CPB International Photography Open Call, Edition 3 (2026-27)

About this call

The International Photography Open Call is organised by the Chennai Photo Biennale Foundation as a yearly opportunity and exhibition, and its third edition (2026-27) is open to anyone, from anywhere, on any subject. Photographers of all levels, from amateur to professional, can apply as individuals or as collaborative teams, with single images or photo series in any genre, including fine art, documentary, portrait, landscape, conceptual and experimental photography. All entries are reviewed by an international jury that assesses artistic merit, originality, technical excellence and relevance to contemporary photographic discourse. Selected applicants are exhibited in a public space in Chennai, India, promoted on the Biennale's social media and digital channels and featured in print and online press; an extended shortlist is presented digitally at the open call venue, and the call also lists travelling exhibitions and a digital showcase among its benefits. Gear prizes this edition are a Sigma 35mm f1.4 DG DN Art lens for one single image and one photo series. Previously exhibited or published work is accepted, and applicants keep their copyright.

Who can apply

• Open to applicants of any nationality
• Medium: Photography
• Entry fee: €8
• Open to applicants of any age from anywhere in the world; applicants under 18 must provide guardian or parental consent. Individuals and collaborative teams may apply; group entries name one primary contact and include all contributors' names. Fee per entry: residents of India and South Asian countries INR 300 for a single image and INR 700 for a photo series; residents of other countries EUR 8 (single image) and EUR 15 (photo series); students from India INR 100 (single image) and INR 200 (photo series). Entries are unlimited and each needs its own fee. Some international payment methods do not work on the site's payment gateway; applicants paying from outside India can use the PayPal payment links on the International Payments page. A photo series has 10 to 20 images that work together as one body of work, compressed into a single ZIP file; single images are uploaded as JPEG at the highest quality setting. Images are 2000 pixels on the long side at 100 dpi; AdobeRGB, sRGB or grayscale Gamma 2.2 are recommended, CMYK files are not accepted, and images must not contain watermarks or any identification. A single image entry can be repeated as part of a series submission. Include a short bio and a concept note and/or caption(s); English is not a judging criterion. Previously exhibited or published work is accepted. No video, no AI generated images, no hateful or racially charged images, images of violence, nudity or pornography. The applicant or their representative must hold the copyright or be authorized by the copyright holder(s), and must have consent from human subjects. Contacting any juror leads to immediate disqualification. Shortlisted applicants are asked for untouched camera RAW/JPEG files and full-resolution processed TIFFs for printing. Shortlisted and selected images may be used by the organizers, non-exclusively and without remuneration, in all media to promote the open call, the exhibition and the Chennai Photo Biennale, and selected entries are published on the open call website in perpetuity; all entrants grant non-exclusive use of low-resolution images in a public archive for research and education. Notifications go out in late December 2026.