Deadline & Fees
For the fifth consecutive year, we have successfully kept our fees unchanged:
• FINAL Deadline: Thursday 06 November 2025 = €35
Winners result announcement in February 2026.
Gomma Photography Grant 2025
About The Gomma Grant Photography Grant
The distinguished grant contest awarding astonishing photography. This year in its 12th edition, the Gomma Grant can look back on a decade of spotting and awarding photographers, who have gone on to grow their careers internationally as well as getting published and exhibited in various countries.
Gomma, even though being an established name within the photography community, has
stayed true to its intention of awarding unconventional and daring works of artists, that show
their unique take on photography and penetrate the viewer emotionally on a profound level.
Working with artists across the genres of black and white, colour, portrait, documentary, photojournalism and many more, Gomma is known for selecting works of exceptional quality.
Keeping the international reputation of being ethical and inclusive, Gomma welcomes photographers of all nationalities, religions, sexual orientation and gender identity as well as all skill levels and mediums (analogue, digital).
Gomma funds and supports emerging talents as well as established photographers. The consistent, superior quality of the shortlisted and finalists of the Grant is recognised by publishers as well as curators and regularly gains press attention, worldwide.
The artists shortlisted and awarded have successfully grown their careers and their reach internationally.
Working with artists across the genres of black and white, colour, portrait, documentary, photojournalism and many more, Gomma is known for selecting works of exceptional quality.
Keeping the international reputation of being ethical and inclusive, Gomma welcomes photographers of all nationalities, religions, sexual orientation and gender identity as well as all skill levels and mediums (analogue, digital).
Gomma funds and supports emerging talents as well as established photographers. The consistent, superior quality of the shortlisted and finalists of the Grant is recognised by publishers as well as curators and regularly gains press attention, worldwide.
The artists shortlisted and awarded have successfully grown their careers and their reach internationally.
Always on the lookout for bold, unusual and striking photography, since 2014, Gomma has
helped many photographers to advance in their field.
The Gomma Grant jury continuously includes a variety of high ranking professionals and a selection of up-and-coming personalities of the industry; offering photographers the opportunity to have their work seen by the best.
To support photographers on their creative journey and help them to refine their work, Gomma offers reviews to every photographer taking part in the contest. The Gomma Photography Grant will be open for submissions on August 1st 2024.
A bit of history... Gomma has come a long way since the first Gomma Magazine came out in 2004. Throughout the years, Gomma has been actively promoting photographers and their work. Gomma worked with internationally renowned artists, such as Roger Ballen, Anders Petersen, Michael Ackerman, Momo Okabe, Keizo Kitajima, Araki and Daido Moriyama. And helped kick-start the career of emerging talents such as Simon Murphy, Marco Marzocchi, Theo Elias, Harit Srikhao, Igor Pisuk, Marie Tomanova and Isik Kaya to name just a few.
The Gomma Grant jury continuously includes a variety of high ranking professionals and a selection of up-and-coming personalities of the industry; offering photographers the opportunity to have their work seen by the best.
To support photographers on their creative journey and help them to refine their work, Gomma offers reviews to every photographer taking part in the contest. The Gomma Photography Grant will be open for submissions on August 1st 2024.
A bit of history... Gomma has come a long way since the first Gomma Magazine came out in 2004. Throughout the years, Gomma has been actively promoting photographers and their work. Gomma worked with internationally renowned artists, such as Roger Ballen, Anders Petersen, Michael Ackerman, Momo Okabe, Keizo Kitajima, Araki and Daido Moriyama. And helped kick-start the career of emerging talents such as Simon Murphy, Marco Marzocchi, Theo Elias, Harit Srikhao, Igor Pisuk, Marie Tomanova and Isik Kaya to name just a few.
Gomma Magazine Issue 3
from Gomma®
Gomma Magazine
Issue 3
MONO
Volume Twos
MONO
Volume Two
Gomma Black & White Awards 2024
The exclusive book
Gomma Black & White Awards 2024
The Dedicated Book
Guidelines
The 2025 Gomma Grant contest comes with a few novelties...
We listened to the submitters' feedback and have implemented the following: the possibility to add Titles and Captions to the images
and without rising the submission fees (now for the last consecutive six editions), we have added the possibility to submit additional images.
- 8 to 24 images at 72 dpi (JPGs - sRGB/ RGB)
- minimum 1500 pixels on the longest size.
- Please name your images as follow: Name-Surname-imageNumber.jpg - example: Eugene-Smith-01.Jpg, Eugene-Smith-02.Jpg ...
All technical guidelines are published in the submission form.
We managed to lower our fees for this 2025 Edition:
- THIRD Deadline: Thursday 06th November = 35.00 euros
We like to reward photographers who do not follow the trends and establish their own, unique aesthetic.
We seek photographers with uncommon ideas, courage, and a distinct personality,
artists, showing us their innermost thoughts, and their souls through their work.
The capability, to investigate your surroundings and your everyday routines and unveil the underlying poetry, drama, and beauty of it, is what we are looking for.
We also strive to award Photographers who capture the awe-inducing rituals, routines and actions, people celebrate on this planet, as well as the harm and destruction they may cause.
Gomma constantly donate to charities battling global crisis.
Gomma does donate regularly to charities and organization around the world battling with current international and ongoing issues.
Gomma Grant past winners
For the complete list of past winners please choose from the upper menu
-
Lê Chau Cuong
First Prize Winner - Gomma Photography Grant 2024 -
Paul Carroll
- Gomma Photography Grant 2024 -
Jesús Umbría Brito
- Gomma Photography Grant 2024
-
Marylise Vigneau
First Prize Winner - Gomma Photography Grant 2023 -
Celine Croze
- Gomma Photography Grant 2023 -
Valery Poshtarov
- Gomma Photography Grant 2023
-
Simon Murphy
First Prize Winner - Gomma Photography Grant 2022 -
Uta Genilke
- Gomma Photography Grant 2022 -
Andrea Graziosi
- Gomma Photography Grant 2022
-
Hyunmin Ryu
First Prize Winner - Gomma Photography Grant 2021 -
Emilie Arfeuil
- Gomma Photography Grant 2021 -
Jonas Larsson Folkeson
- Gomma Photography Grant 2021
-
Isik Kaya
First Prize Winner - Gomma Photography Grant 2020 -
Antone Dolezal
- Gomma Photography Grant 2020 -
Salah Benacer
- Gomma Photography Grant 2020
-
Rafael Heygster
First Prize Winner - Gomma Photography Grant 2019 -
Toby Binder
- Gomma Photography Grant 2019 -
Miguel Brusch
- Gomma Photography Grant 2019
Wanna be part of Gomma Grant 2025 ?
Gomma Grant 2025 Prizes
· International exposure through Gomma social network and media partners.
· Proposition to esteemed international galleries and curators.
· Own personalized post on Gomma Facebook page and Instagram.
· Proposition to esteemed international galleries and curators.
· Own personalized post on Gomma Facebook page and Instagram.
· Euros 1000 cash prize.
· Potential publishing deal with Gomma Publishing Ltd and its network
· International exposure through Gomma social network and media partners.
· Proposition to esteemed international galleries and curators.
· Own personalized post on Gomma Facebook page and Instagram.
· Potential publishing deal with Gomma Publishing Ltd and its network
· International exposure through Gomma social network and media partners.
· Proposition to esteemed international galleries and curators.
· Own personalized post on Gomma Facebook page and Instagram.
· Euros 200 cash prize.
· International exposure through Gomma social network and media partners.
· Proposition to esteemed international galleries and curators.
· Own personalized post on Gomma Facebook page and Instagram.
· International exposure through Gomma social network and media partners.
· Proposition to esteemed international galleries and curators.
· Own personalized post on Gomma Facebook page and Instagram.
· Euros 100 cash prize.
· International exposure through Gomma social network and media partners.
· Proposition to esteemed international galleries and curators.
· Own personalized post on Gomma Facebook page and Instagram.
· International exposure through Gomma social network and media partners.
· Proposition to esteemed international galleries and curators.
· Own personalized post on Gomma Facebook page and Instagram.
· International exposure through Gomma social network and media partners.
· Proposition to esteemed international galleries and curators.
· Own personalized post on Gomma Facebook page and Instagram.
· Proposition to esteemed international galleries and curators.
· Own personalized post on Gomma Facebook page and Instagram.
· International exposure through Gomma social network and media partners.
· Proposition to esteemed international galleries and curators.
· Own personalized post on Gomma Facebook page and Instagram.
· Proposition to esteemed international galleries and curators.
· Own personalized post on Gomma Facebook page and Instagram.
· Euros 300 cash prize.
· Potential publishing deal with Gomma Publishing Ltd and its network.
· International exposure through Gomma social network and media partners.
· Proposition to esteemed international galleries and curators.
· Own personalized post on Gomma Facebook page and Instagram.
· Potential publishing deal with Gomma Publishing Ltd and its network.
· International exposure through Gomma social network and media partners.
· Proposition to esteemed international galleries and curators.
· Own personalized post on Gomma Facebook page and Instagram.
Image by © Vladimir Karamazov
Frequently Asked Questions
- Can I add captions to my images?
- Yes, with the latest edition you can add Titles and Captions.
- Why should I submit to photo contests?
-
In photography, like in many other creative industries, exposure means jobs. It can open doors to a new collaboration, publishing, and commissions. Photo contests are still a very useful and successful way to get your work known across a wide international audience.
Many photographers probably feel sick and tired of photo competitions, there are simply way too many. Every day we see new photo contests springing up, and it is difficult to decide whether one is more ethical and reliable than another. - Who are the jurors for this year's grant?
- The Gomma Grant 2025 Jury will be secret for this edition.
- How should I choose a photo contest?
-
We have compiled a brief set of points below. We suggest you follow these points as you question yourself about the photo contest you are thinking of applying to:
a) The year it was established. Find out when the contest started. The older the better. If it's a new contest, investigate the company/organization behind it.
c) The submission fees. Are the fees reasonable? If not, ask yourself why the fees are so high. Are those high fees justifiable?
d) The dimension. If the contest is huge and receives thousands of entries your chances of winning or being shortlisted is, obviously, less than if you take part in a smaller photo competition.
So be very critical about the work you are submitting and about the contest itself. - Why should I submit to Gomma Grant?
- If photo contests were shops, imagine the Gomma Grant like a bijou, quality-focused, collectables shop compared to the Walmart kind of supermarket of the major photo competitions. It depends on what you are looking for and how you would like your work to be judged.
- Your first Gomma Grant was free, why do you charge now?
- Please remember that running a contest for a grant like this one comes with substantial costs - from the submittable.com platform fees, to web hosting/web developing & graphic design costs, to the time-consuming selection process (which can take months), marketing and advertising expenses, etc.
- How long does the selection process take?
- The jury begins their assessment on 11th November 2025 and it ends on February 2026.
- Copyrights and Rights Usage information?
- For Copyrights and Rights Usage information: https://thegommagrant.com/copyright2025.html
- Are multiple entries allowed?
- Yes, you are allowed to submit more than one entry, as long as the images are from different bodies of work.
- I started this 'ongoing' project a long time ago, can I still submit it?
- Yes, it does not matter when you started this work.
- Is it possible to edit submissions?
- Editing submissions will be possible upon request.
- Do you accept submission from two photographers?
- Yes, if you create a work with another photographer you can submit jointly.
- Do you accept AI generated images?
- No, fully generated AI images are not allowed.
- WHY SHOULD I SUBMIT TO GOMMA GRANT?
- We represent the uncommon, the exquisite, and the bizarre. If photo contests were shops, imagine the Gomma Grant like a bijou, quality-focused, collectibles shop, of specialties and oddities, compared to the Walmart kind of supermarkets, selling value items, representing the major photo competitions. You decide, what you are looking for and how you would like your work to be judged and presented.
Latest News Recent achievements by Gomma Grant shortlisted and winners.
Tuesday 29, July 2025
Bruno Silva has been announced as the First Prize Winner of the 2025 Gomma Black & White Awards, with Sina Muehlbauer securing second place and Pavel Nasadil taking third—celebrating exceptional monochrome vision.
Tuesday 22, July 2025
Chau-Cuong Lê, winner of the Gomma Grant 2024, has been selected as a finalist at the RPBB 2025—confirming his rising prominence in contemporary photography and narrative innovation.
Monday 09, September 2024
Project Room | Celine Croze SQEVNV Spring 2025.
The Project Room at PAC presents SQEVNV, the photographic work of Celine Croze curated by Claudio Composti. Celine Croze's work always starts by showing a story. To get inside the rift. Fade away and find the time of the world.
Sunday 21, July 2024
Our Gomma Grant 2023 WINNER Marylise Vigneau receives the prestigious THIRD Prize from the Istanbul Photo Awards 2024. Our deepest congratulations to her. Well reserved.
She wins it with the series: Haunted Grounds: The Dark History of Nuclear Testing in Semey / Kazakhstan.
Saturday 04, November 2023
Twice Gomma Grant shortlisted Gian Marco Sanna has published a stunnning photobook titled: Paradise.
Published by Artphilein.
"Earth is Heaven and Hell is not noticing it" Jorge Luis Borges
Saturday 30, September 2023
Uta Genilke, Second Prize Winner at the 2022 Gomma Grant, has signed with Witty Books and published an outstanding book. Titled: Replikant. She described as followed: 'the book shows my nocturnal adventures. When I went out one winter evening and met a new man, my dreams disappeared, and I never saw my lover again'.
Tuesday 08, August 2023
Simon Murphy, the winner of the Gomma Photography Grant 2022, in addition to the cash prize won an exclusive publishing contract with Gomma Publishing Ltd and his first publication will be launched in October 2023. The photographer as per contract will be also enjoying a 10% on net sales proceedings.
Monday 07, August 2023
Sarah Mei Herman, Honorable Mention at GPG 2021, has been shortlisted for the renowned Parasol Foundation Prize for Women in Photograph. The prize celebrates the outstanding talent of women photographers and provides a powerful platform to showcase their work.
Sunday 06, August 2023
Having been shortlisted twice at the Gomma Photography Grant before, Oliver Raschka, has successfully published his series TWEEN as a hard-cover book. Congratulations to Oliver! The book depicts his sons' journey through the labyrinth of the "Tween" years. In sixty black and white photographs, the transition to adulthood is eloquently captured as sometimes loud, sometimes quiet - and full of nuances.
Tuesday 18, October 2022
David Cossini, the receiver of the 2021 Gomma Grant GNF Award, is the winner of the Percival Photographic Portrait Prize - Acquisitive Prize, $10,000. Congratulations to this very talented and daring photographer:
Thursday 30, June 2022
Hyunmin Ryu, the winner of the 2021 Gomma Grant, has received two LENSCULTURE Critics’ Choice Awards, respectively from Elizabeth Renstrom The New Yorker
and Claartje Van Dijk FOAM.
Friday 10, June 2022
Gomma Grant 2020 Işık Kaya publishes together with  Thomas Georg Blank her first book: Second Nature. Published the renowned Kehrer Verlag. Softcover with open spine in slipcase 24 x 33 cm 112 pages and texts by: Amy Clarke and Ziad Mahayni.
Prix Levallois, France | 10 April 2021
Isik Kaya, the First Prize winner of the 2020 Gomma Grant, won the Audience Award
at the renowned Prix Levallois.
New Book | Out soon
Salah Benacer, whom received the Third Prize at the 2020 Gomma Grant, is about to publish his new photobook: "I am a Berika".
Firs Prize award | 2021
Aaaron Yeandle, shortlisted Gomma Grant 2020, received first place, in the open theme category, for the Fine Art Photography Awards.
Foam Talent, Berlin | 20 October 2020
Simone Sapienza, Best Rising Talent at Gomma Grant 2018, selected to exhibit at FOAM Talent 2020 ✨
In collaboration with the Deutsche Börse Photography Foundation and C/O Berlin.
New article | Out now
Camillo Pasquarelli, Best Rising talent at Gomma Photography Grant 2019, is featured in the renowned "il Reportage" magazine.
New Book | Out Now
SELECTED AS ONE OF THE BEST DUTCH BOOK DESIGNS 2019, Margaret Lansink new book '
The Kindness of One' is now available for purchase.
New Book | Out Now
Awarded at PHOTO-EYE BEST BOOKS 2019 – Favorite Book of the Year chosen by Dewi Lewis
BOOK PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR ...
New book | Out now
Marie Tomanova, Best Rising talent at Gomma Photography Grant 2018, has signed with Paradigm Publishing.
Marigold Warner | 14 April 2020
The winner of the Gomma Grant 2019, Rafael Heygster, is interviewed and featured in the renowned British Journal of Photography...
Why submitting to Gomma Grant?
We represent the uncommon, the exquisite, and the bizarre.
If photography contests were shops, the Gomma Grant would be a boutique — focused on quality, uniqueness, and rare finds. Think of us as a collector’s haven, a space for specialties and artistic oddities. In contrast, many mainstream competitions are more like big-box supermarkets — prioritizing volume and mass appeal. The choice is yours: what kind of recognition are you seeking, and how would you like your work to be seen, judged, and remembered?
We're Ethical
The Gomma Grant rewards the work — not the name, and not the résumé. We recognise photographers purely for the strength of their vision, regardless of past accolades, fame, or professional networks. Each submission is viewed with a fresh eye, free from dogma, bias, or any predetermined criteria.
We're Longstanding
Gomma began over 20 years ago, in 2004, from a basement flat in South London. We’re established — but still young at heart. Two decades of experience haven’t dulled our edge; we still approach every project with freshness, curiosity, and the beginner’s mind that sparked it all.
We have Magic
There’s something magical, awkward, and effortlessly stylish about Gomma — all at once. We’re unapologetically unique, with a constant out-of-the-box mindset. We don’t buy into the hype, and we don’t follow trends. We make them.
We love Simplicity
We’re not into polished slogans or pretentious language. We believe art should be for everyone. That’s why, starting this year, we’ve made it even easier to submit your work to the Gomma Grant.
We're not money-driven
Gomma is run by a small group of artists who sustain themselves through other work. We’ve never been driven by profit — and we’re not experts in business. That’s why, in response to the current dramatic circumstances, we’ve decided that starting this year, all net profits from the Gomma Grant will be donated to charities.
We're Supportive
We don’t just award cash prizes — we actively promote both the winning and shortlisted works. Photographers recognised through the Gomma Grant often go on to elevate their careers, both professionally and artistically.
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