Summary

2025 ZEKE Awards

We are happy to announce that we will be giving two separate awards.
1. ZEKE Award for Systemic Change
2. ZEKE Award for Documentary Photography
Each awardee will receive $2,500

Photo by Natalya Saprunova, 2024 ZEKE Award for Documentary Photography Winner

ZEKE Award for Systemic Change
SDN is proud to partner again with the Foundation for Systemic Change for the fourth year. SDN will award one photographer the ZEKE Award for Systemic Change and a $2,500 honoraria to recognize their outstanding visual stories documenting systemic changes leading to sustainable solutions to important issues affecting the world today. We are particularly interested in issues related to the threat to democracy, human rights, global health, climate change, migration and refugees, conflict, race and gender, reproductive rights, sustainable farming practices, and others. We look to photographers to educate us as to what issues are most pressing and the change that is being done.

ZEKE Award for Documentary Photography
SDN will award one photographer the ZEKE Award for Documentary Photography and a $2,500 honoraria to recognize their success in documentary visual storytelling about any subject matter with an emphasis on themes that affect the global community. Jurors will look at quality of the photographic images and accompanying text and how well the combination adds to our understanding of the issue.  

It is not necessary to indicate which award you are applying to. The jurors will award one of each based on the work submitted.

View 2024 ZEKE Award recipients

Website open for submission: October 25, 2024
Deadline for submissions extended to: January 18, 2025
Entry Fee:  $25 now through December 31, 2024.  $30 January 1 through deadline.
Up to 30 images can be submitted and all submissions include a free exhibit on the SDN website for one year.
Scholarships available. Click here for details

Click here for complete award rules, requirements and to enter.
Already a member of SDN and ready to enter? Click here or just login to your account and get started.

Awards

Two First-Place Winners will receive

• $2,500 cash prize
• Featured in ZEKE magazine.
• Featured in exhibitions of ZEKE Award winners at Photoville in Brooklyn, NY in early June.
• Featured in in SDN's email Spotlight sent to SDN's 8,500 members and on SDN's home page, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram feeds.

Honorable Mentions

• Presented in ZEKE magazine.
• Featured in exhibitions of ZEKE Award winners at Photoville in early June.
• Featured in in SDN's email Spotlight sent to SDN's 8,500 members and on SDN's home page, X (Twitter), Facebook, and Instagram feeds.

Other benefits of submitting your work to the ZEKE Awards

• Even if you don't win, your work will be eligible for publication in ZEKE magazine.
• Select work is featured in SDN's social media feeds.
• All entries remain live on the SDN website for one year and can be renewed. 
• SDN periodically does other special online publications, including InFocus, that your work is eligible to be featured in.
   

Click here for complete award rules and requirements and to enter.
Already a member of SDN and ready to enter? Click here or just login to your account and get started.