How are the winners selected for Pexels Challenges?

Challenge winners are selected based on two main factors:

• Brief Adherence
• Quality

Brief Adherence

Each challenge includes a brief outlining the theme, technical requirements, and some creative direction. Adhering to this brief is the most important factor in selecting winners. Submissions that don’t meet the brief won’t be selected, regardless of quality.

Example: Even a technically perfect, award-worthy photo of a snowy landscape wouldn’t be selected to win a desert-themed challenge.

Quality

All submissions must meet our minimum quality requirements, which are outlined in our Upload Guidelines for both photos and videos. Once those requirements are met, we evaluate quality by comparing submissions across the areas below to determine which entries stand out:

• Technical execution

  • Is the image or video sharp and well-exposed?

  • Is the footage stable and intentional?

  • Are elements like focus, framing, and horizon handled correctly?

• Storytelling

  • Is there a clear subject or idea?

  • Is the subject positioned intentionally within the frame or shot, and distractions minimized?

  • Does the scene communicate a moment, mood, or story?

• Creativity

  • Does the submission show an original or thoughtful interpretation of the brief?

  • Are creative choices such as perspective, timing, lighting, or composition used intentionally?

  • Does the work show a clear point of view rather than feeling generic?

Winner Selection

You can find all of our current challenges on our Challenges page.