Audience Award

©Markus Heft

“HOW / TO GATHER—Queer Communities in Photography”—as part of our annual theme, we’ve invited queer photographers to share their perspectives on queer communities. Their photographs tell stories of queer spaces, forms of community, care, and chosen families. The Audience Award is an expression of precisely this sense of connection. As queers, allies, and friends, you’ll be part of the jury. Your vote shows that these images are not only seen, but also valued and supported.

Nominate your favorite photo from a shortlist of 10 submissions.

The shortlist will be compiled by a panel of experts and published here on October 16, 2026. The winner with the most votes will receive a gift certificate worth €500 from MPB.

Bringing Queer Stories to Light with Sustainable Photography: Our Partner MPB

Photography is always a matter of resources. What camera do we hold in our hands? Where does the equipment that captures our visions come from? And what does that say about us as a community?

For the queer community, it has always been important to create space—spaces where we can feel safe telling our stories. Photography is a vital tool for making these stories and perspectives visible and preserving them. But sometimes, it’s not a lack of strength, talent, or ideas that stands in the way of bringing them to life. Sometimes, it’s simply a lack of the right tools. And that’s where MPB comes in.

MPB is the easy and secure way of buying, selling, and trading used camera gear. But more than that: they’re a partner that understands that sustainability and creativity aren’t opposites—they reinforce each other. Every piece of equipment listed on MPB undergoes a professional inspection, comes with a 12-month warranty, and is shipped in plastic-free packaging.

Bringing Queer Stories to Light with Sustainable Photography: Our Partner MPB — ©MPB

MPB has supported Gaze from the very beginning—and not just on a whim. They’ve supported various queer projects in the past because they know that empowerment requires real resources. This isn’t a marketing gimmick, but a conscious decision: queer visibility is important to them because they understand that art is most impactful when it stems from genuine support.

The gift certificate that winners of the Audience Award receive is not merely an incentive. It’s a statement. With it, photographers can finance sustainable equipment, try out new perspectives, or expand their existing kit—all with the knowledge that it serves both their creativity and the environment.