ORMS x Canon: The Art of Photography. The Sea Point Promenade Photographic Exhibition Competition is Back!
For the past six years, the ORMS x Canon Sea Point Promenade has brought photography out of the gallery and into the public landscape. Set along one of Cape Town’s most iconic public spaces, the exhibition gives South African photographers a unique platform to have their work seen by thousands of locals and international visitors.
As you explore the promenade, you’ll discover highlights from our previous exhibitions, a celebration of the remarkable photographic talent and diverse perspectives that have shaped the competition over the last six years.
Each year has explored themes from across the photographic spectrum, from Birds, Wildlife and Movement to Landscapes, Macro and Black & White photography.
Six years later, the Sea Point Promenade continues to be a space where photography is not simply exhibited, but discovered, experienced and shared with the public.
This year, we bring light to The Art of Photography. To mark our seventh addition, we’re giving photographers the chance to win amazing Canon and ORMS Print Room and Framing Prizes to the value of R100 000. The 1st Prize, valued at R65 000, includes a Canon EOS R8 Body with RF 28–70mm f/2.8 lens and a R10 000 ORMS Print Room voucher; the 2nd Prize, valued at R20 000, includes a Canon EOS R50 Creator Kit and a R5 000 ORMS Print Room voucher; and the 3rd Prize, valued at R15 000, includes a Canon PowerShot V1 and a R5 000 ORMS Print Room voucher.
At the heart of this year’s theme is a simple question: when does a photograph become art?
The Art of Photography is about what happens when the photographer becomes the artist.
Photography is often thought of as a way of capturing what is already there. A person, place or moment, but a photograph can be much more than a record of reality.
There is no single subject we’re looking for. Your work could be portraiture, landscape, still life, architecture, abstract, conceptual or something that sits somewhere in between. What matters is what you bring to it.
Photography can be a way of seeing, a way of interpreting, questioning and expressing something that often cannot be put into words. An average moment can blossom into something completely new.
This year, we are looking for photographers who demonstrate a clear creative point of view. Images that show intention through composition, light, colour, perspective, subject, timing and editing.
The result might communicate an idea, show emotion, tell a story and create an atmosphere.
Show us how you see the world.
What matters is that the photograph feels intentional. That it tells us something about the way you see the world.
Look beyond the obvious. Experiment. Reinterpret. Find beauty in the unexpected. Challenge how we see an ordinary moment. Use the camera not only to capture what is in front of you, but to show us something through your eyes.
What does photography mean to you and what can you say through it?
From the screen to the Sea Point Promenade
Twenty photographs will be selected to leave the screen and become large-scale artworks along the Sea Point Promenade.
Seen together, these twenty works will create an outdoor exhibition of twenty different perspectives, transforming one of Cape Town’s most iconic public spaces into an open-air celebration of South African photography.
It is an opportunity for photographers to have their work experiences beyond a screen or gallery wall and for thousands of people moving along the promenade to experience photography in a different way.
Inspiration Images
How to Enter
You will need to fill in a submissions form with your images and your details.
ORMS x Canon The Art of Photography
NOTE: Entries are unlimited! You may enter 5 images at a time, as many times as you like.
Please refer to the inspirational images we have provided as a reference for image submissions.
To keep the images consistent, we are only accepting LANDSCAPE format. Upload your images in JPEG format, no larger than 5MB each.
If you are chosen as a finalist, you will hear from us via the email address you provided to request your high-resolution files in TIFF format, as the images will be enlarged to size A0.
No watermarks will be accepted for final prints.
Terms & Conditions
ORMS x Canon: Fine Art Photography competition (the “Competition”) is only available for South African residents.
A first, second, and third winner will be chosen, and this choice is at the judges’ discretion.
Twenty of the most outstanding images, including the winners, will be exhibited on the Sea Point Promenade. In both cases, the judges’ decision is final, and no correspondence will be entered into regarding their decision.
The submission of AI-generated images is not permitted in the competition.
AI-generated or AI-created images are not eligible for entry. Entries must be photographs originally captured by the entrant.
The use of AI tools for minor technical adjustments such as noise reduction, sharpening, cropping, exposure, colour correction or other standard photographic edits is permitted, provided that the underlying photograph was captured by the entrant.
The Sponsor reserves the right to disqualify any entry that it reasonably determines to be AI-generated or otherwise not an original photograph.
The Competition runs from 19 August 2026 until midnight on 30 September 2026 and takes place via the submission form here.
Entries must be made by submitting a photograph as described in the “How To Enter” section of this page, via the submission form. No entries on other platforms or via any other communication channels will be accepted.
The competition is open to all South African citizens except directors, members, partners, employees, agents, service providers, and consultants of The Organizers (ORMS and Canon) and their spouses, business partners, and associates.
The prizes are not exchangeable, non-transferable, and cannot be redeemed for cash.
By submitting your work for the Competition, you acknowledge and allow ORMS and Canon to use your original work for promotional purposes for a specified period after the competition.