Compete for Mensa International Photographer of the Year
- Apr 2, 2026
The art of photography is an area where Mensans from more than 50 countries with different languages, customs, and traditions can converge with a single, visual language. Use your creativity, skills, and technical expertise to produce your entry in this year’s PhotoCup competition.
This competition is organized by American Mensa as part of the International Project Convergence. American Mensans can participate by submitting up to three photos to photocup@americanmensa.org no later than July 31.
KEY INFORMATION
● 2026 Theme: SPARK OF EVOLUTION
● Deadline for American PhotoCup submissions: July 31, 2026
● American PhotoCup 2026 coordinator: photocup@americanmensa.org
COMPLETE RULES: DOs & DON'Ts
DOs
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You must be a Mensa member in good standing and you must remain a member in good standing for the duration of the competition.
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When submitting your photo(s), you must include your full name, membership number, e-mail address and the title(s) of your photo(s).
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You may submit up to 3 photos (maximum of 3). Each photo should:
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be in JPG/JPEG format
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have a resolution of 150 DPI or higher
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not exceed 10 MB
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In order for the competition to be fair, and in order to allow the judging panel to accurately score your photo(s), you must provide “EXIF data” for each image you submit. Click here for an explanation of EXIF data and step-by-step instructions.
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Focus on the Theme: Each individual image should independently reflect the theme "Spark of Evolution".
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“Global Editing” is allowed. Global Editing involves applying changes across the whole image. The following common edits are allowed: cropping, re-framing, straightening. The other Global Editing techniques that we allow are:
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color correction across the whole image; e.g. changing to sepia, greyscale, monochrome.
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changes to the following settings: light balance, brightness, exposure, contrast, highlights, shadows, saturation, tint, temperature, sharpness, definition.
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Each photograph you submit must be your own original work, and you must be the sole and exclusive owner of the copyright and all other intellectual property rights associated with each submitted image.
DON'Ts
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This is a Photography competition, not a Photostory contest. Do not submit a photo story or a series of images intended to be viewed in a specific order.
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Pre-dated images (photos taken before 1st January 2026) may not be submitted. If you are using a Digital camera, please ensure it shows the correct date before taking a picture.
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AI-generated images will not be accepted. Any such entry will be disqualified, and any member submitting such images will be banned from entering future competitions.
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Your photo(s) must not include anything that was not naturally captured in the original camera image, such as labels, watermarks, tags, numbers, symbols, letters or words (e.g. your name/signature/initials).
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Anything beyond the scope of “Global Editing” (see point 6 of DOs, above) is not allowed. Specifically, the following edits are not allowed: removing objects, masking or grading parts of photos, changing only the background colour, targeting your edits so they affect only certain areas, and the use of AI-powered editing.
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Any promotion of your entries (or any promotion of your entries by other people or groups on your behalf) is not allowed.
ADDITIONAL NOTES:
- The three best entries in the national competition will be selected by a locally organized judging panel. Entries will be judged on the effectiveness of how they convey the theme as well as composition, technical, and other considerations. The decision of the judging panel is final.
- The three best entries in each national Mensa competition will be included in the Mensa World PhotoCup competition, run under the supervision of Mensa International.
- The closing date for the (International) Mensa World PhotoCup is August 31, 2026. The International winner (MIL Photographer of the Year) will be selected by a professional judging panel which will include the Mensa International Chairman ex-officio.
- Winning photographs will become part of the “Mensa IPC Collection” and will be exhibited at the Annual Gatherings and otherwise publicized, inside and outside of Mensa.
- Entrants will retain copyright of their photos but will grant Mensa non-exclusive rights for publication in Mensa journals, on Mensa websites, on Photo SIG posters, for display in exhibitions, or other appropriate places as part of the Mensa IPC Collection without any financial reward to the contestant.
- Contestants agree that their name and country may be published nationally and internationally.
- By submitting entries for the competition, the entrant accepts all the conditions listed above.
TERMS & CONDITIONS
You consent to the publication of your name, photograph title(s), and the name of your national Mensa organisation (or, where applicable, your country of residence), both within and outside Mensa.
You shall retain the copyright to your photographs. However, by submitting your photographs, you hereby grant Mensa International Ltd., its affiliated national Mensa organisations, and any corporate entities associated with Mensa International Ltd. a perpetual, worldwide, royalty-free, and non-exclusive license to use, reproduce, publish, distribute, display, and otherwise utilise the photographs in any format or medium, whether now known or hereafter developed.
This license includes, but is not limited to use:
- on websites and social media platforms;
- in newsletters, magazines, journals, photography Special-Interest Group posters, and other promotional materials;
- in galleries and exhibitions;
- and in any other events, whether conducted virtually or in physical settings, by Mensa International Ltd., its affiliated national Mensa organisations, or any corporate entity authorised by Mensa International Ltd. to use such materials.
You acknowledge and agree that no financial compensation or remuneration shall be provided to you for such use.