BECA Photo Award is one of the largest photo contests organised in Bulgaria. It is aimed at encouraging and supporting Bulgaria-based photographers. Organiser of the initiative is BECA Before Creating Academy.

The contest is aimed at supporting and promoting Bulgaria-based photographers, whose photography is worthy of display in photo galleries not only in the country, but also around the world. Our jury consists of world-renowned photographers and curators, who will be involved in the evaluation process of the BECA Photo Award. Last, but not least, the initiative is devoted to building a photographic community of young talented authors.

The first edition of the BECA Photo Award (BPA) will be organised in 2021. Participants will be judged by international photography experts from 5 different countries, who will also select the winners of BPA 2021. They are famous curators, gallery managers, art directors and successful photographers with great experience and numerous exhibitions and awards. Based on their personal experience and competency, the jury will review and judge the participants' photography. The only requirement is to enter the contest with a project (story) of 10-15 photos, regardless of whether it is a documentary, portrait or conceptual photography. There is no entry fee.

What winners receive

The participants have the opportunity to win over BGN 4,000 in prizes. The initiative aims to support the development of the photographers in the country. The winner will receive a BGN 2,000 cash prize, a solo exhibition, as well as a scholarship at BECA Before Creating Academy. The winning project will become part of a solo exhibition, which will be displayed in a photo gallery. The second prize is a voucher for photographic equipment worth BGN 1,000, provided by the other general partner of the initiative Photosynthesis Camera Equipment Store. Other opportunities for the participants are publications through BPA contest partners, inclusion in the Contest's marketing, PR campaign and printed and digital publications. The winners portfolio will be also featured on the Academy's website and included in the international press exposure. For more information about the prizes, please check this link: https://bpa.beforecreating.com/en/home/

About BECA Before Creating Academy

BECA Before Creating Academy is the first private academy for photography in Bulgaria, which is partnering with the well-known EFTI, Madrid. The Academy unites around the idea of love for photography and photography as love. Because knowledge is the highest form of love. The very idea of the BECA Academy means that we all build a community of photographers and artists that is founded by individuals and is for individuals.

The mission of the Academy and the BPA initiative is to raise awareness and put the country on the world map as a place, where there are talented authors, who create world-class photography. The aim is to motivate photographers to pay more attention to social topics through visual photographic approach. To encourage them to show their photography.

Eduardo Momeñe - Spain

Eduardo Momeñe is a photographer and author of books on photographic aesthetics. His first exhibition was held at the Nikon Gallery in Barcelona in 1974, and his photographs have been published in magazines such as Vogue, Elle, Style, AD, Marie Claire and others. Teaching photography is also important part of his professional career. He has conducted numerous courses, seminars and is the author of the book La Visión Fotográfica.

Judith Prat - Spain

Judith Prat is a documentary photographer, photojournalist and a documentary filmmaker. In recent years, she has been working in Africa, the Middle East and Latin America, photographing various topics such as the civil war in Yemen, the war in Kurdistan, Syrian refugees and more. Her photography has been awarded in a number of world contests, grants and festivals, including the World Press Photo, the GABO Journalism Award, the International Photography Awards (IPA) and others.

Anastasia Taylor-Lind - England

Anastasia Taylor-Lind is a photojournalist. She has degrees in Documentary Photography and is a 2016 Harvard Nieman Fellow. As a photographer, she works for leading editorial publications all over the world on issues relating to women, population and war, including National Geographic Magazine, TIME, Vanity Fair, The New Yorker, The New York Times, The Sunday Times, The Telegraph and The Guardian. Her photographs have been exhibited internationally, in spaces such as The Saatchi Gallery, the National Portrait Gallery in London, the Pikto Gallery in Toronto and more.

Camilo Racana - France

Camilo Racana is an independent art curator, art critic, art director and theater director. He has graduated from the Sorbonne in Paris. In his artistic career, he has been working as a curator (fine arts, contemporary art, cultural heritage, photography, etc.), organizer of exhibitions and cultural events, including AVIFF Carte Blanche Marrakech, 2010 and Cannes 2011, artistic director, designer and conference organiser to the Sorbonne, UNESCO and others.

Vladimir Vasilev - Bulgaria

Vladimir Vasilev is a documentary photographer. In 1998, he decided to dedicate his life to photography, and three years later he left his country to live in France. His photographs, however, straightly show his Slavic origin. His work has received numerous significant international awards. He is a finalist in the New East Photo Prize and participates in exhibitions of the Calvert 22 Foundation in London and St. Petersburg. He photographs man in all his essence, intimacy and exclusivity.

Nadezhda Chipeva - Bulgaria

Nadezhda Chipeva is a well-known Bulgarian photojournalist. One of those tireless photo reporters that we can see at every important event for years. Photographer, winner of many awards, including twice received journalistic award "Chernorizets Hrabar". She has started his career in the newspaper "Bulgarian Photography" in 1981, then worked for the Bulgarian Telegraph Agency, "24 Chasa" newspaper, "Sega" magazine, "Dnevnik" newspaper and "Capital" newspaper for more than 20 years now. She has several exhibitions in Bulgaria and abroad.

Raquel Benito - Spain

Raquel Benito is a Spanish wedding photographer. She has a Master's degree in Documentary Photography from EFTI, Madrid, as well as in History of Fine Arts. She has made a revolution in the world of wedding photography with her unique style, and in 2013 she was named one of the greatest European wedding photographers. She has been photographing all over the world from Spain, Italy, Germany to Australia, New York and Mexico.

Mohammed Salem - Palestine

Mohammed Salem is a Palestinian photojournalist based in the Gaza Strip. He has a Media Degree from the University of Al-Azhar, Gaza. He has been working for Reuters since 2003, mainly covering the conflict between Palestine and Israel, as well as other international events around the world. In 2013, he won first prize in the China International Press Photo Contest and was awarded second prize in the World Press Photo Contest 2010 in Spot News category. He was also selected to participate in the Joop Swart Masterclass, organized by WPP.

FAQ

Who can enter?

The contest is open to beginners, amateurs and professional photographers, regardless of their nationality, who lives and works in Bulgaria. The participants must be at least 18 years old.

What projects are eligible?

The only requirement is to enter the contest with a project (story) of 10-15 photos, regardless of whether it is a documentary, portrait or conceptual photography.

How many photos should be submitted?

The desired number is between 10-15 photos. Fewer photos can be submitted as long as they create a complete photographic body of work.

What are the technical specifications of the photographs?

The photos are submitted in .jpeg format, at 72dpi and 3000 pixels on the long side. In case of qualifying as a finalist, the organiser reserves the right to request the RAW (original) files.

Which is the time frame of the submitted photographic project?

There is no limit to the year and place of creation.

What is the submissions' deadline?

The deadline for submissions is May 31, 2021 at 23:59 UTC+2.

When will the results of the contest be announced?

The shortlisted projects and the winners will be announced in the middle of June 2021. The prizes will be awarded in a special ceremony event, which will take place in the end of June 2021, according to all health and safety protocols against COVID- 19 that will be in effect at the time.