Featured Photography Opportunities — October 2025
/Explore this month’s featured photography open calls, grants, and awards with deadlines in October 2025. From color and portraiture to experimental and humanitarian photography, these opportunities invite submissions from artists and photographers around the world.
Open Calls
LensCulture Black & White Photography Awards 2025 — LensCulture
Deadline: October 15, 2025
Organizer: LensCulture
Apply & Learn More: Link
Theme: Monochrome photography — from classic darkroom techniques to digital and experimental practices expanding the language of grayscale
Eligibility: Open worldwide to all photographers, working in any style or genre
Opportunities & Prizes: 37 photographers recognized as Winners, Jurors’ Picks, and Finalists, Top winners featured in a group exhibition in New York, connecting with curators, editors, and collectors, Global exposure through LensCulture’s platform and social media features, Series Prize Winners: 1st Place: $3,500, 2nd Place: $2,000, 3rd Place: $1,000, Single Image Prize Winners: 1st Place: $2,000, 2nd Place: $1,000, 3rd Place: $500.
Color: Photography Now 2025 — Black Box Gallery
Deadline: October 10, 2025
Organizer: Black Box Gallery (Portland, Oregon)
Apply & Learn More: Link
Theme: Color photography — exploring how artists use color to compose, stylize, and captivate across genres including landscape, portraiture, architecture, fashion, street, abstract, documentary, still life, conceptual, and night photography.
Eligibility: Open worldwide to all photographers, amateur and professional.
Opportunities & Prizes: 26 photographs selected by the juror for physical exhibition at Black Box Gallery, 50 additional photographs selected for the online gallery annex, All 76 selected works included in a catalog available through Blurb Books, Free printing, matting, and framing provided by the gallery, Exhibition prints kept in Black Box Gallery’s flat file for future promotion to collectors, curators, and critics.
Barcelona Human Rights International Photo Festival — 5th Edition
Deadline: October 10, 2025
Organizer: BCNDH × Mas Retina
Apply & Learn More: Link
Theme: Human rights, social justice, and global awareness through photography
Eligibility: Photographers, both professionals and amateurs, of legal age and whatever their nationality may participate.
Opportunities & Prizes: €3,000 Grand Prize for the overall winner, Three category prizes of €400 each, Selected projects exhibited publicly across Barcelona as part of the festival, Featured inclusion in both the printed and digital catalogs of the 2025 edition, International visibility among curators, editors, and collectors.
Chromatic Awards 2025
Deadline: October 26, 2025
Organizer: Chromatic Awards
Apply & Learn More: Link
Theme: Color photography across 20 categories
Eligibility: Open to professionals and amateurs worldwide
Opportunities & Prizes: Professional Grand Prize $2,000, Amateur Grand Prize $1,000, titles of Chromatic Photographer/Discovery of the Year 2025, winners featured in gallery, international press, annual book, downloadable badges, and certificates for all winners and honorable mentions
Global LENS Photography Awards
Deadline: October 11, 2025
Organizer: Global LENS, Dubai, UAE
Apply & Learn More: Link
Theme: International photography across all genres
Eligibility: Open to photographers worldwide
Opportunities & Prizes: Overall winner $1,000 cash, custom trophy, hardcover book feature, interview; 1st–3rd place category winners receive interviews, certificates, and international exposure; all winners receive digital certificates.
Grants
W. Eugene Smith Grant for Student Photographers
Deadline: October 5, 2025
Organizer: The W. Eugene Smith Memorial Fund / International Center of Photography (ICP)
Apply & Learn More: Link
Theme: Photojournalism/documentary projects addressing social issues, humanitarian concerns, armed conflict, or topics of human, cultural, social, environmental, scientific, medical, or political significance
Eligibility: Current students worldwide, 18 years or older; no AI-generated images; collaborative applications allowed; high school students ineligible
Opportunities & Prizes: $5,000 grant (split $4,500 + $500 upon project completion), support to complete photographic essay, images included in Smith Legacy Collection at ICP, international recognition; applicants retain copyright but grant ICP/Smith Fund non-commercial usage rights
PhMuseum 2025 Women Photographers Grant
Deadline: October 9, 2025
Organizer: PhMuseum
Apply & Learn More: Link
Theme: Photography projects from a female or non-binary perspective, any narrative or concept
Eligibility: Female and non-binary photographers worldwide
Opportunities & Prizes: $11,000 in cash prizes, solo exhibition at PhMuseum Lab, screening at PhotoVogue Festival, featured interview on Vogue Italia, online portfolio reviews, printed magazine features, up to 9 honorable mentions, and 40 shortlisted projects
Innovate Grant for Artists and Photographers
Deadline: October 2025 (Fall Cycle)
Organizer: Innovate Grant
Apply & Learn More: Link
Theme: Visual art or photography (any style; broad categories including painting, sculpture, mixed media, portrait, conceptual, documentary, etc.)
Eligibility: Artists and photographers worldwide, 18 years or older
Opportunities & Prizes: $1,800 per category per cycle (1 Artist + 1 Photographer), 12 honorable mentions, feature profiles, interview pages, and social media promotion to 73,000+ followers; grants awarded quarterly
From international open calls to grants supporting social documentary and experimental work, October 2025 brings a variety of opportunities for photographers and visual artists worldwide. These platforms offer exposure, professional development, and financial support, whether you are exploring color, portraiture, human rights, or innovative visual storytelling. Submit your work this month to connect with global audiences, gain recognition, and advance your creative practice.