The Nikon Iris Awards are the NZIPP’s commitment toward raising the profile and standard of professional photography in New Zealand. Entering the awards offers photographers professional development opportunities that will:
» Allow you to challenge your creative boundaries;
» Extend your photographic practices and expertise;
» Provide personal achievement and professional recognition amongst your peers;
» See some of the very best of NZ’s photographic talent awarded and on display.
With strong sponsorship support and media interest, the Nikon Iris Awards are an excellent opportunity for professional photographers to leverage from as part of their business marketing.

This year’s awards event will culminate with a premier awards presentation that includes the announcement of the coveted title of New Zealand Professional Photographer of the Year.

The NZIPP Honours Council wishes you all the best for an exciting and successful year!

Entry into the Nikon Iris Awards is open to:
» All professional photographers nationally and internationally – a professional is defined as a person who earns an income in the professional photography industry;
» Students enrolled in and studying photography or other creative arts programmes, full or parttime, at a recognised NZ tertiary institute.

After last year’s online awards we sent out a survey to all participants. We have listened to your feedback and made appropriate changes where possible. We are now offering:

The choice of entering in a digital OR print format OR a combination of both (excluding the Expressive Category, which must be a physical entry). Please note: print and digital images will be judged together, in the same category with one category winner;
Updated Nature Category rules;
The maximum number of total entries per participant is 20, with the exception of Students, who can enter a maximum total of four images. No entrant can submit more than four images in any one category;
A 5-year age limit on images – all elements must have been photographed since 01 May 2016;
Same subject may be used as long as the images are deemed visually different;
The Nature Category must have a title; and an optional caption is allowed in both the Nature and Expressive categories;
Uploaded files shall be sRGB;
The minimum print size has been changed to 25cm from 26cm;
The Landscape Category has been split into two; Landscape In-Camera, and Landscape Open;
The price for a print entry has significantly reduced.

All of the key information that entrants must read, including the criteria for each category, is available in a downloadable PDF given at the bottom of every category.

Save the Planet!
There is nothing in there that isn’t already on this website, so our suggestion is that you simply read the site instead, and if you need to print anything, only download and print the PDF for the categories you wish to enter. However, the entire PDF is also there for those who want it.