POY Latam 2025

Open to photographers from Ibero-America (Latin America, Portugal and Spain) or residents for at least one year from a country in Ibero-America, POY Latam celebrates excellence in documentary and artistic photography in Latin America.

Overview

For the past fourteen years, POY Latam has been committed to highlighting and celebrating the work of visual journalists and artists across Ibero-America. They deeply believe in the power of documentary photography and its unwavering commitment to the stories it tells. That is why they have preserved the most relevant categories to address today’s themes and challenges. POY Latam believes photography reaches its greatest expressive depth through long-form, meaningful narrative projects. With this in mind, they have restructured the classic categories and created space for new narrative forms that respond to the current and future challenges of our region. Photojournalism has undergone significant changes in recent years. Many visual storytellers now move freely between art and journalism, and the rigid rules of the past have evolved to accept real or digital alterations that are conceptually justified.

Practical Info

POY Latam is open only to photographers from Ibero-America (Latin America, Portugal and Spain) or residents for at least one year from a country in Ibero-America. There are 15 categories available, each with specific submission criteria. The prize recipient of the category “Photojournalist Of The Year” will receive a USD 1,000 cash prize. Additionally, selected photographers for other categories will receive a certificate.

Everyday life (single photo): A single photograph taken in Ibero-America that captures the everyday and helps us understand who we are, as well as the challenges and opportunities we face each day.
Everyday life (essay): A series of up to ten images taken in Ibero-America that offer a deeper reflection on daily life and who we are.

News (single photo): A single image documenting a news event or social issue of timely relevance. The photograph must have been taken in Ibero-America.
News (essay): A series of up to ten photographs documenting a news event or social issue of timely relevance. All images must have been taken in Ibero-America.

Democracy and Human Rights (photo essay): A series of up to ten images that invite reflection on the importance of democracy and human rights in our region. In a time when both right- and left-wing populisms question the values of liberal democracy, this category seeks to highlight stories that defend democratic institutions, the rule of law, checks on power, fundamental freedoms, and social justice. Projects addressing migration—emphasizing human dignity, cultural diversity, and migrants’ rights—are especially encouraged. Images must be taken in Ibero-America. Unexpected news events are better suited for the News category.

Portrait (essay): A series of up to ten portraits of individuals or groups that reveal their essence or personality. All photographs must be taken in Ibero-America.

Sports (essay): A series of up to ten images that promote appreciation for sports or celebrate their role in the lives of professional or amateur athletes and the wider public. All images must be taken in Ibero-America.

Ibero-American Photographers in the World (photo essay): This category is open to essays of up to ten images taken outside Ibero-America. POY Latam invites Ibero-American citizens working abroad to submit their projects documenting stories from other parts of the world.

Photographer of the Year (portfolio): This category is open to professional photographers working independently, in collectives, for news agencies, or media outlets. The work must hold substantial relevance for a country, Ibero-America, or the world, and must be intended for national or international publication. Only one essay in the portfolio may be produced outside of Ibero-America. These essays may also be submitted to other categories. Applicants must include a title slide (white text on black background) between each story—without their name, only the essay title. When uploading files, include the title and description in the IPTC metadata fields. Place the title slide at the beginning of each story. Portfolios must include at least two narrative essays (with a minimum of five images each). Individual images may be added at the beginning of the portfolio, but this is optional. The portfolio must not exceed 50 images (excluding black title slides). Only work published or created between January 1, 2023, and July 29, 2025, is eligible. A USD 1,000 prize, supported by the University of Missouri-Columbia, will be awarded to the winner in this category.

Nuestra Mirada, Other Possible Worlds (essay): In this category, they will accept essays of up to twenty images. The award will go to documentary or artistic projects that reflect on the ways we narrate and represent ourselves from within our region, through a lens that fosters stories with a positive impact. Projects started at any point in time are eligible, as long as they remain ongoing.

Long-term projects (essay): Essays of up to twenty (20) images are accepted. This category is for sustained projects that explore a theme of significance for understanding our region. At least four images must have been created in the past two years, showing that the project is ongoing.

Reframing the Archive (essay): This category (up to twenty images) welcomes projects developed from archival materials or collections, as well as reinterpretations and re-significations of various types of archives. They are looking for work that explores the relationship between past and present, rethinks how our communities have been represented, or that allows for reflection from and about Ibero-America—using either found or personal imagery.

Emerging Talent (essay): This category welcomes essays of up to ten images and is open to visual creators with no more than five years of experience in photography. It celebrates documentary or artistic projects that reflect on Ibero-America and its diverse identities.

Carolina Hidalgo Vivar Environmental Award: This category honors a photo essay of up to ten images that expand our appreciation for those who care for nature, their conservation efforts, and the environmental damage we are causing. POY Latam is also interested in stories about the challenges, consequences, and successes related to climate change.

Identity and gender (essay): They seek stories that address the urgent need to responsibly explore issues related to women, sexual dissidence, and racial and cultural identities. This category accepts up to ten images that allow for deep reflection on identity and diversity.

About POY Latam

POY Latam is not for profit and seeks to reach the general public through the organization of the contest, exhibitions, workshops and publications.