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Submit your photo series and take part in the 2026 Wex Photo Video Human Impact Awards.

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Explore the photographers and projects recognised in previous Human Impact Awards.

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Photography that explores how people shape, affect and respond to the world around them.

The Wex Photo Video Human Impact Awards, in partnership with Sony, invite photographers to submit a 5–10 image series exploring the theme of human impact.

The brief is intentionally open. Your work could focus on community, identity, environment, culture, technology, care, resilience or everyday connection. Human impact does not have to mean crisis; we're looking for thoughtful visual stories with a clear point of view.

Submit a photo series of 5–10 images that responds to the theme of human impact.

Your work could explore, but is not limited to:

  • Community and belonging
  • Identity and representation
  • Climate, land and environment
  • Urban life and changing places
  • Protest, activism and social change
  • Care, connection and resilience
  • Culture, ritual and tradition
  • Technology and its effect on daily life
  • Inequality, displacement or overlooked stories
  • Everyday humanity

Your series should work as a body of work, not just a collection of individual images. We are looking for strong visual storytelling, a considered approach and a clear connection to the theme.

The competition is free to enter and open to images made on any device, camera brand or system.

Aria Shahrokshahi - Calais Burning

Professional prizes.

1st prize: £5,000

2nd prize: £3,000

3rd prize: £1,000

The Phil Smith Student Award.

1st prize: Sony A7 IV + Sony FE 24-70mm f2.8 GM II

2nd prize: Sony A7C II + Sony FE 24-70mm f2.8 GM

3rd prize: Sony A6700 + Sony E 16-55mm f2.8 G

Named in memory of Phil Smith, a much-loved member of the Wex Business Team, this award celebrates exceptional student photography and his passion for the arts.

Emily Shade, A Temporary Kind of Forever
  1. Who can enter the competition?

    The Human Impact Awards are open to UK residents aged 18 or over at the time of entry. Employees of Wex Photo Video, Sony and anyone directly connected with the competition are not eligible to enter.

  2. Do I need to buy anything to enter?

    No. Entry is completely free and no purchase is necessary.

  3. When do entries close?

    Entries close at 11:59pm on 31 January 2027.

  4. What do I need to submit?

    Each entry must include a series of 5–10 JPEG images that respond to the Human Impact Awards brief, together with a short project description.

  5. Can I enter photographs taken on a smartphone?

    Yes. Images captured on any camera or smartphone are welcome, provided they are your own original work and meet the competition brief.

  6. Can I use AI-generated images or stock photography?

    No. AI-generated imagery, stock photography or images that are not your own original work are not permitted and will result in disqualification.

  7. How do I enter the Student Award?

    Student entrants must provide a valid school or university email address, their course details and a personal email address when submitting their entry.

  8. Who judges the competition?

    Entries are reviewed by an independent panel of respected photographers and industry professionals. The judges’ decision is final.

  9. Do I keep the copyright to my images?

    Yes. You retain full copyright of your work. By entering, you grant Wex Photo Video permission to use your submitted images to promote the Human Impact Awards across its marketing channels.

  10. How will winners be contacted?

    Winners will be contacted using the email address provided with their entry. If we are unable to make contact within 28 days, we reserve the right to offer the prize to another entrant.

  11. How will my personal data be used?

    Your personal information will only be used to administer the competition and in accordance with our Privacy Policy and UK GDPR requirements.

  1. The Promoter is Wex Photo Video. Wex Photo Video is a trading name of Calumet Photographic Limited (Company Registration no. 00425579) and Warehouse Express Limited (Company Registration no. 03366976). Registered office: 13 Frensham Road, Norwich, NR3 2BT.
  2. The competition is open to UK residents aged 18 years or over at the time of entry, excluding employees of Wex Photo Video, Sony, the companies or organisations involved in running the competition, their agents and anyone directly connected with the competition.
  3. No purchase is necessary to enter or win.
  4. Entrants must submit a series of between 5 and 10 images to enter either the Professional Award or the Phil Smith Student Photography Award.
  5. Entries must respond to and comply with the Human Impact Awards competition brief.
  6. Entries must be accompanied by a short project description.
  7. All images submitted to the competition must be in JPEG format.
  8. Entries may be submitted at any time while the competition is open. The closing date is 11:59pm on 31 January 2027. Entries received after this time will not be accepted.
  9. The winners of the Professional Award will receive the following prizes:
    • 1st Prize: £5,000
    • 2nd Prize: £3,000
    • 3rd Prize: £1,000
  10. The winners of the Phil Smith Student Photography Award will receive the following prizes:
    • 1st Prize: Sony A7 IV and Sony FE 24–70mm F2.8 GM II
    • 2nd Prize: Sony A7C II and Sony FE 24–70mm F2.8 GM
    • 3rd Prize: Sony A6700 and Sony E 16–55mm F2.8 G
  11. Prizes are subject to availability. Wex Photo Video reserves the right to substitute any prize with an alternative of equal or greater value if circumstances outside its control make this necessary. No cash alternative will be offered for the Student Award prizes.
  12. Student entries must be accompanied by a valid school or university email address, course details and a personal email address.
  13. Entries must consist of original photographs captured by the entrant using a camera or smartphone. AI-generated imagery, stock photography and images created or captured by another person are not permitted and will result in disqualification.
  14. Images containing unlawful, offensive or inappropriate material may be rejected or removed from the competition at Wex Photo Video’s discretion.
  15. By submitting an entry, the entrant confirms that they are the copyright holder and that all submitted images are their own original work.
  16. Wex Photo Video reserves the right to ask an entrant to provide a high-resolution and/or RAW version of any submitted image, including embedded metadata, where verification of the image’s authenticity or ownership is required.
  17. Anyone found to have entered images belonging to another person, or to have provided misleading information about the creation or ownership of an image, will be disqualified.
  18. Entrants retain full copyright of all submitted images. By entering, entrants grant Wex Photo Video a non-exclusive, royalty-free licence to reproduce, publish and display their submitted images in connection with the administration and promotion of the Human Impact Awards.
  19. This permission includes use on the Wex Photo Video website, social media channels, email marketing, press communications, printed promotional materials and coverage of the competition and its winners. Where reasonably practicable, photographers will be credited.
  20. Entrants confirm that they have obtained any permissions or releases reasonably required from people featured in their images and that the publication of their work will not infringe the rights of any third party.
  21. It is the entrant’s responsibility to ensure that their submitted images comply with applicable laws, including privacy and data-protection requirements.
  22. Entries will be reviewed by a judging panel selected by Wex Photo Video. The judges’ decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into regarding the result.
  23. Winners will be contacted using the email address supplied with their entry. Reasonable efforts will be made to contact each winner.
  24. If a winner cannot be contacted, does not respond or does not claim their prize within 28 days of being contacted, Wex Photo Video reserves the right to withdraw the prize and offer it to another entrant.
  25. All entrants are deemed to have accepted these Terms and Conditions and agree to reasonable publicity if selected as a winner.
  26. Winners may be announced across Wex Photo Video’s website, email communications, press materials and social media channels, including Instagram, Facebook, X and YouTube.
  27. Wex Photo Video reserves the right to disqualify any entrant whose submission breaches these Terms and Conditions, the competition brief or the spirit of the competition.
  28. Wex Photo Video reserves the right to remove an entry, withhold a prize or select an alternative winner where it reasonably believes that an entrant has acted fraudulently, dishonestly or unfairly.
  29. Personal data collected in connection with the competition will be used to administer entries, contact entrants, verify eligibility, arrange prizes and promote the competition and its winners.
  30. Personal data will be processed in accordance with applicable UK data-protection legislation and Wex Photo Video’s Privacy and Personal Data Policy.
  31. Personal information will not be disclosed to third parties unless this is necessary for the administration of the competition, fulfilment of a prize, compliance with a legal obligation or where the entrant has otherwise consented.
  32. Wex Photo Video accepts no responsibility for entries that are lost, delayed, incomplete, corrupted, misdirected or not successfully submitted because of a technical fault, network failure or any other issue outside its reasonable control.
  33. Wex Photo Video reserves the right to cancel, suspend, extend or amend the competition where circumstances outside its reasonable control make this necessary.
  34. The competition is subject to Wex Photo Video’s general terms and conditions, which can be found here.
  35. Wex Photo Video reserves the right to amend these Terms and Conditions at any time. Any material changes will be published on the competition page.