The Wellcome Photography Prize, now in its landmark 30th year, is open for entries! Professional and amateur photographers around the world are invited to submit their images to the competition that reveal how health is experienced, represented and understood, for free before 21 October 2026.
The prize, now taking place on a biennial cycle, spotlights outstanding visual storytelling at the intersection of science and human experience. It celebrates the power of image-making in all its forms to make complex science visible, accessible and human, while shining a light on the discoveries and innovations helping to shape a healthier future. Photographers are welcomed to submit work spanning all areas of life, from scientific imaging and biomedical research to personal stories of care, illness, connection and change.
The 2025 edition attracted submissions from more than 100 countries, with shortlisted works spanning documentary photography, portraiture and scientific imaging, and employing techniques ranging from microscopy and photoacoustic imaging to drone photography and cyanotypes. Together, the selected projects explored a remarkable range of subjects, from mental health, ageing and disability to environmental change and biomedical innovation.
Categories
Entries are invited across three categories:
- Striking solo photography: A single image that captivates people, stirs imaginations and starts conversations.
- A storytelling series: A series of three to five photographs that unpacks a narrative in greater depth or explores different perspectives.
- The marvels of scientific and medical imaging: A single image, taken using a scientific or medical imaging technique, that captures the wonder of life sciences.
Prizes
- A total of £52,000 in cash prizes will be awarded
- The three category winners will each receive £10,000, while the remaining finalists will each receive £1,000.
There will be an awards ceremony for the top 25 image makers selected, who will be featured in a major UK exhibition in 2027, seen by thousands of visitors and global audiences online, bringing their work to new audiences. Plus, gain recognition from a judging panel spanning photography, science, journalism and the arts.
The internationally recognised judging panel will be chaired by Sumitra Upham, a curator whose practice brings together contemporary art, cultural programming and lived experience, and who is the Associate Director for Curatorial and Public Practice at Wellcome Collection.
She will be joined by a panel of experts spanning photography, science, research, journalism and the arts. Drawing on these diverse perspectives, the panel will assess entries for Creativity and Visual Impact, Storytelling and Technical Excellence.
Sumitra Upham, Chair of the Judging Panel, said: “Health touches every aspect of our lives, yet some of the most important experiences, discoveries and ideas can be difficult to see, understand or communicate. The Wellcome Photography Prize explores how images can convey scientific discovery and human experience in unexpected ways. As we celebrate the Prize’s 30th year, we are excited to receive submissions from around the world and to welcome new voices into our global community of image makers. We look forward to seeing ambitious, creative work from across photography and imaging that inspires curiosity and reveals new possibilities for health and wellbeing.”
Related reading:
- The world’s best documentary photography exhibition returns to London this summer – and we have a special discount on tickets!
- Why Cheney Orr’s astonishing viral photo should definitely win a Pulitzer Prize
- These incredible photographs that paid witness to the end of Apartheid are included in a must-see major exhibition this summer
Do you want to win some great prizes for your photography? Enter your photos in our International Amateur Photographer of the Year competition. Free entry for photographers aged 13-21.
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