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Contest Rules & Regulations

You can review all the rules, participation requirements, and processes of the 16th Arbella International Photography Contest here.

Contest Organization

The 16th Arbella International Photography Contest is organized and conducted by Durum Gıda Sanayi ve Ticaret A.Ş.

About the Contest

As Arbella Pasta, we continue to create an international platform that brings together Turkish and international photographers on this journey we started with the goal of strengthening our corporate identity through social responsibility and artistic projects.

The year 2026 holds a special meaning for the world of photography as it marks the 200th anniversary of the invention of photography. For two centuries, photography has acted as one of the most powerful visual storytelling tools forming the memory of humanity, recording the world, people, and the most authentic states of life. In the sixteenth year of the Arbella International Photography Contest, we aim to offer a new perspective on the present and future of photography while paying tribute to this deep-rooted heritage.

This year, we have designed our contest under two main categories. Our main category, "Beauty of Imperfection", aims to reveal the aesthetics, emotions, and stories carried by details that fall outside the perception of perfection. Our second category, "Open", offers participants the opportunity to freely use the expressive power of photography without any subject restrictions.

In addition, this year we are launching the "Future Viewfinder" award program, specifically designed for participants aged 18-24 to invest in the future of photography. This structure, which aims to support the creative potential of young photographers, will not be limited to awards; it will directly contribute to the development processes of selected participants through physical workshop programs to be held in Istanbul.

Contest Categories

The contest will be held digitally in two categories:

  • Beauty of Imperfection
  • Open

Participants may submit a maximum of 5 (five) photographs per category. In case of participation with multiple works, the content of the photographs must not repeat each other and must be different. A participant can receive a maximum of one award per category. "Future Viewfinder" awards will also be presented specifically for participants aged 18-24.

General Terms and Rules

  • Participation in the contest is free of charge.
  • The contest is open to the individual participation of everyone aged 18 and over. Team or group participation is not accepted.
  • Only photographs taken on or after January 1, 2021, can be submitted to the contest.
  • The fact that the works have been exhibited or published outside the contest organization does not constitute an obstacle to participation.
  • Interventions such as combining multiple photographs (collage), HDR applications, adding objects to the photograph afterwards, or removing existing objects are not accepted.
  • There should be no information such as name, signature, logo, date, marks, or drawings on the submitted photograph.
  • Pornographic, violent, or legally questionable photographs must strictly not be included in the contest.
  • The award and/or exhibition rights of a participant found to have violated the rules will be canceled. Any awards given will be reclaimed. This situation does not result in any change in the ranking of other participants.
  • Members of the selection committee, members of the organizing committee, and their first-degree relatives cannot participate in the contest.

Copyright (Usage) Rights

  • All copyrights of the photographs submitted to the contest belong to the author.
  • The participant agrees that the photographs that receive awards, honorable mentions, or are deemed worthy of exhibition may be used by Durum Gıda Sanayi ve Ticaret A.Ş. and its partners in all printed and digital media for the promotion, communication, and archiving of the contest, provided that the name of the author is mentioned.
  • No additional royalty fee is paid to the author for this use. The photographs cannot be sold or transferred to third parties for commercial purposes.
  • Participants who win awards must claim their rights within 1 (one) year from the announcement of the results if they fail to submit the requested information and documents.

Legal Responsibility

The participant accepts, declares, and undertakes that all photographs submitted to the contest belong to them and that the content in the photographs was produced in accordance with current national and international legislation.

All kinds of legal disputes arising from the content of the photographs, such as copyright infringement or violation of personal rights, are the sole responsibility of the participant.

Technical Rules

Submissions are accepted only in JPG / JPEG format. The short side of the photograph must be a minimum of 2,000 pixels. The file size should not be less than 1.2 MB and should not exceed 30 MB.
  • EXIF data containing the shooting information of the photograph must not be deleted from the file.
  • Images created from scratch using artificial intelligence tools (Midjourney, DALL-E, etc.) with text prompts are strictly not accepted.
  • The same photographs cannot be used in more than one category.
  • It is forbidden to delete (cloning/healing), relocate, or add objects from another photograph to any person, object, or detail in the frame. Only the cleaning of dust spots on the sensor is allowed.
  • Artificial blurring of the background (Artificial Bokeh) via software is prohibited.

Submission of Works

The contest will be held online. Works shall only be uploaded via www.arbellaphotocontest.com; alternative submission methods such as e-mail, cargo, or hand delivery are not accepted.

Contest Calendar

Submission start date: 11 Mayıs 2026
Last date for uploading photos: 6 Eylül 2026, 23:59
Jury evaluation: 12 Eylül 2026
Announcement of results: 25 Eylül 2026
Award ceremony and exhibition opening: To be announced separately.

* The Organizing Committee may change the calendar if deemed necessary.

Selection Committee

  • Barbara Di Maio – Women in Street Italy, Kurucu Ortağı
  • Coşkun Aral – Savaş Muhabiri, Belgesel Film ve Televizyon Yapımcısı
  • Ercan Arslan – Gazeteci, Foto Muhabiri
  • İlkay Öztürk – FoodArtStudio, Kurucu
  • Sumru Gözaydın – Arbella Makarna, Pazarlama İletişimi Müdürü

* The Selection Committee meets with the gathering of at least 3 (three) members. Otherwise, the meeting and result announcement will be postponed for one week.

Awards

Winner of the Contest (Grand Prize): 2,500 USD

Beauty of Imperfection Category

  • First Place: 1.500 USD
  • Second Place: 1.000 USD
  • Third Place: 750 USD
  • Future Viewfinder (Ages 18-24) Award: 750 USD

Open Category

  • First Place: 1.500 USD
  • Second Place: 1.000 USD
  • Third Place: 750 USD
  • Future Viewfinder (Ages 18-24) Award: 750 USD

* Awards in the "Future Viewfinder" category are only valid for participants aged 18-24. A maximum of 26 photographs for the Main and Open categories will be launched as exhibitions.

Contact

Project Coordinator: Buket ÖZBAY
Phone: +90324 241 1111
Email: info@arbellaphotocontest.com
Address: Ayazağa Mahallesi Kemerburgaz Caddesi Vadi İstanbul Park Ofis 7B Blok No:60, 34485 Sarıyer/İstanbul