HIPA Water: Our Shared Story 2026 Photography Competition – $10,000 First Prize
The HIPA Water: Our Shared Story 2026 is a global photography competition inviting photographers from around the world to tell stories about the relationship between water, people, communities, the planet, innovation, and shared challenges. Participants must submit a portfolio of 5–10 photographs. The first-place winner receives $10,000, and submissions close on 15 October 2026 at 11:59 PM UAE Standard Time (GMT+4).
Quick Overview
Programme: Water: Our Shared Story
Opportunity Type: Global Photography Competition
Host Organization: Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum International Photography Award (HIPA)
Submission Format: Portfolio of 5–10 photographs
Eligibility: Individuals aged 18 years and over
First Prize: $10,000
Submission Period: 16 September – 15 October 2026
Deadline: 15 October 2026 at 11:59 PM UAE Standard Time (GMT+4)
About Water: Our Shared Story
HIPA is organizing Water: Our Shared Story in collaboration with the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the 2026 United Nations Water Conference.
The competition invites photographers to explore how water shapes lives, communities, economies, and ecosystems.
Participants should submit a photographic story exploring the relationship between water and one or more of the following areas:
• Water & People
• Water & Communities
• Water & Planet
• Water & Innovation
• Water & Challenges
The 2026 United Nations Water Conference will be co-hosted by the UAE and Senegal in Abu Dhabi from 8–10 December 2026.
Competition Prizes
The official competition page lists three cash prizes:
✓ 1st Place: $10,000
✓ 2nd Place: $8,000
✓ 3rd Place: $5,000
Winners will be contacted by the HIPA team and must provide the requested bank and personal details within seven days.
The competition rules state that prizes will be delivered within two months following the announcement of the results.
Eligibility Criteria
Applicants must meet the following requirements:
• Participants must be individuals.
• Participants must be at least 18 years old when submitting their photographs.
• Entries must be submitted online through the HIPA members page.
• Submissions must be completed during the official submission period.
HIPA describes the competition as open to photographers from around the world.
Photo Submission Requirements
Each participant may submit a story consisting of:
• A minimum of 5 photographs
• A maximum of 10 photographs
Applicants must also provide a title and description for their portfolio.
Submitted photographs must meet the technical requirements stated by HIPA:
• Original file in JPEG format
• High-quality and high-resolution file
• Minimum file size of 5 MB
• Longest edge of at least 2000 pixels
• Image quality of at least 300 dpi
Submissions taken with mobile phones and drones are permitted.
Applicants are also requested to upload the original RAW file or an unedited version of the photograph when submitting their work.
Editing and Presentation Rules
Submitted photographs must not contain:
• Tags
• Signatures
• Initials
• Frames
• Borders
• Logos
• Other identifying marks added by the participant
Basic technical editing is permitted when it does not affect the authenticity or genuineness of the photograph.
Advanced editing that creates illusions, deception, manipulation, compositing, or creative retouching is prohibited.
HIPA may remove submissions that do not comply with these requirements.
Content Requirements
Submitted photographs must be original works created or taken by the participant.
Entries must not infringe the copyright, trademark, privacy, publicity, moral, or other intellectual-property rights of another person or organisation.
Participants are responsible for obtaining any necessary permissions or releases for identifiable people, copyrighted works, or private property appearing in submitted photographs.
Photos containing inappropriate or offensive material, including content contrary to UAE religious, cultural, or public-morality standards, may be disqualified.
Intellectual Property Conditions
Photographers retain responsibility for ensuring that their submitted work is original and legally usable.
If a photograph reaches the final stage of judging, the participant grants HIPA a perpetual, worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty-free and sublicensable licence to use and promote the submitted work in connection with the competition and HIPA activities.
Winners also grant HIPA rights to use their winning photographs for purposes including exhibitions, publications, promotional materials, and online presentation.
Application Process
Participants must submit their entries online through the official HIPA members platform.
The application process includes:
• Access the HIPA members page.
• Sign in or create the required member account.
• Prepare a photographic story of 5–10 images.
• Add a title and description for the portfolio.
• Upload photographs that meet the required technical specifications.
• Upload the requested original RAW or unedited files.
• Review the competition rules.
• Submit the complete portfolio before the deadline.
No submissions will be accepted after the closing time.
Application Deadline
Submissions are open from:
16 September 2026
The final deadline is:
15 October 2026 at 11:59 PM UAE Standard Time (GMT+4)
Official Link
Submit your photographs through the official competition platform below.
