Photographers can enter in one of 11 categories, which includes one new category
Grand Prize Winner, 2022; Grand Prize Winner, 2021 (Photo: Business Wire)
Attention all photographers! The Empire State Building (ESB) announced today that the 12th annual Empire State Building Photo Contest is officially open for entry. Photographers of all skill levels are invited to submit their photos of the “World’s Most Famous Building” in one of 11 categories – which includes one new category – for the chance to win the $5,000 grand prize.
“The annual photo contest is a beloved tradition at the Empire State Building, and we look forward to the entries from our talented fans as they capture unique perspectives of the world’s most photographed building from our reimagined Observatories and beyond,” said Jean-Yves Ghazi, president of the Empire State Building Observatory.
This year’s 11 entry categories include:ESB x City Wide – pictures of ESB surrounded by the New York City landscape
Beginner Entry – shots from photo newbies
Observatory Views – features ESB’s iconic views taken from one of the Observatories
Sunset & Sunrise – photos of or from ESB during the golden hours
Smartphone Shot – snaps taken with an iPhone or similar
Photoshop/Edit – creative edits from unique backgrounds to starry night skies
Weather Shot – captures of the building under rain, sleet, snow, or rainbow
Nightscapes – shots of the building lit up after sunset
Video – 30 second video clips of ESB in all her glory
Youth – a new category for videos and photos from ESB’s 13-17-year-old fans
General Entry – shots that don’t fit any of the above categories
Participants must submit their photos by Sept. 22. The public will then have the chance to vote for their favorite contest entries for category winners from Nov. 6-17, and for the runners-up and grand prize winner from Nov. 27 - Dec. 8. The runner-up prize winner will receive $1,500, and each category winner will receive a prize of $500.
Entries and votes will be submitted at esbnyc.com/annual-photography-contest.
Official contest rules can be found online.
Hi-res images from past winners can be found here. More information about the Empire State Building – voted #1 attraction in the U.S. by Tripadvisor travelers for two consecutive years – is available online.
About the Empire State Building
The Empire State Building, the “World's Most Famous Building," owned by Empire State Realty Trust, Inc. (ESRT: NYSE), soars 1,454 feet above Midtown Manhattan from base to antenna. The $165 million reimagination of the Empire State Building Observatory Experience creates an all-new experience with a dedicated guest entrance, an interactive museum with nine galleries, and a redesigned 102nd Floor Observatory with floor-to-ceiling windows. The journey to the world-famous 86th Floor Observatory, the only 360-degree, open-air observatory with views of New York and beyond, orients visitors for their entire New York City experience and covers everything from the building's iconic history to its current place in pop culture. The Empire State Building Observatory Experience welcomes millions of visitors each year and was declared "America's Favorite Building" by the American Institute of Architects, the world's most popular travel destination by Uber, the #1 attraction in the US for the second year in a row in Tripadvisor’s 2023 Travelers’ Choice Awards: Best of the Best, and the #1 New York City attraction by Lonely Planet.
Since 2011, the building has been fully powered by renewable wind electricity, and its many floors house a diverse array of office tenants such as LinkedIn and Shutterstock, as well as retail options like STATE Grill and Bar, Tacombi, and Starbucks. For more information and Observatory Experience tickets visit esbnyc.com or follow the building's Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Weibo, YouTube, or TikTok.