FAQs
AGE
How old do I need to be to enter?
Entrants to the Live Music, Underground Scenes, In the Studio, Music Moment of the Year and Undiscovered Photographer of the Year categories must be over the age of 18.
All entrants to Hip Hop 50 category must be over the age of 25.
CATEGORIES & AWARDS
How many categories are there?
There are ten (10) categories in total. The MPAs has six (6) open-entry categories: Live Music, Underground Scenes, In the Studio, Music Moment of the Year, Undiscovered Photographer of the Year. There are also four (4) categories which are not open to public entries: Icon, Portrait, Editorial and Artist at Work are invited and chosen by the judging panel.
How many awards are there?
There are ten (10) awards across two areas:
OPEN categories (six awards)– we welcome entries from undiscovered, emerging and established photographers.
INVITED categories (four awards) – there are four invited categories which are not open to public entries, and these will be nominated 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 public submissions from undiscovered, emerging, and established photographers.
The invited category entries are nominated by the judging panel.
COMPETITION
How do I enter a category?
You will need to register an account first, you can do that here. Once registered, you’ll be able to select the category you want to enter. Make sure to follow the requirements of each category before hitting the submit button on your entry.
When does the competition close?
You must submit your entry between 00:01 BST on 6th June 2023 and 23:59 BST on 18th July 2023.
How much does it cost to enter?
It’s completely free to enter the competition.
How many photographs can I submit?
For Live Music, Underground Scenes and In the Studio you will need to submit between three and five photographs from 2022. 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 you will need to submit five photographs from 2022.
Music Moment of the Year:
For this category you will need to submit three photographs from 2022, selecting one image as your Music Moment of the Year. 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.
Hip-Hop 50:
For Hip-Hop 50 you will need to submit between three and five photographs taken between 1st January 1973 and 31st December 2022. 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 one photograph into multiple categories?
Yes, you can enter the same photograph into multiple categories if the photographs you are submitting meet the criteria of that category.
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.
Why does my photograph have to be from 2022 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 will be celebrating photographs from the previous year. This year we are shining a light on 2022. Your photographs should be taken between 1st January 2022 to 31st December 2022.
The ‘Hip-Hop 50' category is in celebration of the 50th anniversary of Hip-Hop and serves as a vibrant homage to 50 years of photography. In celebration the MPAs will be accepting images from the last 50 years (1st January 1973 – 31st December 2022).
I entered last year’s Music Photography Awards and was shortlisted; can I still enter this year?
Yes, you can still enter the competition.
I entered last year’s Music Photography Awards and won an award; can I still enter this year?
Yes, you can still enter the competition.
Can I make changes to my entry after I’ve submitted?
You will NOT be able to make changes to your entry once it has been submitted. Please review your entry carefully before finalising your entry.
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 will receive a confirmation email shortly after you have submitted your entry. If you don’t receive a confirmation email, please check your junk mail and check that the email address you used to submit your entry is correct. If you have any concerns, please contact 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 of the competition by Abbey Road Studios 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, 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 are unable to provide individual feedback on entries.
Can I enter a computer-generated image?
Abbey Road Studios 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
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 each entry. The open competition entries are judged, on an equal and anonymous 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?
Find the prizes for each category here. As well as a prize all winners will be awarded with an MPAs trophy.
SHORTLISTED NOMINEES & WINNERS
How will shortlisted nominees and winners be notified?
All open-entry shortlisted photographers will be notified of their shortlisting in advance and will be invited to attend the awards ceremony on Thursday 21st September at Abbey Road Studios. Attendance is optional and will be at the sole cost and expense of the nominee.
When will the winners be announced?
Winners will be announced at the MPAs ceremony on hosted at Abbey Road Studios on Thursday 21st September at Abbey Road Studios.
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.
THE AWARDS
Can I attend the awards?
Shortlisted photographers will be invited to the Awards ceremony, but 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 Studios Music Photography Awards 2023 take place on Thursday 21st September 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?
You can sign up for MPAs newsletter here to keep up to date with all the latest news, events and announcements. Plus, don’t forget to follow us on social media! @abbeyroadmpa on Instagram