Nikon Film and Photo Contest 2024-2025 website: https://www.nikon-photocontest.com/en/
This Contest is an international photo and film competition that aims to enrich imaging culture by providing an opportunity for professional and amateur photographers and filmmakers around the world to engage with one another. Since the first Contest was held in 1969, more than a half century ago, photographers, and more recently filmmakers, from countries and regions around the world have participated and shown their support. In the previous 39th Contest, a total of 35,000 participants from 180 countries and regions around the world submitted over 70,000 works.
The name for the 40th Contest has been updated from Nikon Photo Contest to Nikon Film and Photo Contest, in order to reflect an expanding focus on both photographers and filmmakers. The Contest logo has also been revamped with a new design that expresses the concept behind the Contest — a place where works created from diverse perspectives come together.
Sarah Leen Selected as Lead Judge
We are pleased to again welcome Sarah Leen as the Lead Judge for the Nikon Film and Photo Contest 2024-2025. In 2013, Sarah Leen became the first female director of photography for National Geographic magazine and National Geographic Partners. In 2020, she established the Visual Thinking Collective, a community of female editors, teachers and curators specialized in creating and managing visually driven projects. She has great influence over a wide variety of artists, beginning with the next generation of photographers.
“I am delighted to be returning as the lead judge for the 2024-2025 Nikon Film and Photo Contest. In my past role as the lead judge, I was very impressed with the quality of the photographs and the films that we received. For this next edition of the Contest, we are hoping to see photography and filmmaking that inspire and connect us through visual storytelling,” said Sarah Leen. “I would like to encourage all photographers and filmmakers to consider submitting your work to this contest not only for the exceptional prizes, but also for the opportunity for your work to be seen by both the public and members of our visual community. This could be a career-changing moment for you and your creative work.”
Nikon Film and Photo Contest 2024-2025 Overview
The Nikon Film and Photo Contest 2024-2025, the 40th iteration of the Nikon Photo Contest International first held in 1969, will consist of a Short Film Competition and a Photo Competition. The Short Film Competition will offer a Super-Short Film Category, and a 5-Minute Film Category, while the Photo Competition will offer a Single Photo Category and a Photo Story Category.
This time, the theme for both the Short Film Competition and the Photo Competition is “Inspire.” We look forward to works that evoke new perspectives and emotions. The announcement of the Nikon Film and Photo Contest 2024-2025 winners is scheduled for September 2025. Judges will be announced on the Nikon Film and Photo Contest 2024-2025 website as they are appointed.
Eligibility
The Contest is open to all professional and amateur photographers/filmmakers, regardless of age, gender, or nationality.
Entry Categories
Short Film Competition
Theme: “Inspire”
English subtitles are required if a language other than English is used in films (not required if English is used).
- Super-Short Film Category
- Entry format: 20- to 40-second-long video
- Any equipment may be used.
- 5-Minute Film Category
- Entry format: 3– to 5-minute-long video
- Any equipment may be used.
Photo Competition
Theme: “Inspire”
1) Single Photo Category
a. Entry format: Single photo
b. Any equipment may be used.
2) Photo Story Category
a. Entry format: Photo story (two to five images)
b. Any equipment may be used.
Entry Period
12:00 a.m. October 30, 2024 through 11:00 p.m. February 16, 2025 EST.
How to Enter
Enter the Contest by providing the required information in the entry form on the Nikon Film and Photo Contest 2024-2025 website. The form will be available beginning at 12:00 a.m. on October 30, 2024. Visit the Nikon Film and Photo Contest 2024-2025 website for further details regarding Contest eligibility, submission rules, judging, etc.
Awards, Prizes, and Selection of Winners
One Grand Prize will be awarded to the best entry in each category (Film and Photo). In addition, two entries from each category in the two competitions will be selected for an Excellence Award and three entries for a Special Encouragement Award. Winners of the General Public Award will also be determined with public voting on entries that make the final round of judging.
| Award | Competition | Category | Number of winners | Prizes |
| Grand Prize | Short Film Competition | Super-Short Film Category | 1 | Prize money of 500,000 Japanese yen, Z8 camera, NIKKOR Z lens |
| 5-Minute Film Category | 1 | |||
| Photo Competition | Single Photo Category | 1 | ||
| Photo Story Category | 1 | |||
| Excellence Award | Short Film Competition | Super-Short Film Category | 2 | Z6III camera, NIKKOR Z lens video accessories |
| 5-Minute Film Category | 2 | |||
| Photo Competition | Single Photo Category | 2 | Z6III camera, NIKKOR Z lens | |
| Photo Story Category | 2 | |||
| Special Encouragement Award | Short Film Competition | Super-Short Film Category | 3 | Z30 camera, NIKKOR Z lens video accessories |
| 5-Minute Film Category | 3 | |||
| Photo Competition | Single Photo Category | 3 | Zfc camera, NIKKOR Z lens | |
| Photo Story Category | 3 | |||
| Special awards | Number of winners | Prizes | ||
| General Public Award | Short Film Competition | 1 | Z50 camera, NIKKOR Z lens | |
| Photo Competition | 1 | |||
-Lenses and accessories will be decided by Nikon.
-Prizes may be changed without notice. In the event of an international incident or conflict with the laws and regulations of a country, it might take a while to deliver the prize. Alternatively, if the prize is undeliverable to the winner, prize money specified by the organizer might be awarded to the winner instead.
