Huawei has opened entries for the HUAWEI XMAGE UAE Social Media Competition, a local photography contest running alongside the brand’s annual global awards programme.
The UAE competition is open now and feeds into the global HUAWEI XMAGE Awards 2026, which accepts submissions until 16 August 2026.
Globally, Huawei will recognise 100 winners: three will receive USD 10,000, and the remaining 97 will each receive USD 1,500, plus an electronic certificate. UAE participants can also win local prizes, though the company has not specified what those are.
The contest last year drew more than 740,000 submissions worldwide, with 100 images selected as winners. Two UAE photographers, Grace Montives and Mark Anthony Agtay, were among those recognised at the 2025 ceremony held at the Grand Palais in Paris last November, alongside the Paris Photo fair.
Judging the UAE entries are Mohammed Moustafa Aldaou, Photography Curator and BIPP Judge; Dr. Ali Mohamad, Photography Expert; and Mubarak Mahboub, Professional Photography Coach and Filmmaker.
“Having worked with photographers, exhibitions, and visual storytelling initiatives across different regions of the world, I have witnessed how photography transcends language and geography to create meaningful human connections. The UAE offers a particularly rich visual landscape, where heritage and innovation, tradition and modernity, coexist in remarkable harmony. Through the HUAWEI XMAGE UAE Social Media Competition, we look forward to discovering images that not only demonstrate technical excellence, but also reveal authentic perspectives, cultural depth, and compelling narratives that reflect the spirit of the UAE. The most powerful photographs are those that allow us to see familiar places through a new lens and connect us to stories that resonate far beyond borders,” Mohammed Moustafa Aldaou, Photography Curator and BIPP Judge said in a statement.
“The UAE is a country rich with contrasts, from modern skylines and cultural landmarks to human stories and everyday moments that often go unnoticed. This competition gives photographers an opportunity to use mobile imaging as a creative tool to document these perspectives and share them with the world in a meaningful way,” Dr. Ali Mohamad, Photography Expert added.
“What makes a powerful photograph is not the device alone, but the eye behind the lens and the emotion behind the frame. We will be looking for entries that go beyond beauty and technical quality to deliver originality, feeling, and a story that stays with the viewer,” Mubarak Mahboub, Professional Photography Coach and Filmmaker further explained.
To enter, participants need an Instagram account. They should post a single image, include the hashtags #HUAWEIXMAGE and #HUAWEIXMAGEUAE, and follow and tag @huaweixmageawards. Entries must be taken on a Huawei smartphone.
