Calling all nature and photography enthusiasts! The European Environment Agency (EEA) invites you to showcase your photographic talent in the 2024 edition of our annual photo competition.

This year's competition “Urban Treasures” is a call for us to capture the essence of our cities and towns through inspiring moments that give us joy and hope for a more sustainable tomorrow. The urban theme celebrates the positive strides we are making towards a better environment and encourages a reflection on how we can build more eco-friendly and liveable neighbourhoods.

Why participate? Win exciting prizes and have your work featured in our publications and exhibitions.

How to enter? Select your best shots (maximum 5) and submit them via our online form under one or more categories before 1 October 2024. We welcome close-up pictures, bird’s-eye views or eye-level shots. Please carefully read our Competition rules and Terms and Conditions before applying, especially the new rules on photo manipulation.

Submission of entries is now closed but you are welcome to vote for your preferred pictures amongst this year's finalists. Voting is open until 13 November 2024!

Categories

Showcase your creativity as a photographer under these thematic categories:

For inspiration and background information on the categories, please click on the category images above.

Selection process

20-40 finalists and 5 winners

  • The best photographs in each category will be selected by a pre-selection committee consisting of communication and environment experts appointed by the EEA. 
  • Finalist photos will then be submitted to an external jury composed of environmental communication experts from across Europe. The jury will determine the winners of all prizes except for the Public Choice Award.

  • For the Public Choice Award, the finalist entries put forward by the pre-selection committee will be open to a public vote from 30 October to 13 November 2024.
  • The winners of all prizes will be announced on 29 November 2024.

Prizes

3 X 1000 EUR
Best photo in
each category

500 EUR
Public Choice
award

500 EUR
Youth Prize
18 - 24 years old

Eligibility criteria

Check before submitting

  • The competition is open to the citizens of the EU 27 Member States, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland and Türkiye; under the stabilisation and association agreements: North Macedonia, Albania, Kosovo, Montenegro, Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina.

  • The photos must be taken in the countries mentioned above.

  • All participants must be 18 or older.

  • You must have full copyrights to the submitted material.

  • Photos should comply with the manipulation rules set out in the Terms and Conditions (article 14).

  • You may submit maximum 5 entries in the competition. Each entry will be handled separately so you need to fill out a new submission form for each entry.

  • By submitting an entry, you will be presumed to have agreed to accept the Competition rules and the Terms and Conditions.

Participate

Submit your entry (max 5)

Take or create an original photo in electronic format (e.g.: .jpeg, .png, .tiff) with minimum resolution of 2000 pixels — preferably more than 4960 pixels — on the long side of the photo.

Support your photo with a title and an optional short description (maximum 1000 characters in English).

Submit your entry by 1 October 2024 23.59 (CEST).

Entry is free of charge. Submission of an entry will be taken to mean acceptance of the Competition rules and the Terms and Conditions.

The copyright of the photos submitted for this competition remains with the respective participants. However, each entrant grants the EEA and its partners the right to use the submitted photos in their digital and print material, crediting the copyright owners.

If you have any questions about the competition, please send us an email.

Timetable

  • Submissions open: 17 June 2024
  • Submissions close: 1 October 2024
  • Announcement of finalists: 30 October 2024
  • Public vote: 30 October to 13 November 2024
  • Announcement of winners: 29 November 2024