Los Angeles, CA—The Lucie Foundation is dedicated to celebrating all forms of photography, in print and online. As a result, it annually holds the Lucie Photo Book Prize. The program is a juried competition open to a diversity of book submissions. Moreover, the competition is open to photographers, editors, curators as well as publishers.
The contest’s early bird special of 10% off the submission fee is valid until May 15, 2023. However, entries are open until August 30, 2023, at 12:00 midnight ET.
Lucie Photo Book Prize
Eligible books for the Lucie Photo Book Prize include exhibition catalogs, proposals, self-published, limited edition, multi-artist, single-author, intersectional, zine as well as reissues. Thus, it is open to photographers, editors, curators and publishers who have created such projects anywhere in the world within the June 2021 to September 2023 timeframe.
In addition, the Lucie Foundation is offering two cash prizes to the top two finalists for their work. There is one Traditional $3,000 cash prize and one Independent $2,000 cash prize. 
The Traditional prize is awarded to a photographer, editor, curator or publisher whose book is commercially produced and distributed. The Independent prize is given to a photographer, editor, curator or publisher whose book is published and distributed independently.
What’s more, the Lucie Photo Book jury consists of visual directors, curators, creative directors, editors, publishers as well as photography critics. The jury is responsible for choosing the top finalists, as well as the top two cash prize winners. Finalists are chosen from a mix of the categories (all categories might not be represented).
Further, the Lucie Foundation will announce the winners October 2023.
Lucie Photo Book Prize Categories
Following are the categories, as well as subcategories, for the 2023 contest edition.
1. Exhibition Catalog: Printed publications made to accompany a temporary exhibition or installation at a gallery or alternative space.
2. First: Open to photographers, authors, and publishers who haven’t previously had a book published by a third-party publishing house.
3. Intersectional: A publication that mixes photography with another medium (text, music, painting, graphic design, poetry).
4. Limited Edition: A book released in a limited quantity print run.
5. Multi Artist/Multi Author/Multi Publisher: More than one artist, author and/or publisher is featured.
6. Other: A publication that doesn’t fit within in any of the other categories.
7. Proposal: Plan or scheme of a publication, including visual and text that outlines a book idea. Prototype: Mockup of a proposed publication.
8. Reissue: A book that hasn’t been available for a period of time but is being published/produced again.
9. Self-Published: Publication of any book or media by its author without the involvement of an established publisher. Handmade: Self-published book made by hand.
10. Single Artist/Single Author/Single Publisher: A publication composed by one artist, author and/or publisher.
11. Zine: A small-circulation, self-published work. 
What’s more, subcategories include culture; nature; landscape; fashion; portrait; documentary; photojournalism; fine art; contemporary; single subject; and other.
To submit, and for complete rules, click here.
