FAQs
AGE
How old do I need to be to enter?
Entrants to the six open categories - Live Music, Underground Scenes, Making Music, Music Moment of the Year, Undiscovered Photographer of the Year and Jazz: The Rebirth of Cool must be over the age of 18.
CATEGORIES & AWARDS
How many categories are there?
There are nine categories in total. The MPAs has six open-entry categories: Live Music, Underground Scenes, Making Music, Music Moment of the Year, Undiscovered Photographer of the Year and this year’s guest category Jazz: The Rebirth of Cool.
There are also three invited categories which are not open to public entries: Icon, Portrait and Editorial which are chosen by the judging panel.
How many awards are there?
There are nine awards across two areas:
OPEN categories (six awards)– we welcome entries from undiscovered, emerging and established photographers.
INVITED categories (three awards) – there are three invited categories which are not open to public entries - these categories are nominated and invited by the judging panel.
What’s the difference between open and invited?
Open entries are for public submissions from undiscovered, emerging and professional photographers.
The invited category entries are nominated by the judging panel.
What’s the difference between open and invited?
Open entries are for everyone over the age of 18 – whether you’re an undiscovered talent, an emerging artist, or an established photographer.
The three invited categories are not open to public entries - these categories are nominated by the judging panel.
COMPETITION
How do I enter a category?
Simply register an account here. Once registered, you can pick the category you want to enter. Make sure you follow the category requirements and then hit submit. Easy and exciting!
When does the competition close?
You must submit your entry between 00:01 GMT on 30th May 2024 and 23:59 GMT on 18th July 2024.
How much does it cost to enter?
It’s completely free to enter the competition. So why not give it a shot?
How many photographs can I submit?
For Live Music, Underground Scenes and Making Music you will need to submit between three (3) and five (5) photographs from 2023. All images in your submission will be considered for the category award. If you are successful, the submissions panel will choose one of these photographs to go forward to the judging panel.
Undiscovered Photographer of the Year:
For this category, Undiscovered Photographer of the Year you will need to submit five (5) photographs from 2023.
Music Moment of the Year:
For Music Moment of the Year, you will need to submit three (3) photographs from 2023. All images in your submission will be considered for the category award. If you are successful, the submissions panel will choose one of these photographs to go forward to the judging panel.
Guest category: Jazz: The Rebirth of Cool
For our guest category Jazz: The Rebirth of Cool you will need to submit between three (3) and five (5) photographs. Images in this category are not required to be taken in 2023. All images in your submission will be considered for the category award. If you are successful, the submissions panel will choose one of these photographs to go forward to the judging panel.
Can I enter more than once?
You can only enter once per category.
You can enter several categories if the photographs you are submitting meet the criteria of that category.
Can I enter multiple categories?
Yes, you can enter multiple categories. You can only enter once per category.
Can I enter the same photograph into multiple categories?
You can enter the same photographs into multiple categories as long as your photos meet the criteria.
Why does my photograph have to be from 2023 in five (5) out of the six (6) categories?
The MPAs is an annual competition brought to you by Abbey Road Studios. Each year we celebrate photographs from the previous year. This year we are shining a light on 2023. Your photographs should be taken between 1st January 2023 to 31st December 2023.
The exception to this is our Guest Category Jazz: the Rebirth of Cool, which is a celebration of Jazz and serves as a vibrant homage to jazz photography through the years. In celebration of this, we will be accepting images that are not just from 2023.
I entered last year’s Music Photography Awards and was shortlisted; can I still enter this year?
Absolutely! We'd love to see your new work.
I entered last year’s Music Photography Awards and won an award; can I still enter this year?
Of course! Winners are welcome to enter again.
Can I make changes to my entry after I’ve submitted?
Unfortunately, no changes can be made after submission. Please review your entry carefully before finalising it.
What happens if I enter the wrong category?
You will not be able to make changes to your entry once it has been submitted. However, as you can enter multiple categories you will be able to enter the correct one. If you need to withdraw an incorrect entry, please contact mpa@abbeyroad.com.
How do I know if you’ve received my entry?
You’ll receive a confirmation email shortly after submitting. If you don’t see it, check your junk mail and ensure your email address was correct. Any concerns? Reach out to us at mpa@abbeyroad.com.
I am not a professional photographer can I still enter?
Yes, photographers of all levels are encouraged to enter the competition!
Do I retain copyright?
You must be the sole copyright owner of the photographs and the photographs must not infringe any right of any third party. Ownership of the copyright in any entry submitted to the Competition will remain with the copyright owner. As per the terms of entry, any submitted photographs may be used for the purposes of promoting the competition by Abbey Road or its competition partners and / or sponsors.
What happens to my photographs if I win?
Your photographs may be used on the MPAs, Abbey Road Studios and competition sponsors websites, social media, PR, broadcast, newsletters, podcasts, publications (and included in any promotional or branded videos related to the competition) and in physical and digital exhibitions, as well as by online, print and broadcast media reporting on the competition and its entrants.
Can I get feedback on my entry?
We’re currently unable to provide individual feedback on entries, but we do look at every submission!
Can I enter a computer-generated image?
Abbey Road Music Photography Awards were created to celebrate and showcase photography and the photographers behind the lens who capture these moments. We continue to support and embrace innovation and the use of innovative techniques, and we recognise that AI tools are used in elements of the photographic process. We’re excited about the ways AI can assist creators in moving culture forward and help photographers at all levels improve the quality of their work while extending principles of artistic authenticity. At Abbey Road we are exploring ways to ensure that generative AI rewards the people whose intellectual property is fuelling AI’s output. At present, as it is not possible to accurately determine the ownership of the source assets that are used to train AI models, any images that have been created by a generative AI platform are not admissible into this year’s Awards.
PHOTOGRAPHY SPECIFICATIONS
Size of photographs & format
Each photograph you submit will need to be between 1MB and 5MB and submitted in a JPEG, PNG, or GIF file format only. If you are selected as a nominee or a winner, you will be asked to provide a print-quality 300 DPI image file.
My files aren’t uploading – what should I do?
Please check the file size (between 1-5mb), format (.JPEG, .PNG) and that your file name contains only letters and numbers (no special characters). If you’re still experiencing problems, contact mpa@abbeyroad.com before the submission deadline.
JUDGING, AWARDS & PRIZES
Who is on this year’s Judging Panel?
To find out more about our judging panel head to our judges page here.
How is the competition judged?
There are two rounds of judging, the Submissions Panel and the Judging Panel.
What are the judges looking for?
We appoint a panel of judges to review entries. The open competition entries are judged, on an equal basis. The judges will select nominees and winners across the categories according to the judging criteria, including subject matter, technical skills, approach, creativity, and narrative.
What are the prizes?
Head to the categories page to see the prize details listed underneath each.
SHORTLISTED NOMINEES & WINNERS
How will shortlisted nominees and winners be notified?
All open entry nominated photographers will be notified in advance of the Awards Ceremony and will be invited to attend on Thursday 3 October 2024 at Abbey Road. Attendance is optional and will be at the sole cost and expense of the nominee.
Shortlisted Nominees
You may be required to submit a waiver form for anyone featured in the photograph. The waiver will state that you have full permission to enter the Competition and reproduce an image of the person/s featured in the photograph. If a selected photograph contains an image of a minor (person under the age of 18) then you will be required to submit a minor release form signed by the parent or legal guardian of the minor.
When will the winners be announced?
Winners will be announced at the MPAs ceremony hosted at Abbey Road on Thursday 3 October 2024.
THE AWARDS
Can I attend the awards?
Nominees will be invited to the Awards ceremony, however due to capacity restrictions photographers who have submitted images to the awards but were not shortlisted, will not be invited.
When is the awards ceremony?
The Abbey Road Music Photography Awards 2024 takes place on Thursday 3 October 2024 at Abbey Road Studios.
DATA PROTECTION
Any personal information provided hereunder will be subject to our privacy policy at https://privacy.umusic.com. We will collect, process and use the data provided concerning the Participant for purposes of management of the Competition.
KEEP UP TO DATE
How do I keep up to date with the competition?
Make sure to follow us on Instagram @abbeyroadmpa and sign up to our newsletter for essential tips, advice & news on our free networking nights