8th “Planet Earth, Planet Life” Contest
Image: photograph by Sascha Schallenberg, winner of the “Best Nature Photograph” award at the 7th “Planet Earth, Planet Life UC3M” Photography Contest.
To mark World Environment Day on June 5—which this year focuses on the urgent signals the Earth is sending us, under the slogan #ForTheClimateNow— the Carlos III University of Madrid is announcing the 8th edition of the “Planet Earth, Planet Life” Photography Contest, inviting the entire university community to celebrate this day, reflect on the need to protect and preserve our planet, and have their creativity recognized.
This contest is organized by the Office of the Vice President for Communication, Culture, and Transparency and the Office of the Vice President for Infrastructure, Strategy, and Digital Transformation.
The submission period for the photography contest begins on June 5 and ends on September 23, 2026, both dates inclusive.
More information
- To be a member of the university community.
- The photographs must be original and unpublished.
- Photos submitted to the contest must have a minimum resolution of 2,400 pixels.
- The caption for the photograph should be accompanied by a brief description of three or four lines.
Only one photograph may be submitted per category.
The photos will be uploaded along with the participant’s information requested at the link—first and last name, contact phone number, and email address:
Entry Form for the “Planet Earth, Planet Life” Photography Contest.
The email account must be the University’s official account. Use of any other account will result in automatic disqualification.
Nature photography: Landscapes, flora, fauna, or any other subject related to living organisms in their natural environment. For this edition, we will also consider photographs that highlight best environmental practices aimed at restoring degraded landscapes.
Environmental protest photography: Photography that highlights the degradation of urban or natural ecosystems caused by human activity, particularly actions that are contributing to desertification and soil erosion.
The following awards are established:
➢ Best nature photograph:
• First prize: €150
• Runner-up prize: Official UC3M sweatshirt
➢ Best environmental journalism photograph:
• First prize: 150€
• Runner-up prize: Official UC3M sweatshirt
The jury will be composed of experts from the professional field of photography and the Assistant Vice Rector for Culture—or a person designated by her—acting as the institutional representative.
- Michelle Curnis—Associate Vice Rector for Culture at Carlos III University of Madrid
- Mariví Ibarrula—photojournalist and professor at our university—captured Madrid’s “movida” scene of the 1980s
- Luis Hidalgo—Freelance photographer working in various fields, including lifestyle, documentary, corporate, and behind-the-scenes.
- Chus Recio—a photographer specializing in nature photography—has exhibited her work at PHotoEspaña
The task of evaluating and scoring the proposals will fall exclusively to the expert members of the jury. Although the Associate Vice Rector is a member of the jury, he or she will not participate in this scoring phase. However, the Associate Vice Rector is responsible for acting as an arbitrator and ensuring transparency in the process. In this regard, he or she will be responsible for:
● Ensure that the jury’s evaluation and decision-making process proceeds properly.
● Resolve any conflicts or questions that may arise among the expert members. In the event of a tie in the final scoring of the proposals, cast a deciding vote, the outcome of which will be final.
● In cases of irreconcilable disagreement among the expert members’ decisions, exercise the authority to settle the matter through a casting vote.
In evaluating the submitted photographs, the jury will consider the following criteria:
1- The extent to which the photograph contributes to the discussion and argumentation regarding the specific theme proposed for World Environment Day, whose slogan this year is: #NoPlasticPollution. Narrative relevance to the theme: Does the subject matter of the photograph relate to the proposed theme? 30%
2- Technical quality of the photograph, assessed based on the flexible criteria of the jury members who will select the photos. 40%
3- Visual impact of the photograph (understood as the degree of emotional impact the photograph has at first glance) in relation to its informational value (the facts it conveys about world events). 30%
The maximum possible score will be 100 points. The jury may propose the selection of alternate finalists in the event that the winner declines the award, or may declare the award void if it determines that no entry meets the required standard.
The jury’s decision will be made public in October 2026, by resolution of the Rector, based on a binding recommendation from the jury. Upon receiving this notification, recipients must confirm their acceptance of the award and submit the necessary information to receive the prize. Once this deadline has passed,
the right to receive the corresponding award will expire.
View the complete rules for this call for entries here: