2026 Architectural Photography Competition (APC26)
August 31 @ 11:59 pm – October 31 @ 11:59 pm
Accepting Entries through October 31, 2026.
Capture the built environment through your unique perspective. APC26 celebrates the art of architectural photography and recognizes outstanding images that interpret architecture through composition, light, materiality, and place.
Categories
- Exterior – Buildings and the built environment from the outside
- Interior – Interior spaces and architectural details
- Regional Focus* – Architecture located within the AIA Long Beach/South Bay chapter boundaries; click on the map to see our chapter boundaries.
- People’s Choice – All entries automatically qualify
We invite photographs that reveal the power of architecture through thoughtful composition, light, texture, scale, and human experience. Whether capturing a dramatic exterior, an intimate interior, or a meaningful place within our region, the strongest entries will offer a compelling visual interpretation of the built environment.
Submission Highlights
- Original photographs only
- Built environment subjects
- Enter one category per image
- Multiple entries welcome
- 5 MB maximum upload size**
- Winners provide high-resolution files
Entry Fees
- AIA Members: $25
- Students: $10
- Non-Members: $35
Judging focuses on the photographic image—not the architecture itself.
Final day to submit: October 31 by 11:59 pm!
Winners announced December 2026.
*Regional Focus entries may also be considered for inclusion as a rendering in the 2027 Color Your City architecture coloring book, with photographer credit.
**Winning photographers will be asked to provide a print-quality high-resolution image.