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Compete for Mensa International Photographer of the Year

  • Mar 31, 2023
2021 PhotoCup Winner
Since 2004, the Mensa Convergence Project has sought entries from around the Mensan world for the International PhotoCup competition. John Page of British Mensa took top honors in Mensa International’s 2021 photography contest with his entry “Angler Angling.” John Page

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.

The theme for 2023 is Loud.

American Mensans can participate by submitting up to three photos no later than July 1. Photos should be in JPG/JPEG format (not to exceed 2 MB). All entries must be the sole work of the entrant. The top three winners will be sent to the International competition to compete with other Mensan entrants from around the world.

Complete rules

  1. This competition is organized by American Mensa as part of the International Project Convergence.
  2. The theme for 2023 is “Loud.”
  3. There is no fee for entry into the Competition. The entrant must be a member in good standing of American Mensa for the duration of the competition.
  4. Entries in the national competition must be received by July 1, 2023.
  5. When submitting your photo(s), please include your full name, membership number, e-mail address, and the title(s) of your photo(s) in the text of the email. Please do not include any information (e.g., name, title) on your photos as labels/tags. Any photos you submit must not contain any writing, watermarks, etc.
  6. Each entrant may submit up to three images only. Each photo should be in JPG/JPEG format (not to exceed 2 MB) and emailed to photocup@americanmensa.org.
  7. All entries must be the sole work of the entrant. 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. The entrant must own the copyright and any other intellectual property rights of each image submitted.
  8. 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. 
  9. 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.
  10. The closing date for the (International) Mensa World PhotoCup is August 31, 2023. 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.
  11. 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.
  12. 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.
  13. Contestants agree that their name and country may be published nationally and internationally.
  14. By submitting entries for the competition, the entrant accepts all the conditions listed above.