A major international competition for professional photographers who use visual storytelling to address environmental and social challenges is the Yves Rocher Foundation Photography Award 2026. The award, which is open to photographers worldwide, promotes projects that address issues including sustainable development, environmental preservation, climate change, and human-nature relations. The program is run in collaboration with “Visa Pour L’Image Perpignan,” the International Festival of Photojournalism.
The competition is a great way for photographers to become well-known worldwide because participation is entirely free. In addition to the chance to exhibit their work at prestigious photography events like the Festival Photo La Gacilly and Visa Pour L’Image Perpignan, the winning photographer will receive a stipend of €8,000. The prize seeks to uplift dedicated photojournalists and showcase compelling narratives that spur awareness and constructive environmental action.
Host Country: France, Online
Funded By: The Yves Rocher Foundation
Opportunity Type: Competitions
Eligibility Country: International Students
Financial Coverage: Paid
Eligibility Criteria:
- Photographers from all around the world are welcome to compete.
- Applications are open to professional photojournalists who are currently employed in the field.
- Through their photography projects, applicants should show a strong dedication to sustainable development, human-earth relations, or environmental challenges.
- Applications are sought from candidates who are fluent in either French or English.
- TIFF and EPS files will not be allowed; all submitted images must be in JPEG format.
- The size of each image file cannot be more than 3 MB.
- For the purpose of jury review, photos should be properly labeled and numbered in the desired order.
- A PDF file with image captions must be submitted along with all IPTC metadata fields, including captions and copyright information.
- Applications will be rejected if they don’t adhere to the necessary technical requirements.
- Images submitted must not have any apparent information identifying the photographer in order to guarantee a fair judging procedure.
Benefits:
- Professional photographers can benefit financially from the competition’s €8,000 cash prize, which is kindly provided by the Yves Rocher Foundation.
- Gaining awareness in the international photography and journalistic community is a major benefit of winning the award.
- It enables photographers to create a photo essay that focuses on sustainable development concerns, human-earth relationships, or environmental issues.
- The work of the winners is given more prominence and exposure abroad.
- Major events like the Festival Photo La Gacilly and the International Festival of Photojournalism, “Visa Pour L’Image Perpignan,” may feature selected projects.
- All things considered, it is a really beneficial chance for photojournalists to present their work on a global scale.
Required Documents
- A detailed curriculum vitae (CV)
- A cover letter describing the proposed photo essay project (maximum 1 page)
- A provisional budget outlining the expected project expenses
- A photo essay consisting of 12 to 20 images, either in black and white or color
- Scanned copies of any publications featuring the applicant’s work
- A copy of a valid identity document (ID or passport)
- A signed declaration confirming that the applicant works as a professional photojournalist
Deadline: May 20, 2026
