The Budapest International Foto Awards — BIFA is a global platform that celebrates photographers of all levels and genres, offering them the opportunity to share their best work with the creative community in Hungary and Eastern Europe.
We believe in the power of a single photograph to inspire, provoke, and influence. Every image tells a story, and every photographer brings a unique perspective to the lens—this is the place to share those stories.
The competition is open to photographers worldwide, and we warmly invite you to submit your work and be part of the BIFA community.
If you’re looking to share your work with a wider audience in Asia, we invite you to explore our affiliate competition, the Tokyo International Foto Awards — TIFA. It’s a great opportunity to connect with Japan’s creative community and gain international exposure.
WINNERS BENEFITS
Winners of the Budapest International Foto Awards (BIFA) gain significant international recognition and exposure. Unlike many other photography competitions, all the benefits of winning BIFA are included in your entry fee—there are no hidden costs. We offer extensive media coverage through our network of magazine and newspaper partners, who actively promote and distribute the winning work to a global audience.
BIFA Photographer of the Year (Selected from First Place Category Winners, Pro)
€3,000 cash prize* and BIFA trophy
BIFA New Talent of the Year (Selected from First Place Category Winners, Non-Pro)
€2,000 cash prize* and BIFA trophy
First Place Category Winners–Pro and Non-Pro
Advertising, Architecture, Book, Editorial, Events, Fine Art, Nature, People, Portfolio, Science
€200 cash prize* (Paypal or Amazon gift card)
* Note: Cash prizes are not cumulative. There will be only one cash prize per winner, and the highest prize applies. So the winner that is awarded “Photographer of the Year”, for example, will only receive the €3,000 cash prize for that title, and not the €200 cash prize for their Category Winner title. First Place Category Winners can only receive one €200 cash prize, even if they win the title in multiple categories.
First Place Main Category Winners Pro and Non-Pro will enjoy extensive publicity throughout the year in addition to the following benefits:
– Work exhibited in Budapest and beyond
– Work showcased on the main page of our website
– Feature winning images in the online gallery exhibition
– Press release and newsletter announcements to over 120,000 in BIFA Community
– Printable BIFA certificate of achievement
– Winner’s Logo to be used online and on printed materials
Other Winners ( Gold / Silver / Bronze) & Honorable Mention
Winners will enjoy extensive publicity throughout the year in addition to the following benefits:
– Feature winning images in the online gallery exhibition
– Press release and newsletter announcements to over 120,000 in BIFA Community
– Printable BIFA certificate of achievement
– Winner’s Logo to be used online and on printed materials
WINNER BENEFITS OVERVIEW
ELIGIBILITY
The BIFA competition is open to anyone aged 18 and over, regardless of where you live. Entries are judged within appropriate peer groups—professional photographers are evaluated alongside other professionals, while emerging and student photographers compete within their own category.
ENTRY FEES
Professional:
€30 per single image
€40 per series (2-11 images with the same theme)
30% off per additional category, if the same entry is submitted to multiple categories at the same time
Non-professional:
€20 per single image
€25 per series (2-11 images with the same theme)
30% off per additional category, if the same entry is submitted to multiple categories at the same time
Students:
€15 per single image
€20 per series (2-11 images with the same theme)
30% off per additional category, if the same entry is submitted to multiple categories at the same time
Portfolio Category: Entry fee for the Portfolio Category is €50
Please note that there are no further fees for winners services. The award, winners packages and promotion are all free of charge.
DEADLINES
BIFA Awards 2025 is now closed for submissions.
We will announce the BIFA Awards 2026 submission deadline shortly.
SUBMISSION GUIDELINES
Only digital submissions are permitted. Digital images should be in sRGB color format and saved as a JPG file with high compression. The image must have a minimum width of 1000 pixels on its shortest side, and should not exceed 4000 pixels on the longest side. The file size must be no larger than 4MB. When naming your file, use only letters from the English alphabet—do not include any special characters or spaces in the file name.
If you are submitting a series of images, submit them in order of importance, with the first image being the strongest or best in the set. One image is for the cover photo to identify the entry, and the remaining 9 are supporting images of the entry.
If your entry is in the Book category, you have the option to upload one PDF file of your complete book. The file size must not exceed 4MB.
You may enter the same photograph into as many categories as you see fit. You can also submit as many entries in as many categories as you like. All photographs should be no older than 5 years.
WHO IS ELIGIBLE?
BIFA is open to photographers from all over the world. We define Professional as individuals who earn the majority of their income from photography. Emerging and student photographers are also welcome and encouraged to submit their work.
USE AND OWNERSHIP OF IMAGES
Copyright and all other rights remain with the photographer. Any photograph used by BIFA shall always include the photographer’s credit line.
Winners will be announced 30-45 days after the final deadline.