2025 aperture portfolio prize

The Aperture Portfolio Prize is an international competition that aims to identify trends in contemporary photography and highlight artists whose work deserves greater recognition. When choosing the first-prize winner and shortlist, our judges will look for innovative bodies of work that have not been widely seen in major publications or exhibition venues.

When examining entries, judges will consider the following criteria:

• Was the work created in the past five years?
• Is a theme or topic carried throughout the portfolio in a fully resolved, consistent manner?
• Are all the images individually strong?
• What technical and presentation choices has the photographer made? Are they appropriate for the work? For example, is there a clear reason for the work being in black and white - versus a digitally enhanced palette?
• Does the body of work take an innovative or unique approach to the subject matter?