Pictures of the Year Latam - Professionals

We are honored to announce that POY Latam, the most prestigious visual journalism contest in Ibero-America, is celebrating 10 years of uninterrupted work, and will be judged virtually under the auspices of POY International, Janssen, a group of Johnson & Johnson pharmaceutical companies, and the University of Miami School of Communication.

The Pictures of the Year International or POY, our mother contest, was created in 1944 by the University of Missouri-Columbia School of Journalism. Its photojournalism program is the oldest in the world and one of the most respected. Thanks to the support of the POY, we were able in 2011 to create a chapter of the contest for Ibero-America, which we have named POY Latam.

All topics have become secondary in the face of the global health crisis caused by the pandemic and the consequent economic crisis. As a result, this year POY Latam will have several categories about health sponsored by Janssen, a group of pharmaceutical companies from Johnson & Johnson. These categories aim to make visible the work of frontline health professionals and caregivers, as well as to highlight the importance of other diseases and the need to protect mental health during this pandemic.

For the first time, we have opened three special health categories on Instagram, for amateurs and freelance photographers.

As the world of visual journalism evolves, we are evolving with it. We are expanding our multimedia categories to include films as well as websites, social media documentary projects, interactive experimental works and 360º videos.

We have had to adjust to the new normal. The judges will meet virtually and each will make a shortlist on their own. Those essays or individual photos that receive positive votes from at least two judges will go to the final rounds, which will be broadcast live.

The mission of Pictures of the Year Latam (POY Latam) is to recognize excellence in documentary photography and photojournalism in Latin America. We propose a visual reflection on the development of human rights in Ibero-America, and on the issues that compromise and affect us. The contest sheds light on the remarkable realities of the past two years.

In 2021's POY Latam we will only accept images made in Latin America, Spain and Portugal, except in the News (series and singles) and Ibero-American Photographer of the Year categories, in which images made anywhere in the world will be accepted. Images must have been taken between January 1st, 2019 and January 2nd, 2021.

Awards
Ibero-American Photographer of the Year: One thousand dollars paid directly by POY Latam.
Janssen's health categories: One thousand dollars paid by Janssen.
Winners of the other categories: Digitally sent certificates