Applications are now open for Istanbul Photo Awards 2021, Anadolu Agency (AA)'s international news photography competition.

In its seventh year, the Istanbul Photo Awards will recognize and support photojournalists for their professional dedication.

The annual competition receives applications from over 100 countries every year, including established press institutions and a number of freelance journalists.

Photographers can submit photos of events they feel shaped 2020 within the contest's six categories: Story, Single, Sports Story, Sports Single, Story Daily Life and Story Portrait.

The submissions will be judged by a jury, comprising of prestigious figures from the world of photography. They will evaluate the works based on technical soundness, perspective, composition, action and emotion. The competition terms and conditions are available online.

The "Photo of the Year" title will be awarded to the winner of the Single News category and comes with a $6,000 (TL 44,000) prizemoney.

The winners in the other categories will receive $3,000 each, while the runners-up will receive $1,500 and those coming in third will receive $1,000. The categories of Story Daily Life and Story Portrait will only recognize the first place winner.

Over the last six years, winning photographs have been exhibited across Turkey and abroad. The photo album, comprised of the top photos that entered the competition, has garnered considerable recognition in the field of photojournalism.

Participants can submit their applications on the competition website until March 18, 2021.