Pure Macro & Close-Up Photography Awards
The Pure Macro & Close-Up Photography Awards is an international macro and close-up photography competition celebrating the extraordinary worlds hiding in plain sight.
The 2027 Awards are now open to everyone worldwide.
You don’t need to be a professional photographer to enter. You don’t even need to call yourself a photographer.
You could be a nature lover, a curious observer, a photographer, or simply someone who noticed something remarkable that others might have walked past.
Insects, flowers, plants, textures, patterns, water, everyday objects and the smallest details of the natural world are all welcome.
It could be the intricate portrait of an insect, the delicate structure of a flower, an unexpected texture, a tiny moment in nature, or something familiar transformed by seeing it up close.
Photographed with professional macro equipment, a standard camera, a smartphone, or simply whatever helped you get closer.
What matters is not your experience, your equipment or your following.
What matters is the photograph.
There is an entire world hiding in plain sight.
Look Closer, My Friend.
Awards, Exhibition & Global Recognition
Pure Macro & Close-Up Photographer of The Year
Official Pure Macro and Close-Up Photography Awards Trophy
$500 Cash Prize
Exhibition at the Pure Photography Awards Exhibition in India
Exclusive Featured Interview on the Official PPA Website
International Press Exposure
Featured Across PPA’s Global Community
1st, 2nd & 3rd Place Winners
Exhibition at the Pure Photography Awards Exhibition in India
Exclusive Featured Interview on the Official PPA Website
International Press Exposure
Featured Across PPA’s Global Community
Finalists
Exhibition at the Pure Photography Awards Exhibition in India
Featured Across PPA’s Global Community
Featured on the Official PPA Website
Entrants retain full copyright and ownership of their photographs.Pure Photography Awards respects and protects the rights of every entrant.
Entry Fee
1 Photograph for US$17
3 Photographs for US$35 (Only US$11.67 per photograph)
6 Photographs for US$60 (Only US$10 per photograph)
10 Photographs • US$80 (Only US$8 per photograph)
Best Value • Most Popular
Entries Close: 31 March 2027
Meet the International Jury
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Marit van Ekelenburg
Winners Judge
Marit van Ekelenburg is an OM SYSTEM Ambassador and internationally recognised Dutch macro photographer, known for revealing extraordinary details and close-up worlds that often go unnoticed.
Marit has extensive experience within the international macro photography community, including serving on international photography juries. Her work has been exhibited at renowned cultural institutions in the Netherlands, including Palace Soestdijk and Muiderslot, and has been featured in photography publications and on magazine covers. Her major solo exhibition, Design by Nature, is currently presented at State Museum Muiderslot in the Netherlands.
Her photography has attracted a large international audience across social media, bringing the often unseen beauty and complexity of the natural world to a global audience.
With a distinctive photographic vision and a strong commitment to ethical photographic practice, Marit brings an exceptional understanding of composition, detail, originality and visual storytelling to the Pure Macro & Close-Up Photography Awards 2027.
Website: https://www.macrobymarit.nl
Rules
Theme: Macro and close-up photography exploring subjects, details and perspectives through a closer view. Nature, insects, plants, flowers, textures, patterns, water, everyday objects and other macro and close-up subjects are welcome.
Eligibility: Open worldwide to everyone, from complete beginners and photography enthusiasts to amateur and professional photographers.
No Generative AI: AI-generated or AI-altered photographs are not accepted. Normal photo editing and focus stacking are allowed.
Animal Ethics: Photographs involving animals or insects that have been killed, harmed, drugged, frozen, restrained or deliberately distressed for the purpose of creating the photograph are strictly not accepted.
Accepted Formats: Colour and Black & White photographs.
Equipment: Photographs may be shot with any camera or mobile device. A dedicated macro lens is not required.
Submission Integrity: All photographs must be original work by the entrant.
Authenticity: We reserve the right to request original RAW files or supporting files to verify the authenticity of any shortlisted or winning photograph. Entries found to breach these rules will be disqualified.
Transparency & Copyright
Copyright always remains entirely with the entrant. Pure Photography Awards does not claim ownership or exclusive rights over any submitted photographs.
Selected works may be used ONLY for Pure Photography Awards promotion, exhibitions, and press features, always with full credit to the entrant. Photographs will never be used for any unrelated or third-party purpose.
Photographs will not be published or printed in any book, zine, or catalogue without the entrant’s prior written consent. If Pure Photography Awards ever plans to do so, the entrant will be contacted first and will retain full freedom to accept or decline.
No commercial use (sales, prints, licensing, or merchandising) will take place without the entrant’s explicit written consent. The entrant’s decision will always be final. The entrant will always have full freedom to accept or decline.
Pure Photography Awards does not request any additional fees after submission or selection. Once selected, all stages from exhibition to press are fully covered.
Independence & Integrity
Pure Photography Awards is a completely independent platform. It has no sponsors, partners, or external funding influence. PPA is self-funded and community-driven. Every judging decision is made purely on artistic integrity, authenticity, and merit.
This independence allows the Awards to remain unbiased, transparent, and free from commercial or institutional pressure. There are no brand promotions, paid partnerships, or hidden agendas - only photography judged for its truth, timing, and storytelling.
Each photograph is evaluated with equal respect, regardless of the entrant’s background, equipment, or popularity. Our commitment is simple: great work deserves recognition for its honesty, not its network.
Every edition is made possible by the entrants who believe in truth and craft, and not by corporate sponsors or advertising. This independence keeps the platform honest, fair, and focused entirely on the art of seeing.
Awards Exhibition
