Introducing Destinations in Focus
An exclusive collaboration between 500px and Trip.com
We’re inviting photographers to capture three iconic cities from a fresh, cinematic perspective. This isn’t about postcard photography. It’s about atmosphere, motion, scale, and storytelling that elevate landmark photography beyond the obvious.
Submissions are open from March 3, 2026 and close on April 16, 2026.
About Trip.com
Trip.com is a leading global travel agency, helping millions of travellers discover destinations, book experiences, and explore the world with confidence. Through its platform, Trip.com showcases cities, attractions, and cultural highlights to a worldwide audience. This collaboration offers photographers the opportunity to have their work featured editorially on a global travel platform, placing strong city imagery directly in front of international travellers.
If you have a compelling travel archive or access to one of these cities, this is your opportunity to turn landmark photography into meaningful editorial exposure.
Prize & Licensing Details
This Quest series rewards both standout individual images and consistent quality across submissions.
Editorial Licensing Selection
Between 20 and 50 photos will be selected to be featured editorially on Trip.com.
Each selected photo will earn its photographer an editorial licensing fee per image.
Multiple photographers may be selected. Individual photographers may also have multiple photos chosen.
Grand Prize
For each Quest Trip.com and 500px Editors will select one Grand Prize Winner.
The winner will be chosen based on:
- Overall quality
- Cinematic perspective
- Professional execution
- The number of their photos selected to be featured
The Grand Prize will range between $20 and $50 USD, with the final amount determined by the total number of that photographer’s selected images featured on Trip.com.
What We’re Looking For
- Atmospheric & New Perspectives: Avoid cliché “postcard” shots. Use creative angles like drone photography, low-angle perspectives, or foreground occlusion (e.g., shooting through foliage). Capture the scale of the city with panoramas, time lapses, or car light trails.
- Immersive Storytelling: Create a “first-person POV” feel. Show us what it’s like to walk through a park or visit a market stall. Capture a sense of motion from the blur of a passing bus or the flow of people in a busy plaza.
- Local Culture: Focus on authentic moments like people chatting at outdoor cafes (side or back shots are best for licensing) or street performers in action.
- Weather & Time: Use the environment to your advantage. Whether it’s a golden sun flare over a park or a night scene illuminated by city lights, capture the character of Madrid at its most cinematic.
We’re launching the first chapter of Destinations in Focus with three iconic cities; Madrid, Amsterdam, and Edinburgh with more destinations to be announced soon.
Destinations in Focus: Madrid
Madrid is a city of movement and warmth, from late-night streets glowing under golden light to bustling markets layered with texture and life. The visual language here is dynamic. Think scale, motion, and energy that feels lived-in rather than staged.
We’re looking for images that capture the vibrancy of the city through immersive angles and thoughtful composition.
Featured locations include:
- Faunia Zoo
- Mercado de San Miguel
- Parque de Atracciones de Madrid
- Casa de Campo
- Madrid Zoo Aquarium
Consider using long exposures to capture motion, golden-hour light to add atmosphere, or layered compositions that place the viewer directly inside the scene.
Destinations in Focus: Amsterdam
Amsterdam offers a quieter, more atmospheric visual experience. Its canals, layered bridges, and architectural symmetry create natural opportunities for depth and reflection. Subtlety works here, framing, mist, and careful balance can transform familiar landmarks into compelling imagery.
We’re looking for compositions that feel intentional and immersive, where perspective and light guide the viewer through the frame.
Featured locations include:
- Anne Frank House
- A’DAM Lookout
- ARTIS Royal Zoo
- Amsterdam Botanical Garden
Use foreground elements, reflections, or elevated viewpoints to create depth. Focus on clean composition and strong landmark clarity.
Destinations in Focus: Edinburgh
Edinburgh brings contrast and drama. Historic architecture meets shifting skies, and weather often becomes part of the story. The city’s layered skyline and strong silhouettes lend themselves to powerful, cinematic compositions.
We’re looking for images that use scale, light, and environment to create impact, photographs that feel grounded yet atmospheric.
Featured locations include:
- Dynamic Earth
- Scotch Whisky Experience
- Omni Centre
- Edinburgh Zoo
Low angles, dramatic clouds, twilight transitions, and architectural contrast can all elevate a familiar location into something distinctive.
Editorial & Licensing Guidance
Selected images will be featured editorially on Trip.com, where they will help illustrate destinations and attractions to a global travel audience.
Because these images may be used in an editorial context, professional standards matter.
To strengthen your chances of selection:
- Ensure the landmark or attraction is clearly recognizable
- Avoid visible watermarks, date stamps, or added graphics
- Minimize strong commercial branding or logos within the frame
- When including people, consider side or back angles to maintain editorial suitability
- Keep editing clean and natural; avoid heavy filters or artificial effects
Strong metadata is equally important. Accurate titles and keywords improve discoverability and editorial usability.
Technical Requirements
Please review the following carefully before submitting:
- Minimum photo resolution: 2K (2048×1080 landscape or 1080×2048 portrait), 4K preferred.
- Titling: The title must include country, city, and attraction name.
- Ex. Fountain in Central Park, New York City, USA
- Keywording: The attached keywords must include country, city, and attraction name.
- Ex. USA, New York City, Central Park
No watermarks, date stamps, or other added visual elements within the photo.
Take Your Travel Photography Further
Some travel images stay on social media.
The strongest ones reach a global audience.
This is your opportunity to elevate travel photography into something lasting and place your work in front of a global travel audience.
This is just the beginning. More cities are coming.
Submissions close March 17, 2026, at 10:40 PM ET.
