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Dear colleagues from Ibero-America,

We are back.

Once again, POY Latam opens its doors to all those who, through photography, seek to understand and narrate the world we live in. Submissions will be accepted from June 30 to August 16, 2025. As always, all decisions have been made collectively, with the support of our Advisory Board, whose members remain the same: Gael Almeida, Angela Berlinde, Maíra Gamarra, Manuel Ortiz, Yinna Higuera, Gisela Volá and Tiago Santana.

In recent years, we have witnessed a profound erosion of the democratic checks and balances that should limit power. Across the region – and the world – both right- and left-wing populisms have undermined institutions, questioned fundamental freedoms, and endangered the rule of law. At the same time, artificial intelligence, though filled with creative potential, has begun to flood our societies with synthetic lies and fabricated realities.

In this climate of confusion and manipulation, documentary photography holds a renewed urgency. It is not just a medium – it is a civic act. A way of standing firmly in reality, of bearing witness with clarity and dignity. A way of helping build a shared, universal narrative based on facts, not fiction.

We continue to believe in the power of long-form visual storytelling. That is why we have maintained our classic categories, rooted in the ethics of documentary photography, while expanding our open format categories to embrace experimentation and new forms of expression.

The strength of POY Latam lies in its community – in you. We are not an award given from above, but a space for dialogue, creation, and resistance from within. From the South and for the South.

Because telling our own stories is not a luxury. It is an existential need.

We look forward to your submissions.

Warmly,
Pablo Corral Vega 
Director of POY Latam

What winners receive

The winner of the category “photojournalist of the year” receives a thousand dollars cash prize. The winners of other categories receive a certificate.

About POY Latam

POY Latam is not for profit and seeks to reach the general public through the organization of the contest, exhibitions, workshops and publications.

How to enter

POY Latam is open only to photographers from Ibero-America (Latin America, Portugal and Spain) or residents for at least one year from a country in Ibero-America. The winning photographers will have to prove their nationality or their legal status as residents.

Judging criteria

The judges will meet virtually and each will make a pre-selection on their own. Those essays or individual photos that receive at least two votes will go to the final rounds, which will be broadcast live.