realme announces Photography Awards 2026

New Delhi, Jan 6 (IANS) realme, the most popular smartphone brand among Indian youth, on Tuesday announced the Photography Awards 2026, reinforcing its commitment to empower young creators through accessible, flagship-grade mobile imaging.

The 2026 edition will be evaluated by a distinguished jury comprising realme Chief Marketing Officer Chase Xu, renowned portrait photographer Zhou Run, street photographer Liao Yakun, European photographer and director Simon Bramann, and Indian visual artist Roshni Shah.

As part of the announcement, realme unveiled the next phase of the Photography Awards for the realme 16 Pro Series, with the theme “Real Celebrating Moments.”

The new phase invites creators to capture moments of celebration, reunion, and personal milestones that define real life. Submissions will be open from January 6 to March 20, and entries can be submitted through a standard application process on the realme Photography Awards website.

The applicants can submit their application through the realme Photos app with one-click submission.

“At realme, photography has always been about people, not just pictures. The realme Photography Awards were created to celebrate real stories, real emotions, and the individuals behind every image," said Francis Wong, Chief Marketing Officer, realme India.

"With the Photography Awards 2026, we want to give young creators a platform to express their genuine perspectives of the world, while also honouring the outstanding work from the first phase of the competition that truly captured the spirit of honest, meaningful visual storytelling,” Wong added.

Launched as a community-first platform, the realme Photography Awards were conceived to celebrate authentic storytelling through everyday imagery. The previous edition received thousands of entries from across India, showcasing real emotions, personal narratives, and diverse creative perspectives from young photography enthusiasts.

“As we begin the next phase of the realme Photography Awards, I am excited to see how creators interpret real moments from their own lives. The most meaningful images come from everyday experiences and honest perspectives. Mobile photography makes it possible to capture these moments naturally, and this platform gives young creators the confidence to share their personal stories in their own voice,” said Roshni Shah, jury member and visual artist.

During the announcement, realme recognised the winners from the first phase of the Photography Awards.

The Best Work Award was presented to Pralay Jana for outstanding composition, use of light, and powerful storytelling.

The Most Popular Award was awarded to Rohit Pawane for receiving the highest engagement and love from the community.

The Most Creative Award went to Arghadeep Chinya, recognised for a truly fresh and imaginative visual perspective.

Through the realme Photography Awards, realme continues to champion real stories and meaningful imagery, while making advanced mobile photography more accessible to the next generation of creators.