TECNO, the AI-driven innovative technology brand, and Lonely Planet, the globally recognized travel guidance leader, today jointly announced the co-hosted Shot On CAMON Contest 2026, the third edition of TECNO's annual global photography competition.
Rooted in a shared spirit of exploration and expression, the collaboration expands the contest beyond technology alone to celebrate the people, places and stories behind every image. Through expert co-judging, co-branded content, and photo-essay-style storytelling, TECNO and Lonely Planet aim to inspire users around the world to see more, feel more and tell richer visual stories. Three Lonely Planet photographers will contribute original imagery shot on the CAMON 50 Series, while one Lonely Planet photographer will serve on the final-round jury panel alongside TECNO’s imaging team.
“Great photos are not just about equipment – they are about how deeply the photographer can immerse themselves in a destination,” said Melissa Killian, Vice President of Integrated Marketing at Lonely Planet. “TECNO’s technology makes that immersion easier, helping users stay present, observe more closely and capture meaningful moments as they happen. We are excited to partner on Shot On CAMON Contest 2026 and look forward to seeing how photographers around the world bring their journeys to life.”
Under the theme “Seeing is Believing,” this year's contest runs from May 15 to October 11, 2026, inviting smartphone photographers worldwide to capture real, beautiful and unrepeatable moments using the TECNO CAMON 50 Series. In a year increasingly shaped by AI, the theme is TECNO’s call to celebrate the authenticity of real life through photography, honoring diverse skin tones, fleeting emotions, and real-world observations. Even the contest’s AI category starts with a real photograph, encouraging users to start from authentic observation and personal expression.
TECNO Philippines Welcomes Kelvinmarkulit as CAMON Photography Ambassador
To further ignite local passion for authentic mobile photography, TECNO Philippines has appointed Kelvinmarkulit – a highly respected Filipino visual storyteller known for his raw, unfiltered depictions of everyday Filipino life – as the official CAMON Photography Ambassador for the Philippine leg of the contest. Kelvin will play a multi-faceted role: from co-creating a call-out video that rallies Filipino creators to join the competition, to serving as a regional judge in selecting the country's most compelling entries, and joining the exclusive winner's journey. His partnership with TECNO goes beyond a celebrity endorsement; it is a powerful signal to Filipino photography enthusiasts that local stories, captured with honesty and heart, can stand on a global stage. Kelvin’s own journey – from shooting candid street moments to earning international recognition – inspires a new generation to believe that with observation, emotion, and the right tool, anyone can transform the ordinary into the unforgettable.
Five Creative Categories That Celebrate New Ways of Seeing
The five categories of Shot On CAMON Contest 2026 are designed to inspire different ways of seeing, encouraging participants to capture real moments, emotions and perspectives from everyday life and travel.
• Faces•Unfiltered – This category celebrates authentic portraits that reflect people as they really are, capturing diverse skin tones and individuality in a quiet close-up, a candid street portrait, or a moment shared between friends.
• Night•Unveiled – This category invites participants to capture the atmosphere, mystery and emotion that emerge after dark, from neon-lit streets and reflections after rain to still moonlit scenes and late-night city life.
• Culture•Unscripted – This category focuses on capturing the rhythm of a place as it naturally unfolds, whether through festivals, crafts, food moments or unplanned interactions between people.
• Snapshot•Unspotted (Telephoto Special) – Participants are invited to capture distant details that reveal something surprising, intimate or easily overlooked, from textures on far-off peaks to a fleeting expression within a crowd.
• AI•Unimagined (AI Gallery Special) – First capture a real-world photo with a TECNO phone, then transform it into an artistic style using TECNO’s AI Gallery. Both the original photograph and the AI-styled image must be submitted together. This category is designed to explore how AI can extend creative expression while keeping real-world photography as the starting point.
“‘Seeing is Believing’ is both a creative brief for our contestants and a reminder that the most powerful images begin with real life,” said Jack Guo, General Manager of TECNO. “Through Shot On CAMON Contest 2026, we hope to inspire users around the world to observe more closely, express themselves more freely and celebrate the beauty of authentic moments through photography.”
Awards, Honors and How to Enter
To recognize exceptional creativity, Shot On CAMON Contest 2026 will reward outstanding work across its major award tiers with both cash prizes and exclusive travel prizes sponsored by Lonely Planet. Selected winners will embark on a curated journey to explore the wonders — to experience is to believe, and only by witnessing can miracles truly be seen.
As rewards for the competition, one outstanding photographer will be awarded the TECNO Photography Master prize ($8,000). Additionally, there will be five winners for the Gold Prize ($3,000), five winners for the Silver Prize ($2,000), and five winners for the Bronze Prize ($1,000). Ten participants will also be selected as a TECNO Friend and will receive a CAMON 50 Series Smartphone. As an exclusive bonus, the TECNO Photography Master and the five Gold Prize winners will also be invited to a bespoke trip to the Philippines.
Special "Filipino Special Award" – Exclusive for Philippine Participants
In addition to the global prizes, TECNO Philippines is introducing the Filipino Special Award to recognize and reward local creative talent. Philippine users may submit either images (standard entry) or videos (via Instagram/Facebook Reels, and TikTok). While video submissions are considered informal entries and are not eligible for global awards, they will automatically be considered for the Filipino Special Award. A total of six additional winners will be chosen as CAMON Photography Endorsers in Philippines, each receiving a Lonely Planet Bespoke Trip and a CAMON 50 Series Smartphone. The breakdown is as follows: five winners from image submissions (across any of the five contest categories) and one winner from video submissions. This special award underscores TECNO Philippines' commitment to celebrating homegrown visual storytellers, whether they freeze a moment in time or bring it to life through motion.
How to Enter
To enter, participants should post photos with a visible TECNO device watermark on Instagram using the hashtags #ShotOnCAMON2026 #TECNOCAMON50Series and #TECNOPhilippines, then submit high-resolution versions via email at shotoncamon@tecnomobile.com or through the ShotOnCAMON Gallery on TECNO’s Philippines official website. All entries must be original content and duplicate submissions will be disqualified. Winning works will be showcased in global media exhibitions, the TECNO annual photo book, and across TECNO’s official platforms.
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