Have you ever had this thought cross your mind after seeing the winning images from a competition – ‘I could do that!’. And then you feel inspired, take your camera out, create some work…and sit on it. The next time another photography competition opens you overthink, struggle to pull together a body of work and then miss the deadline. And the cycle continues.
You’re not alone and it’s time to break that loop.
The Sony World Photography Awards is one of the most prestigious competitions in the world and the exhibition of winning images is doing what great photography does – reminding us all why this medium matters, stirring up the passion and inspiring us all to pick up our cameras. The question that hangs over every conversation after the awards is when are you going to enter your photos? And if you have, are you really putting your best work forward?
Photography competitions are for everyone who enters, not those that just think about it and never do. I too have been guilty of overthinking my ability, questioning my photography gear and pixel peeping and still not entering the competition and I’m sure I’m not the only one.
The act of taking photos, editing your images and selecting a few to create a compelling portfolio is a skill that every photographer needs to develop with practice. Having that critical approach when choosing which photos to enter into a competition will actually improve your photography as it is sharpens your eye then next time you’re out with your camera.
I had the chance to speak to the exhibition curator and chair of the jury for the Sony World Photography Awards, Monica Allende, on what they are looking for in the competition.
“When you enter a competition like this, you have to consider that you are sending 10 to 12 images and those have to be your strongest images. We are looking at them digitally, one after the other. We have a very diverse jury that comes from different backgrounds; sometimes they are curators sometimes photo editors. We don’t always have time to sit with images that are quieter, that might be ideal for a book or an exhibition. What you need are images that really stand out. Consider making a very specific edit for entering the awards. And in those 10 to 12 images, every single one should be a strong standalone image.”
When done right, the result is a body of work that is recognised on a global level. But the discipline and is skill of curating your best work is a skill that you carry for life. Entering photography competitions builds the muscle of self-critique, storytelling and will undoubtably push you to compose and edit your photos better.
This is how we break the loop of analysis paralysis. The worst outcome is that nothing happens. The best outcome is that everything changes.
Take the photos, do the edits and then enter the competition!
The Sony World Photography Awards exhibition will be on display at Somerset House, London until 4 May. Amateur Photographer readers can enjoy an exclusive 15% discount by using the code APHOTO15.
Related Reading:
- Winning this film photography competition gave me the best year of my life
- The world’s funniest wildlife photography competition is open for entries!
- Best photography competitions to enter in 2026
Follow AP on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and TikTok.
