Please note: voting in this competition has now closed.

For the past three weeks, amateur or professional photographers have been entering their best work from the past year for the inaugural Photo Awards, presented by Jägermeister in partnership with the Sunday Times and Sowetan.

Their photos were entered in five awards categories. A panel of judges then selected five finalists in each category — and you get to decide the category winners. By voting, you also stand a chance of winning a Huawei nova Y60 smartphone (worth R3,099) and R1,000 in cash!

A curated photographic exhibition will be held at FotoZA Gallery in Johannesburg, where all finalists' photographs will be displayed. The Photo Meisters will be announced at this event.

“We are Meisters, we master our own destiny,” said Donné Wolk, marketing manager at Jägermeister SA. “We believe people should live their lives boldly and be masters of what they do, and master their craft — whatever that craft is. Jägermeister wants to give aspiring photographers the platform and mentorship to own their skill and master their craft.”

Enter your votes now

You have to be older than 18 to vote, and you can vote only ONCE in this competition. Repeat votes will be discarded. The voting deadline is midnight on March 27. How to vote for your favourites: 

1. Look at the five finalist photographs below for each category and decide which one is the best.
2. Make your choice in each category by voting in the form you'll find after the last category listed below.
3. Supply your name and contact details.

CATEGORY 1 | FASHION

From the glitzy runways of high fashion to the casual chic of SA’s sidewalks and the glamour of our trendsetters, the perfect fashion shot needs to be visually arresting and creative — and we’re looking for the shot with the X-factor. 

Scroll through the five finalists below and make a note of your favourite for the voting form you'll find below:

CATEGORY 2 | DESIGN

Be it captivating architecture or a dramatically backlit leaf, we’re looking for a single shot that captures the beautiful patterns and textures of everyday life. The key is to make the most of the core elements of a photograph: light, form and texture. 

Scroll through the five finalists below and make a note of your favourite for the voting form you'll find below:

CATEGORY 3 | PORTRAIT

Capturing the character of a person in a single shot is what a good portrait photograph is all about. We’re looking for a single image that gives the viewer a deeper insight into a subject — be it a studio shot, a candid photo or a self-portrait, it should evoke, arrest and inspire. 

Scroll through the five finalists below and make a note of your favourite for the voting form you'll find below:

CATEGORY 4 | AFTER DARK

It all starts when the sun goes down. We’re looking for shots that capture the element of surprise, a hint of drama and a moment of fun, showing how the world and its people transform after dark.

Scroll through the five finalists below and make a note of your favourite for the voting form you'll find below:

CATEGORY 5 | PHONE PHOTOGRAPHY: STREET LIFE

The mobile phone is the perfect tool for street photography — light, easy to use and always with you. Great street photography is all about framing, imagination and an appreciation for the human condition. We’re looking for a single shot that captures anything from an authentic nightlife moment to chance encounters of all kinds. Only mobile-phone shots were entered in this category.

Scroll through the five finalists below and make a note of your favourite for the voting form you'll find below:

Meet our judges

FASHION | Sharon Armstrong, fashion director of Sunday Times Lifestyle, S Mag and The Edit; and Nwabisa Makunga, editor of the Sowetan.

DESIGN | Jamal Nxedlama, co-founder and creative director of Bubblegum Club, a cultural intelligence agency that helps brands and organisations understand and engage SA culture.

PORTRAIT | Jodi Bieber, the acclaimed SA photographer and international award-winner whose work has been exhibited locally and internationally. Her photograph of Bibi Aisha from Afghanistan, which first appeared on the cover of Time magazine in 2009, went on to win the World Press Photo Premier Award in 2010.

AFTER DARK | Johannesburg-born photojournalist Alon Skuy, chief photographer at the Sunday Times and the recipient of numerous local and international awards

PHONE PHOTOGRAPHY: STREET LIFE | Photographer and creative director Young Stilo has made a name for himself as a highly respected image maker, content creator and fashion trendsetter.

Terms & conditions

1. General information

• These terms and conditions (“Terms and Conditions”) apply to the competition titled Sunday Times Sowetan Photo Awards X Jägermeister (“the Competition”), organised by Arena Holdings (Pty) Ltd (“the Organiser”), which is open for voting from March 13 2022 until midnight on March 27 2022.
• All persons resident in South Africa, including South African citizens and foreign nationals, who are older than 18 years and in possession of a valid South African identity document or valid foreign passport (“the Entrants”) are eligible to vote in this Competition. Proof of address may be required by the Organiser.
• By voting in the Competition, you confirm that you have read and agree to be legally bound to the Terms and Conditions set out below. Any violation or attempt to violate any of these Terms and Conditions will result in your immediate disqualification.
• The Organiser reserve the right to change these Terms and Conditions at any time and will publish any such changes on this page. It is all Entrants’ responsibility to check these Terms and Conditions for any amendments.
• The clauses in these Terms and Conditions are severable. This means that if any clause in these Terms and Conditions is found to be unlawful, it will be removed and the remaining clauses will still apply.
• These Terms and Conditions and the Competition are governed by the law of the Republic of South Africa.

2. Conditions of entry

• Entrants can vote for only one image per category.
• Entrants are only allowed to vote once. Multiple voting entries will be disqualified.
• Entrants agree not to bring the Competition or the organisers into disrepute. Behaviour that causes damage to the reputation of the Competition, other Entrants, sponsors and/or any other parties affiliated with this Competition will result in the Entrant being disqualified.
• Entrants are responsible for any data, cellphone or other charges they may have to pay to gain the necessary network or internet access to enter the Competition.

3. The judging process and the prize

• One winner will be randomly drawn from all Entrants. This winner will be awarded the prize comprising a Huawei nova Y60 smartphone and R1,000 in cash.
• If the winner is not available and does not respond to messages from the Organiser within seven days, another winner will be drawn.
• Prizes are not transferable and can only be issued in the winner's name.
• Prizes may not be exchanged for cash.

4. Disqualification

• The Organiser reserves the right to disqualify any entrant at any stage for any reason. These reasons may include, but are not limited to, dishonest and/or abusive behaviour, and contravention of any laws.
• Entrants may be disqualified by the Organiser if they have violated one or more of the clauses in the Terms and Conditions.
• In the event of disqualification, an Entrant is no longer entitled to any prizes or compensation.
• A decision on disqualification is final and no negotiation will be entered into with any Entrant.
• The Organiser reserves the right to waive a breach of the Terms and Conditions at its sole discretion after considering each case in question.

5. Personal data

• Entrants' personal information submitted as part of their entries (including their names, surnames, ID numbers, email addresses and phone numbers) is stored safely by the Organiser only for the purposes and duration of this promotion and will not be shared with third parties unless Entrants have opted in to allow such sharing.