streaming or other release.

All entries should be compressed for smooth playback online. Videos must be mp4 format at 1080p resolution. If you already have a video compression tool that you're familiar with, use it. If you don't, Handbrake is a popular choice.

How to Enter

When you select a category, you will see a window where you can drag and drop your video file. Once it finishes uploading (there is a purple progress bar below the file as it uploads), click NEXT and you must upload a thumbnail on that screen. Video entries without thumbnails may be disqualified.

If you have a team entry, there will be a field to fill out on the second page for team members. Please include the entire team there as this is what will be published.

After selecting your category, upload your video file by dragging it into the upload window.

After clicking NEXT, upload your thumbnail and add any team members.