How to enter Wellcome Photography Prize
Find out everything you need to know about entering the Wellcome Photography Prize and submit your images.
We invite photographers and biomedical image makers from all disciplines and levels to enter the Wellcome Photography Prize. We’re looking for entries that can captivate people with stories of health, science and human experience, and start conversations about some of the health challenges humanity faces today.
Deadline for entries: 14 January 2025
You will need to log in or create an account. You can save your application and return to it at any time.
Prizes and publicity
The winner of each category will receive £10,000.
An additional 22 entries from across the three categories will be awarded £1,000 each.
These top 25 entries will be shown in a major public exhibition in London in summer 2025. They may also get the opportunity to take part in events to showcase their work to a range of audiences. The prize receives extensive international media coverage each year.
Subject matter
From a molecular process in a single cell to the impact of a disease across an entire community, we’d like to see imagery exploring health, medicine and science.
This year, we’re looking for stories of hope and resilience across Wellcome’s core areas of focus, and the spaces where they intersect. There are three categories in the competition, and your image should explore one or more of the following subject matters:
Mental health
Your image might:
- Show the impact mental health conditions are having on communities
- Shine a light on what it’s like to live with a mental health condition
- Explore the relationship between mental and physical health
Infectious disease
Your image might:
- Tell the story of how environmental change is impacting infectious disease
- Investigate how outbreaks can bring people together
- Explore what infectious disease looks like in isolated parts of the world
Climate and health
Your image might:
- Document how changes in policy are having a positive impact
- Connect the planet’s health with our own
- Track the evolution of a particular health condition as the climate changes
Discovery research
Your image might:
- Give people the unique opportunity to see research in motion
- Reveal a world of specialised medical equipment usually kept behind the scenes
- Look at how we fight current and future threats to our health
Categories
There are three categories in the competition.
The images shown in each category are to inspire you but are for illustration only. Your entry doesn't necessarily need to be in a similar style or about a similar topic.
Category 1: Striking solo photography
Captivate people with a single photograph that stirs imaginations and starts conversations.
Click images to open gallery
Category 2: A storytelling series
Unpack a narrative in greater depth or explore different perspectives using anywhere between 3-5 photographs.
Click images to open gallery
Click images to open gallery
Click images to open gallery
Category 3: The marvels of scientific and medical imaging
Capture the wonder of human health in a single image created by a scientific or medical imaging technique.
Click images to open gallery
Judging criteria
The story behind an image and the reasons why it was created are as important as the image itself. Our judges are looking for three things:
1. Creativity and visual impact
- Strong visual impact
- Thoughtful/considered composition
- Use of colour (or intentional lack thereof) to enhance impact
2. Storytelling
- Strong visual story that centres on a health issue
- Clear written narrative around health or medicine
3. Technical excellence
- Excellent image quality for the type of imaging technique used
- Appropriate and skilful image manipulation/editing if used
- High-resolution image and size suitable for print outputs
- Meets criteria in terms and conditions.
Competition rules and requirements
Before submitting entries to a competition category, make sure you read the competition terms and conditions, and rules and requirements.
Rules and requirements
Can anyone enter?
Yes, anyone at any level from anywhere in the world.
Is it free?
Yes
Are there any rules around the taking of images?
When taking images of people, entrants should gather content in a culturally and contextually sensitive way. This includes getting model release or patient consent where relevant.
What are the image specifications?
Images must be at least 15MB in size (uncompressed) and use Adobe RGB (1998) colour model and profile.
All images must be submitted as high-resolution files suitable for printing as winning images will be reproduced, including in print format.
TIFF or high-resolution JPEG formats are preferred.
What imagery is eligible?
The following photographic disciplines or scientific or medical imaging techniques are allowed:
- Photography (e.g. documentary, clinical, studio, still life)
- Close-up photography (e.g. photomacrography, macro photography, photomicrography)
- Microscopy (e.g. light, electron, super-resolution)
- Medical imaging (e.g. CT, PET, MRI, X-ray, ultrasound, thermography)
- New and emerging science and biomedical imaging technologies
We will not accept images that include, but is not limited to, visual media such as illustration, moving image or AI-generated images.
Can I use an image I have already taken?
Yes, but images must have been taken after 31 December 2019.
Things to consider
- You can enter as many images as you like, but you can't enter the same image into more than one category
- Individual images that are entered into any of the single image categories cannot be included again as part of an entry submitted into the series category
- Each single image entry will be judged individually and should work as a standalone image
- If you're submitting more than one image from the same series into any of the single image categories, only submit those that offer something unique
- For images submitted to the storytelling series category, they will need to work as a series and will be judged as such
- As the image maker, you will retain full copyright over your own work. We just ask for permission to use your images in the context of the prize (in exhibitions, promotions, publications and media coverage including social media) and to support Wellcome’s broader charitable work
How to enter
Ready to enter?
The deadline for entries is 14 January 2025.
You will need to log in or create an account. You can save your application and return to it at any time.
Key dates
- 21 October 2024
Open for entries
- 14 January 2025
Deadline for entries
- summer 2025
Top 25 entries announced
- summer 2025
Winners announced
