PURE PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHY AWARDS
A portrait is more than a photograph of a person. It is a visual exploration of identity, emotion, character and presence.
Pure Photography Awards celebrates photography by humans, for humans.
We welcome portraits that reveal something meaningful about the individual, whether created in a studio, at home, on the street, or within their natural environment. The strongest photographs move beyond appearance to express personality, humanity and connection.
We welcome candid and directed portraits, minimalist and elaborate approaches, documentary and conceptual work, in colour or black & white. Self-portraits are also eligible.
Above all, we are searching for portraits that stay with us long after we have looked away.
Awards, Exhibition & Global Recognition
First Place Winner
US$500 Cash Prize
SecondPlace Winner
US$300 Cash Prize
Third Place Winner
US$200 Cash Prize
All Winners and Finalists will be exhibited at the Official Pure Photography Awards Exhibition in India.
Entry Fee
1 Photograph for US$17
3 Photographs for US$35 (Only US$11.67 per photo)
6 Photographs for US$60 (Only US$10 per photo)
10 Photographs • US$80 (Only US$8 per photograph)
Best Value • Most Popular
Entries Close: 28th February 2027
Meet the International Jury
Winners Judge
Nick Brandt
Nick Brandt is an internationally acclaimed photographer renowned for creating some of the most powerful and emotionally resonant portrait-based photographic series of the last two decades. His work is celebrated for its extraordinary humanity, exploring the relationship between people, animals and the natural world.
Working on long-term projects, Brandt has produced acclaimed series including On This Earth, Inherit the Dust, This Empty World, and the ongoing global project The Day May Break, photographed across Africa, South America, the Pacific and the Middle East. His photographs have been exhibited in leading museums and galleries worldwide and published in numerous monographs.
As Judge of the Pure Photography Awards – Portrait Category, Nick Brandt brings a deeply human and thoughtful approach to portraiture, recognising photographs that go beyond appearance to reveal presence, emotion and connection.
Website: nickbrandt.com
Finalist Judge
Dimpy Bhalotia
Dimpy Bhalotiais an internationally acclaimed photographer, curator and Creative Director. Widely celebrated for her distinctive perspective and originality, her photographs have been exhibited and published internationally, earning recognition from some of the world’s leading photography publications.
Her work has received more than 24 international photography awards. She also served as Jury President for the Photography discipline at the ADC 103rd Annual Awards (The One Club for Creativity). Beyond her own photographic practice, she has served as a juror for numerous international photography awards and has curated exhibitions celebrating contemporary photography.
As Finalists Judge of the Pure Photography Awards – Portrait Category, Dimpy Bhalotia brings a thoughtful curatorial eye and a deep understanding of visual storytelling, recognising photographs with emotional depth and enduring visual strength.
Website: dimpybhalotia.com
Rules
Theme: Portrait Photography Only
Eligibility: The Awards are open to all. Both professional and amateur photographers are welcome to participate.
No AI: AI-generated and AI-enhanced photographs are strictly not accepted.
Accepted Formats: Colour and Black & White photographs
Equipment: Photographs may be shot with any camera or mobile device
Submission Integrity: All photographs must be original work by the entrant.
Transparency & Copyright
Copyright always remains entirely with the photographer. 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 photographer. 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 photographer’s prior written consent. If Pure Photography Awards ever plans to do so, the photographer 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 photographer’s explicit written consent. The photographer’s decision will always be final. The photographer 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 Awards 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 photographer’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 photographers 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
Pure Photography Awards celebrates photography by humans, for humans.