A work titled 'Cloud' by Stefania Boniglo (Italy), a third prize winner in KLPA's Top 30 Autoportrait series in 2024. Photo: KLPA
The Kuala Lumpur International Photoawards (KLPA) has announced the open call for its 18th edition in 2025.
Ranked among the world's top 50 photography competitions, KLPA draws global talent to the portrait photography stage.
Since 2009, KLPA has been a key platform for contemporary portraiture, especially in South-East Asia, offering photographers global exposure and career opportunities.
For the KLPA2025 edition, the competition takes a fresh turn with the theme "Critical Eye – Portraits From The Street".
This shift challenges photographers to capture compelling street portraits that reflect the raw and spontaneous essence of life. Unlike the previous edition, which focused on staged portraiture, this year's theme encourages participants to embrace the unpredictability of street photography, requiring keen observation and a discerning eye.
Steven Lee, director of KLPA, throws down the gauntlet to the newer generation of photographers with this theme, urging them to push boundaries, rethink conventions, and bring fresh perspectives to the frame.
“Over the past years of KLPA, we have enjoyed various thematic references to portraiture – be it staged, intimacy, self-portraits, etc. However, to the majority of young photographers and newcomers to the art, street photography is the most accessible and straightforward to photograph,” says Lee in a recent interview.
Street portraiture is often unplanned and fleeting, making it a daunting yet rewarding challenge for photographers.
KLPA champions street portraits driven by spontaneity, complexity, and artistry over rigid rules. The open call invites participants to impress the panel of judges with powerful, enigmatic, and thought-provoking portraits captured in diverse street settings.
“KLPA2025 focuses on portraits taken in street settings – and can either be casual and spontaneous images, directed or documentary in nature. No holds barred to this edition, however, portraits must be compelling and engage with the viewer. My advice is to avoid the cliché and unimaginative takes,” says Lee.
Submissions for KLPA2025 will close on March 30, with judging taking place in April. The finalists will be announced in June, and the top 35 selected portraits will be exhibited at the Hin Bus Depot arts space in George Town, Penang in September.
Beyond the exhibition, finalists' works will be screened at international partner festivals, expanding their reach.
The KLPA2025 first-place recipient will take home US$2,000 (RM8,965) and a fully sponsored Hin Art Residency (an open programme at Hin Bus Depot).
The second and third-place winners will receive US$1,000 (RM4,482) and US$500 (RM2,241), respectively. Meanwhile, the special Students Category aims to spotlight emerging talent, awarding US$200 (RM896) each to the top three student entries, offering them both recognition and encouragement.
Photographers interested in participating can submit their entries via the official website here.
