Australia Cup

ELIGIBLE FOR APS HONOURS

The great Australian Photographic Challenge is on. We are looking for the best images from Australian Photographic Club members both as a club and as individual photographers. This is an opportunity for clubs to showcase their best work and to promote themselves. There will be 10 awards for clubs and 29 awards for individual photographers presented and the judging will be done by three naional judges. This is an opportunity put your clubs work on the global stage.

All you need to do is choose 20 of the best images made by club members and enter by 31 May 2026 and we will do the rest.

Theme - ALL SUBJECTS AUSTRALIANA
APS Approval No. 2026/05

We invite submissions featuring: Landscapes, Seascapes, Flora, Fauna, Architecture, Sport, People, Culture, Rural life, Heritage, Street photography.. anything that says ‘Australia’ to you.

- Images photographed in any territory of Australia are eligible.

This is an opportunity to Showcase your club’s collective talent

How to Enter:

It’s simple.

1.       Select 20 of the best ‘Australia’ images created by your club members
2.       Submit your entry by 31 May 2026
3.       We’ll take care of the rest

Australia’s stories are waiting to be told > from coast to outback, city to country.

Bring us your boldest, most breathtaking Australiana.

Let’s celebrate the beauty, character and spirit of Australia together.The Great Australian Photographic Challenge 2026 awaits!

Australiana Definition

Australiana celebrates the spirit, identity and visual story of Australia.

Under this theme, subjects may include (but are not limited to):

Landscapes & Seascapes – coastlines, deserts, bushland, mountains, rivers and outback scenes
Flora & Fauna – native plants, wildlife, marine life and natural habitats
Architecture & Built Environment – historic buildings, modern structures, rural properties and urban spaces
People & Culture – community life, traditions, events, diversity and everyday Australian moments
Sport & Recreation – grassroots to elite sport, iconic Australian pastimes
Rural & Heritage – farming life, regional communities, heritage sites and traditions
Street & Urban Life – candid moments, city scenes and contemporary Australian life

Most importantly, any subject photographed within any Australian Territory is eligible.

ONLINE ENTRY - OPENS 1st MARCH & CLOSES 31st MAY

Each club is invited to enter the competition. Images submitted are not required to be from APS members. All uploads must be completed by 31 May 2026.

RULES FOR CLUBS

***COMPOSITES***
Entries must be a single image as captured by the camera.
Images must not be ‘composite images’ that combine subjects or elements from different scenes, replacing a background or sky for example.

HDR, Image Stitching and focus stacking is permissible.

Club members are NOT required to be APS members to enter.

Each club may enter the competition at:

RULES FOR AUTHORS

20 PHOTOS PER CLUB ARE MANDATORY using the following limits;
- 2 image per person for clubs with more than 40 members,
- 3 images per person for clubs with less than or equal to 40 but more than 20 members,
- 3 images per person for clubs with less than or equal to 40 but more than 20 members,
- 4 images per person for clubs with less than or equal to 20 but more than 10 members,
- 5 images per person for clubs with 10 members or less.
Australian Clubs only are permitted to participate.
Authors may only enter with one club (coordinators must check that authors have only entered with one club). Club coordinators must advise their members if their image has been chosen for the club’s Australian Cup entry.
Coherency between photos is not required.
To Enter, each club will nominate a delegate to upload their club’s entry.
A Club's images wil not be presented to judges consecutively. A Club's 20 images will be distributed throughout rounds of judging in that section. Distribution of images will be in the same round order as submitted by the Club.
Images entered in previous Australian Cup competitions will not be accepted.
Colour or monochrome is accepted.

Image Specifications
– 1920px by 1200px
HORIZONTAL Images must be 1920px wide and let the height take care of itself as long as it does not exceed 1200px.
VERTICAL Images must be 1200px in height.
SQUARE oriented images must be 1200px by 1200px.
– The maximum file size is 2mb.

Composites
Entries must be a single image as captured by the camera.
Images must not be ‘composite images’ that combine subjects or elements from different scenes, replacing a background or sky for example is not allowed.

Note: The image details are asked for and entered after image has been uploaded.

Team-Based Scoring Policy
The Australian Cup Interclub Photography Competition is judged and awarded as a team event.
Only club aggregate scores and rankings are published. Individual image scores are not released.

This approach reflects the collective nature of the competition, ensures all contributing photographers are recognised equally, and acknowledges the inherently subjective nature of judging. By entering, clubs agree to this team-based scoring framework.

Awards

Awards are as follows:

Australia Cup for the club with the highest points.
APS Gold Medal for the club ranked second.
Electronic certificate for club website.
APS Silver Medal for the club ranked third.
Electronic certificate for club website.
APS Bronze Medal for the club ranked fourth.
Electronic certificate for club website.
APS Honourable Mentions for the clubs ranked 5th – 10th.
Electronic version for club website.
The authors of the club ranked 1st receive an Honourable Mention.
One APS gold medal, two APS silver medals and three APS bronze medals will be awarded to works of exceptional quality, independent of the clubs classification.
Each juror will award one image ‘Judges Choice Award’.
One Chairmans Choice Award.
Each author can only receive one prize.

All entered Images & individual awards are eligible to count as national acceptances towards APS Honours LAPS, AAPS.

EXHIBITIONS

The Australia Cup awards and results will be released during a virtual award presentation to be held on 10 July 2026. An electronic catalogue will be sent to all club co-ordinators.

JURY PANEL

		David Rowlands EFIAP FAPS PPSA SAPS Australia David is an avid nature and wildlife photographer, with a particular interest in macro photography. He also enjoys deep field astrophotography and travelling to distant locations for landscape and wildlife photography. A prominent Australian photographer and exhibition service chairman for the Australian Photographic Society. He is heavily involved in high-level photographic exhibitions and competitions.

		Adam Edwards Australia www.adamedwards.com.au The outback has always been home to me; it has played a huge role in shaping how I see and photograph the world. It’s a place that demands patience, creativity, and adaptability. You don’t get perfect conditions handed to you out here. You learn to work with what you’ve got and make it count. That mindset has become central to how I shoot and how I teach. Over the years, I’ve committed myself fully to this craft. I’ve spent countless hours behind the camera and at the computer, continually seeking ways to enhance and create images that feel genuine and personal. This year (2025), opening my gallery in Broken Hill was a big step. It’s more than just a space to display my work. It’s a way to celebrate this region, connect with others, and create a hub for photography and creativity in the outback. Sharing what I’ve learned has become just as important to me as creating the work itself. I know how much it helps to have support, real feedback, and a sense of community, especially when you’re trying to grow. That’s why I run workshops, mentor photographers, and continue to build spaces where people can connect, learn, and be inspired. Photography, for me, is about more than the final image. It’s about the process, the people, and the places that shape each frame.

		Brendan Waites Australia www.cameraandphoto.com.au Brendan Waites is a Professional Landscape photographer based in Ocean Grove on Victoria's Bellarine Peninsula. Brendan has been a part of Australia's photographic industry since the early 1990's. Being based in one of Australia's best locations for photography gives Brendan a lot of inspiration. Not only has Brendan worked in camera retail, he also managed Camera House in Geelong until 2013 at which time he ventured into his own operation, Ocean Grove Camera & Photo. Brendan has run photography workshops all over the country and is also one half of The Down South Photo Show - A much loved photography podcast.

		Stephanie Vella Australia www.stephanievella.com.au Ever since I was a kid, I absolutely loved travelling! Exploring and experiencing different parts of the world is my absolute favourite thing to do! I am constantly in awe of the natural beauty we have all around us and is my life's passion to try and capture and share even just some of that beauty. Work, Awards & Features: Nisi Filters Australia & Sirui Australia Ambassador Professional landscape photography workshop leader Professional portrait and event photographer Commissioned Articles written for Canon Australia Collaborating with various leading international brands including TomTom Navigation systems and Arsenal camera triggers. Running multiple social media accounts with over 1 million total followers Featured in the 2018 & 2019 Landscape Photographers Book (Nisi Filters Global) I am also the co-curator for a new hub called In Focus Women which celebrates and supports women in landscape photography from around the world.

CALENDAR

Open	1 March 2026
Close	31 May 2026
Judging	8-15 June 2026
Results/Presentation	10 July 2026
Catalogue Sent	1 August 2026

WORKS SIZE

A maximum size of 1920 pixels wide (horizontal direction) and 1200 pixels wide (vertical direction) with a maximum file size of 2mb.

ENTRY FEE

$40 per club payable on entry.

CONTACTS

Exhibition Chair: Pia Jessen EFIAP/p APSEM Hon FAPS
Email: Pia Jessen
Webmaster: Stella Fava
Email: Stella Fava

The Australia Cup

The Australian Cup is open to all members of camera clubs, providing a level playing field for photographers no matter where they live in the country.

The Cup offers an exciting opportunity to showcase the diversity of Australia in all its forms

For camera clubs, this is a chance to encourage members to think creatively and stretch their boundaries, in any direction the club chooses. How each club selects its images is entirely up to them.

Judges will evaluate entries based on artistic merit, composition, storytelling, and emotional impact, with technical quality naturally expected to be high.

So, what does Australia mean to you? How will you share your personal vision of this remarkable country?