All competitions · Prize / award
Critical Mass 2026
Photolucida · Portland, Oregon, United States
Annual international portfolio competition for photographers run by Photolucida, Portland, Oregon; a Top 200 pre-screen leads to a Top 50 selection and awards. 2026 entries closed 7 July 2026.
Your eligibility
Tell us about yourself and we will check these rules against your details. Nothing leaves your device until you sign in.
Who can enter
- Location
- Open worldwide
- Age
- No age limit
- Career stage
- Any
- Mediums
- Photography
- AI
- No AI-generated work
- Submission
- Online submission
- Also
- One body of work of 7-10 images; no AI-generated imagery; previous Top 50 projects ineligible; jurors, staff and board ineligible.
About
Critical Mass is Photolucida's annual international photography competition. Photographers submit one body of work (7-10 images) which is pre-screened to a Top 200; those finalists are then reviewed by a large panel of jurors to select the Top 50, with award recipients announced in late September 2026.
The 2026 call closed on 7 July 2026 (noon ET), with all edits due by 1 July. The initial submission fee is $75; artists advancing to the Top 200 pay an additional $200 for the final round. AI-generated imagery is not accepted, and projects previously selected for the Top 50 cannot be resubmitted.
The programme runs annually, with the next call expected to open in spring 2027.