Hasselblad Masters competition now open

Hasselblad Masters is now open for submissions. Free to enter, the competition welcomes professional photographers to submit their most inventive and extraordinary work, captured with any camera, from now until Feb. 28, 2026. Established in 2001, Hasselblad Masters is one a prestigious photography competitions, celebrating creative excellence and bringing together professionals and emerging talents from around the world to share their work on an international stage.

The 2026 edition has seven categories: Landscape, Portrait, Street, Architecture, Art, Project // 21, and Wildlife. Photographers may submit up to three images per category and enter as many categories as they wish.

Entries will be evaluated for photographic ability, creativity, composition, conceptual strength, and technical excellence. Once the finalists are announced, public voting will open alongside the Hasselblad Grand Jury’s evaluation. Final winners will be determined by the Hasselblad Grand Jury.

One winner will be selected for each of the seven categories, with each receiving a Hasselblad X2D II 100C camera, two XCD lenses of their choice, and a €5,000 cash prize.

The Hasselblad Masters 2026 Grand Jury brings together imaging experts from the world’s most influential photography institutions, publications, and artistic communities.

The 2026 Hasselblad Grand Jury

• Kalle Sanner (Jury Chair) – Executive Director at the Hasselblad Foundation
• Alex Pollack – Director of Photography at National Geographic
• Aya Musa – Senior Curator at Foam
• Paul Lachenauer – Managing Photographer at The Metropolitan Museum of Art
• Rebecca Swift – Senior Vice President, Creative at Getty Images
• RongRong – Co-founder and Artistic Director at The Three Shadows Photography Art Centre
• Sonia Jeunet – Global Education Director at Magnum Photos
• Zack Hatfield – Managing Editor at Aperture Magazine

2026 CATEGORIES

Landscape – Entries in the Landscape category reflect photographers’ unique perspectives, balancing aesthetics with narrative depth. We hope to see works that go beyond surface beauty to draw viewers into the scene, creating a sense of presence and vivid emotional resonance. Ultimately, these works should forge a shared connection between humanity and nature.

Architecture – Architecture photography transcends mere technical proficiency, urging fresh perspectives that break conventional views of buildings. The works should carry creators’ unique interpretation, using photographic language to shift viewers’ experience of structure and built environment. We look forward to works that reveal cultural memories, social traces, and the marks of time, thereby unveiling profound humanistic meanings.

Portrait – Portrait photography reveals the subjects’ inner worlds, complex emotions, and inner selves, while also embodying the encounters, connections, and resonance between the photographers and the subjects. Beyond superficial appearances, we hope to see works that capture the unseen, special moments of different identities and resonate deeply with viewers.

Street – Entries in the Street category go beyond merely documenting a city. They carry photographers’ unique interpretation, turning ordinary urban fragments into a living, breathing narration of how we live and interact. We hope to see works that showcase authentic subtle bonds between people and cities—stories that speak volumes and evoke a sense of co-presence.

Art – The Art category is a realm of fantasy where concept merges with technique, driven by creativity as well as human imagination and sensibility. We look forward to entries that break norms and reveal independent thinking through a distinct visual signature. These works should reshape perceptions of photography as art, and connect with global viewers through a visual language that resonates beyond the frame.

Project // 21 – Project//21 is an unconstrained platform for photographers who are 21 years old or younger to express their intuitive and uncharted power. With no restrictions on themes or genres, we hope to see works brimming with youthful power that explore the boundaries of photographic technology whilst revealing independent thinking, keen observation, and sincere creativity.

Wildlife – Wildlife photography requires technical mastery alongside a strong point of view, making it a bridge for viewers to admire the beauty and wonder of nature. We hope to see works that capture unrepeatable moments and visualise the subtle bond between humans and wildlife. These images should convey life’s vitality and nature’s rhythm, connecting viewers with these creatures and provoking in-depth reflections on our relationship with nature.