The 10 Most Bizarre Photography Contests Around the World

Photography contests are typically thought of as spaces for serious competition, where professional and amateur photographers alike showcase their skills in capturing the beauty of the world. But for those who seek something a little more unconventional, there are contests that celebrate the quirky, the strange, and the downright bizarre. These competitions often push the boundaries of creativity, inviting participants to embrace the unconventional and see the world through a different lens. Here, we explore the ten most bizarre photography contests around the world, celebrating unique perspectives and the eccentricity of the art form.

1. The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards

Location: International

Description: When it comes to blending humor with nature, the Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards is in a league of its own. This contest encourages photographers to capture the funny side of the animal kingdom, from a bear striking a yoga pose to a bird with a comically expressive face. The competition was founded by professional photographers Paul Joynson-Hicks and Tom Sullam, who wanted to raise awareness about wildlife conservation while bringing a smile to people's faces.

Why It’s Bizarre: Unlike most wildlife photography contests that celebrate the majesty and beauty of nature, this one revels in the goofy, clumsy, and often hilarious moments that animals can produce. It’s a reminder that even in the wild, humor has a place. Submissions range from a squirrel looking like it's waving hello to a fish photobombing a scuba diver.

2. The Underwater Photographer of the Year: Weird & Wonderful Category

Location: London, United Kingdom

Description: The Underwater Photographer of the Year competition, based in the UK, features a special category called "Weird & Wonderful." This section is dedicated to the oddities of the underwater world, showcasing sea creatures and scenes that defy expectations. From alien-like jellyfish to fish with unusual facial expressions, photographers are encouraged to dive deep (literally) and capture the most surreal aspects of life below the surface.

Why It’s Bizarre: The oceans are home to some of the strangest creatures on Earth, and this contest celebrates that strangeness. The photographs often look like they belong in a sci-fi movie, featuring glowing sea slugs, translucent octopuses, and other bizarre marine life that most people never get to see. It’s a contest that blurs the line between reality and the fantastical, making viewers question what lies beneath the waves.

3. The Siena International Photo Awards: Story-telling Through Muddy Faces

Location: Siena, Italy

Description: While the Siena International Photo Awards is known for its broad focus on storytelling through photography, one of its lesser-known yet fascinating themes focuses on “Muddy Faces.” Photographers in this category submit images that highlight the interaction between people, culture, and the earth, with a special focus on mud. This could range from muddy sports, traditional festivals where participants cover themselves in mud, to scenes of children playing in monsoon rains.

Why It’s Bizarre: It’s not every day that a photography competition asks you to get down and dirty—literally. The “Muddy Faces” theme is bizarre in its celebration of messiness and its ability to capture human connection to the land in a way that is both intimate and unpolished. The resulting images are often raw, revealing the joy, hardship, and culture of communities around the world.

4. The Toilet Photography Contest

Location: International

Description: Yes, you read that right—there is an entire contest dedicated to the humble toilet. The Toilet Photography Contest aims to celebrate this essential, albeit often overlooked, part of daily life. Photographers are invited to submit images of toilets from all over the world, whether they are capturing the beauty of ancient public restrooms in Europe, the quirky design of modern bathrooms in Japan, or the simplicity of an outdoor toilet in remote parts of Africa.

Why It’s Bizarre: Toilets are not exactly the first thing that comes to mind when thinking of photogenic subjects, but this contest takes a surprisingly thoughtful approach. It highlights the cultural differences in sanitation, the architecture of bathrooms, and the quirky designs that can turn an ordinary toilet into an art piece. What makes it bizarre is the unexpected depth and creativity that photographers bring to a subject most people prefer not to think about.

5. The Ugly Animal Preservation Society Photo Competition

Location: United Kingdom

Description: The Ugly Animal Preservation Society’s photo competition is all about highlighting the less aesthetically appealing creatures of our world. Unlike traditional nature photography contests that focus on the majestic lion or the beautiful butterfly, this contest shines a spotlight on animals that are often overlooked for their unconventional appearances—think blobfish, naked mole rats, and axolotls.

Why It’s Bizarre: The contest challenges our perception of beauty in the natural world, offering a platform for creatures that are rarely celebrated. It’s both bizarre and heartwarming to see photographers capture the unique charm of animals that are, as the organizers put it, “aesthetically challenged.” The competition serves a larger purpose too, raising awareness about endangered species that don’t get as much attention due to their unconventional appearances.

6. The World Beard and Moustache Championships Photo Contest

Location: International

Description: A celebration of facial hair in all its glory, the World Beard and Moustache Championships is a biennial event that brings together people with the most creative, elaborate, and downright strange facial hair styles. Accompanying the championships is a photography contest that captures these masterpieces of grooming, with photographers documenting everything from handlebar moustaches to full beards sculpted into intricate shapes.

Why It’s Bizarre: This contest is a celebration of facial hair as an art form, and the results are often as strange as they are mesmerizing. The photographs document styles that range from gravity-defying curls to beards shaped into animals or symbols. It’s a tribute to human creativity and the lengths to which people will go to stand out, even if it means spending hours crafting a beard into the shape of a Viking ship.

7. The World’s Best Shoes Photography Contest

Location: International

Description: The World’s Best Shoes Photography Contest invites photographers to focus solely on shoes. The subject matter can range from designer footwear on the streets of Paris to weathered boots on the feet of farmers in rural India. The aim is to capture the story a pair of shoes can tell—where they’ve been, the journeys they’ve taken, and the personalities of those who wear them.

Why It’s Bizarre: While shoes may seem like an unlikely focal point for a photography contest, they can serve as powerful symbols of identity, culture, and experience. The photos submitted often tell rich, visual stories that go beyond mere footwear, offering insights into the lives of people around the world. It’s a strange yet fascinating exploration of how much a simple pair of shoes can reveal.

8. The Night of the Living Selfies

Location: Los Angeles, USA

Description: The Night of the Living Selfies is a Halloween-themed photography contest where participants are encouraged to capture the most eerie, bizarre, and creative selfies. Think selfies in haunted houses, spooky costumes, or shots that play with shadow and light to create unsettling effects. The contest aims to blend the popularity of selfies with the spookiness of Halloween.

Why It’s Bizarre: Selfies are typically associated with casual moments or carefully posed shots on social media, but this contest flips that expectation. The result is a collection of images that range from darkly humorous to genuinely eerie. It’s a strange celebration of self-expression and the way modern technology intersects with ancient traditions of storytelling and fear.

9. The International Drone Foot-in-Mouth Contest

Location: International

Description: The International Drone Foot-in-Mouth Contest is a tongue-in-cheek competition that encourages drone photographers to capture the funniest or most awkward moments of people caught off-guard by drones. Whether it's a person being surprised by a drone mid-hike or someone caught making a strange face while unaware they’re being filmed, the results are often hilarious.

Why It’s Bizarre: Drones have revolutionized photography by allowing us to capture stunning aerial shots, but this contest focuses on the awkward human interactions that happen when people encounter a drone up close. It’s a lighthearted celebration of those unplanned moments, highlighting the strange yet comical side of modern technology.

10. The Fake Vacation Photo Contest

Location: International

Description: The Fake Vacation Photo Contest challenges photographers to create images that make it look like they’re traveling the world—without actually leaving home. Whether using green screens, clever photo editing, or elaborate indoor setups, participants submit photos that make it appear as though they’re visiting iconic destinations or embarking on exotic adventures.

Why It’s Bizarre: This contest flips the concept of travel photography on its head, turning the focus to the creativity involved in faking a scene. It pokes fun at the social media culture of presenting an idealized version of life, while also showcasing the artistry of photo manipulation. The result is a mix of humorous, surreal, and surprisingly convincing fake travel photos that highlight the lengths people will go to for a perfect shot.

Conclusion

These ten bizarre photography contests celebrate the unexpected, offering platforms for photographers to explore subjects that are often overlooked or dismissed. While traditional photography competitions focus on technical skill, composition, and aesthetic appeal, these contests challenge participants to think outside the box, embracing humor, oddity, and the unconventional. In a world where photography often strives for perfection, these competitions remind us that sometimes, it's the weird, the wild, and the wonderfully strange that leave the biggest impression.