About the Open Call

Celebrating its twentieth year, the Aperture Portfolio Prize is an annual international competition that spotlights new talent in contemporary photography. When choosing the first-prize winner and short list, our judges look for innovative bodies of work that have not been widely seen in major publications or exhibition venues. The Aperture Portfolio Prize is open exclusively to Aperture magazine print subscribers. Each year the jury is comprised of leading figures in the field of photography. The 2026 Portfolio Prize jury includes: Taous Dahmani, curator, The Photographers’ Gallery; Jessica Dimson, director of photography, The New York Times Magazine; Jane’a Johnson, editor, Aperture; Avion Pearce, artist and 2024 Aperture Portfolio Prize Winner. First Prize: The first-prize winner will be published in Aperture magazine and receives a $5,000 cash prize and a $1,000 gift card to shop for gear at mpb.com. Shortlist: The four artists chosen for the shortlist each receive a $1,000 cash prize and an editorial feature on aperture.org. All Finalists: All five finalists participate in a group exhibition organized by Aperture at AIPAD in New York in April 2026. Finalists receive exposure across Aperture’s email and social channels, which reach a global audience of prominent curators, critics, artists, and members of the photography community. The winner and shortlist may also have the opportunity to participate in the Aperture limited-edition print program. When examining entries, judges consider the following criteria: Was the work created in the past five years? Is a theme or topic carried throughout the portfolio in a fully resolved, consistent manner? Are each of the images individually strong? What technical and presentation choices has the photographer made, and are they appropriate for the work? For example, is there a clear reason for the work being in black and white versus a digitally enhanced palette? Does the body of work take an innovative or unique approach to the subject matter? Entries are welcome from anyone who makes photographs. Work will not be chosen based on the status of the photographer. It is the portfolio that counts.

What is Offered

First-prize winner will be published in Aperture magazine and receives a $5,000 cash prize and a $1,000 gift card to shop for gear at mpb.com. The four artists chosen for the shortlist each receive a $1,000 cash prize and an editorial feature on aperture.org. All five finalists participate in a group exhibition organized by Aperture at AIPAD in New York in April 2026. Finalists receive exposure across Aperture’s email and social channels, which reach a global audience of prominent curators, critics, artists, and members of the photography community. The winner and shortlist may also have the opportunity to participate in the Aperture limited-edition print program.

Requirements

Entrants must be an Aperture magazine print subscriber. Subscriptions must be current through Spring 2026, issue no. 262. Submission materials include: Aperture magazine account number, 10–15 images with title information (images must be JPEG and 3,000 px on the longest side), Statement about your work (1,500 characters max), CV/Résumé (2,000 characters or single-page PDF), Bio (1,500 characters).

How to Apply

1. Subscribe to Aperture magazine! Entrants must be an Aperture magazine print subscriber. Subscriptions must be current through Spring 2026, issue no. 262. To subscribe, please visit aperture.org/magprize. Failure to provide an accurate account number for a print subscription will result in disqualification. 2. Get your magazine account number. For new subscribers, your account number can be found in your receipt. To subscribe, visit aperture.org/magprize. For current subscribers, your account number and expiration date appear above your name on the address card that is sent along with every issue. You can also request your account number and expiration date by sending an email with your name and address to custsvc_aperture@fulcoinc.com. 3. Create an account on picter.com. 4. Submit your portfolio and application before the deadline through the Aperture Portfolio Prize Picter page. You will need to provide the following: Aperture magazine account number, 10–15 images with title information (images must be JPEG and 3,000 px on the longest side), Statement about your work (1,500 characters max), CV/Résumé (2,000 characters or single-page PDF), Bio (1,500 characters).