From April 15 to June 15, 2025, publishers, editors, artists, authors and designers from Germany, Austria, Switzerland and the extended D-A-CH region can submit their titles to the competition for the German Photo Book Award. This includes photographic images in book form, photo books as well as photographic text and illustrated books.
Every year, special achievements by publishers, editors, authors and designers with a focus on photographic images in book form are honored. Gold, silver and bronze medals are awarded in 12 categories, covering a wide range of photographic, creative, philosophical and printing techniques. An independent jury of experts will select the winners. The first stop for the titles nominated by the jury that have not yet won an award will be the Frankfurt Book Fair in October 2025.
The Regensburg organizers have expanded the category catalog to reflect the diverse, ever-changing photography and photo book landscape. Now photo-theoretical, photo-historical and photo-philosophical publications from the fields of photographic art and photo theory, philosophy, media and cultural studies, art and photo history can also be submitted.
The prestigious award has been organized for more than 25 years. It has been at home in Bavaria since 2022 and will be awarded for the third time as part of the INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL OF PHOTOGRAPHIC PICTURES REGENSBURG at the Städtische Galerie in November 2025.
Following the award ceremony, the winning titles will go on an exhibition tour through Germany, Europe and Asia for a year. All the titles submitted will then be placed in the Staatliche Bibliothek Regensburg and the Kunst- und Museumsbibliothek Köln. In this way, all photo book titles from each photo book year will not only be made accessible to the general public in the long term, but also to academics. All titles can be viewed and borrowed nationwide via the libraries, creating a comprehensive photo book archive in Regensburg in the medium term.
“Our aim is to submit all photobook titles to the jury each year that are published in the D-A-CH region within one year in accordance with the conditions of participation. For publishers and submitters with several titles, we offer an attractive package price via our online entry form.” Martin Rosner, Festival Director
“The photo book is a medium in its own right. As varied and diverse as the authors and publishers of photographic books are, the results are just as varied and multifaceted. It is about the cultural asset ‘photo book’. To be able to enjoy these photo books, they have to be picked up. That’s why we need the exhibition tour with the public. Photo books are haptic. They don’t work digitally.” Andy Scholz, festival director and publisher of the podcast ‘Fotografie Neu Denken’.
A participation fee is charged per title. Reduced participation fees apply for self-published publications and for students.
If you would like to be regularly informed about the festival, the Photo Book Prize and the podcast ‘Fotografie Neu Denken’, please subscribe to the newsletter.
Application deadline: April 15, 2025