Summary
- Entries close 7 February 2027
- £5,000 top prize
- More than 25 categories
- New A Feast of Flowers category
- Finalist exhibition at London’s Mall Galleries
Event Details
The World Food Photography Awards have opened entries for the 2027 edition, with a £5,000 top prize and a submission deadline of 7 February 2027.
Now in its 16th edition, the international competition is open to both professional and amateur photographers from around the world. Its scope goes far beyond conventional plated-food photography, covering stories about growing, harvesting, cooking, selling, eating and the wider social role of food.
Entries opened on 8 September 2026 and are submitted online. The Overall Winner will receive £5,000, while all finalist images will be shown at London’s Mall Galleries. A selected group of finalist photographs will also be displayed at Fortnum & Mason in Piccadilly.
A new one-year category for 2027
The 2027 edition introduces A Feast of Flowers as a one-year-only category, marking the fact that the Awards Evening coincides with the RHS Chelsea Flower Show. The category invites photographs exploring the relationship between food and flowers, from kitchen gardens and edible petals to still lifes, decorated cakes and fields where crops and flowers grow together.
There are more than 25 categories in total, including Bring Home the Harvest, Food for Sale, Food Portraiture and World of Drinks. For the first time, the winner of the Award for Innovation will also receive a £1,400 bursary and a four-week residency at the Hugo Burge Foundation.
Entry fees and key rules
Adult entry costs £35 and includes up to six individual photographs. Further entries cost £7 per image. The On the Phone category accepts single entries at £7 each, while Young categories for photographers under 18 and the RPS Student Food Photographer of the Year category are free to enter.
There is no restriction on when a photograph must have been taken. The same image may be entered into more than one category when relevant, with each submission treated as a separate entry where a fee applies.
2027 judging panel and key dates
Food photographer David Loftus chairs the international judging panel. Other judges include Rein Skullerud of the United Nations World Food Programme, Claire Reichenbach of the James Beard Foundation, Tom Athron of Fortnum & Mason, and chefs Javier and Sergio Torres.
- Entries open: 8 September 2026, 09:00 GMT
- Entries close: 7 February 2027, 23:59 GMT
- Shortlist announced: 1 April 2027
- Awards Evening and winners announced: 18 May 2027
- Mall Galleries exhibition: 19–23 May 2027
Photographers can browse the categories, read the full rules and submit their work through the official entry page.
What we think
The breadth of categories makes the competition relevant well beyond conventional commercial food photography. Documentary, portrait, travel, still life and mobile photography can all provide strong starting points, provided the image has a meaningful connection to a food story.
Frequently asked questions
What is the deadline for the World Food Photography Awards 2027?
Entries close on 7 February 2027 at 23:59 GMT.
What is the top prize?
The Overall Winner of the World Food Photography Awards 2027 will receive £5,000.
How much does it cost to enter?
Adult entry costs £35 for up to six photographs. There are also free dedicated categories for photographers under 18 and eligible photography students.
Can amateur photographers enter?
Yes. The competition is open to both professional and non-professional photographers from any country.
