How to Win in a Photo Contest That Makes You Feel Happy

Are you a professional photographer or an amateur who wants to know how good you are?

Will that be enough for you to feel happy?

Great!

Photography competitions are an ideal place to test your skills and grow your experience.

There are various photo contests and photo exhibitions you can be a part of. You can win cash or other prizes showing your skills and your best work to a wider audience.

If you’re a newbie in the photography industry or just don’t want to spend much money. There are even youth competitions for young photographers, where you don’t always have to pay.

Taking part in these kinds of events is sometimes can even be life-changing.

Today, we introduce to you the best tips and advice on how to win photography competitions and feel happy, if you're a real photo guru.

1. Follow All the Rules & Guidelines

First, read the contest rules. It's really the first thing you should do and the key point to win a contest. This factor alone can get you out of the competition if your piece of art wasn't submitted according to the regulations.

Or, for example, you submit too many images when the number of photos allowed is limited. So read the guidelines carefully, check exactly how many pictures you can add.

In a nutshell, if your photo violates any of the contest rules, it’s just a waste of time especially for the most famous and the best photo contests in the world.

So keep in mind—always follow the rule N1!

2. Don't Lose Your Motivation

One of the most helpful ways to widen your horizons and win the contest you want is by looking at the work of others.

Be hungry and inspired. Look for inspiration from your favorite photographers, or find some amazing places with mind-blowing photographs across the internet. Follow and subscribe to their work.

Foxy tip: pay attention to the judges. Viewing the work of past contests’ winners can show you what the judges pay attention to most. So you can even find some trend among previous winners.

3. Use an Interesting Composition: Show Something New

A truly interesting composition will help you stand out from the competition. You can follow the rule of thirds. Simply place the focal point one-third of the way in from the edge of the frame.

Don’t stop, move forward!

Remember that photo contests are a time for experimentation. For instance, you can’t win in the best photo contests like Nikon, Yournal Photo Contest or National Geographic Traveller Photography Competition by just submitting the same kind of work every year.

Try shooting from a new angle all the time. Don’t be afraid to try something new, you’ll definitely get rewarded.

4. Get Perfect Sharpness

If your photo does not have perfect sharpness, throw it out. Seriously!

This is one of the most crucial parts to win a photography marathon. Soft images are the second step most judges will take during the elimination process, after the Rule N1—Rules and Guidelines.

If you don’t know how to get perfect sharp photos, no worries! It won’t take you much time to learn new skills. Spending some minutes more on getting new knowledge can change your life and make you happy. So go for it!

5. Build Up a Large Social Network

Today, we live in a digital world. When you join contests where you need votes to win, social media is the perfect place for it. So if you don’t have an enormous social media yet, try to avoid joining these kinds of contests.

After fully building your social network, join the contest and promote your entry. Ask your friends and connections to vote for your photo art. Ask them to vote for it on your wall or even in private messages, share and comment and retweet, if possible.

Don’t forget to mention your network the prize that you could win as it often encourages increase engagement.

6. Search for New Photo Contests

Why is this crucial?

Because when a new photo competition is announced or launched, very few people know about it at the very beginning.

Spend some time searching for new competitions and opportunities. This can be your chance to “smash” the contest, win it, and feel happy.

7. Don’t Give Up

Whatever happens, don’t give up.

Want to feel happy? Good! You should fight for your happiness.

If you win the contest, you’ll definitely get happy. Imagine you’ve won the competition you wanted so much. The prize that you’ve desired. The wonderful feelings that you’ll have.

Remember that even the best photographers lose. So don’t let it keep you from trying again! Work hard, and eventually, it will pay off.

Good luck!