ASME Awards for Design, Photography and Illustration 2024 finalists and winners announced. Read the press release, with links to finalists and winners, here.

Established in 2020, the ASME Awards for Design, Photography and Illustration honor magazines and websites for visual excellence. The awards also recognize the unique importance of design, photography and illustration to the practice of magazine journalism both in print and online and celebrate the visual heritage of magazines and websites. Finalists receive certificates of recognition. Winners receive awards displaying images of their award-winning work. The ASME Awards for Design, Photography and Illustration are judged and presented in conjunction with the National Magazine Awards.

Magazines and websites edited and published in the United States are eligible to enter the ASME Awards for Design, Photography and Illustration. Other creators and publishers of magazine-like content, including newspapers and newsletters, are also eligible. Marketing and promotional magazines and websites are not eligible. Entries may include content from special-interest and newsstand-only publications. Excerpts from previously published books are not eligible except as part of an entry in Best Print Design and Best Digital Design. No entry may be submitted without the approval of the publication in which the work appeared. The administrators of the awards reserve the right to determine if a media organization qualifies for entry.

Entries are subject to the following conditions:

1. Print content must be dated 2023. Entries consisting of one example of work may include content dated December 2023/January 2024 or an equivalent, such as Fall 2023/Winter 2024 (content dated December 2022/January 2023 or an equivalent is not eligible). Entries consisting of two or more examples of work may include one example dated January 2024 or an equivalent, such as Winter 2024.

2. Digital content must have been largely produced in 2023. Screenshots may be requested to verify publication dates.

3. Examples of work may be entered in more than one category, but no entry can duplicate an entry in another category (a photograph can, for example, be entered alone in one category and as part of a series in a second category but cannot also be entered alone or as part of the same series in a third category).

4. Content entered in the National Magazine Awards may also be entered in the ASME Awards for Design, Photography and Illustration.

5. Entries found to be in violation of commonly accepted editorial standards, including the ASME Guidelines for Editors and Publishers, may be disqualified at any time.

6. The administrators of the ASME Awards for Design, Photography and Illustration may at their own discretion extend the deadline for entry in any category.

See the category descriptions for more information.

Entry Statement Each submission must include a three-part statement describing the publication and the entry. Part 1 should describe the editorial mission of the publication and include information about audience size and reader demographics. Part 1 should be no longer than 100 words. Part 2 should provide information about the overall size of the full-time staff as well as its composition by gender and ethnicity. Editors are also encouraged to describe in Part 2 any efforts at their publications to address issues of diversity and inclusion, including representation of the LGBTQ community, in both hiring and assigning. Information about staff size and composition will be provided to judges, who are authorized to use this information when choosing finalists and winners. Disaggregated information will not be disclosed publicly. Part 2 should be no longer than 200 words. Part 3 should describe the entry and explain why it deserves to be recognized. Part 3 should be no longer than 300 words.

How Finalists and Winners Are Chosen Finalists and winners are chosen by panels of judges selected by the administrators of the awards in consultation with the ASME Board of Directors. Judges include the chief editors, art directors and photo editors of leading magazines and websites. The results are subject to the approval of the ASME Board of Directors. Awards may be withheld in any category in which the entries fall below the standard of excellence set by the ASME Board of Directors or in which the number of entries is deemed insufficient by the administrators of the awards. 

The judges will evaluate entries in each of the 10 categories that comprise the awards based on the achievement of visual excellence as demonstrated by the quality and consistency of the content submitted; the ambition, resourcefulness and skill of art and photography staff and contributors; and the use of design, photography and illustration to fulfill the editorial mission of the publication. Digital-only and multiplatform entries may also be judged based on functional excellence and user accessibility. Special weight will be given to creative and technical innovation.

Why Magazines and Websites Should Enter The ASME Awards for Design, Photography and Illustration celebrate the individual achievements of art directors and photo editors as well as photographers and illustrators, while the National Magazine Awards, including those for Design and Photography, honor magazines and websites for overall excellence. The ASME Awards for Design, Photography and Illustration are decided by the same judges as the National Magazine Awards. Finalists and winners are honored at the annual ASME awards gala. Winners receive awards bearing the likeness of Alexander Calder’s “Elephant Walking.” Entry fees are significantly lower than entry fees for the National Magazine Awards.

PRINT AND DIGITAL CATEGORIES 1 – 10

Rules and Eligibility: Publications edited by ASME members may submit four entries in each category. Nonmembers may submit two. WHAT TO SUBMIT FOR ENTRIES CONTAINING PRINT CONTENT: a PDF of each article that is part of the entry or includes a photograph or illustration that is part of the entry (articles must be submitted in their entirety without jump). WHAT TO SUBMIT FOR ENTRIES CONTAINING DIGITAL CONTENT: clearly labeled links to each article that is part of the entry or includes a photograph or illustration that is part of the entry. Entries may include or consist exclusively of social media (screenshots or video files may be substituted for social-media content that is no longer accessible online).

1 BEST PRINT DESIGN

This category honors magazine art direction. An entry consists of one example of work, which may include but is not limited to a news or feature story, clearly branded editorial package or print issue, including special-interest or newsstand-only publications. An entry may also consist of three examples of a department or column published in a consistent format. A related magazine cover may be submitted as part of an entry.

2 BEST DIGITAL DESIGN

This category honors the design and architecture of websites, apps and social media. An entry consists of one example of work, which may include but is not limited to a news or feature story, clearly branded editorial package, website or app. An entry may also consist of three examples of a newsletter or column published in a consistent format. A related landing page may be submitted as part of an entry.

3 BEST NEWS AND ENTERTAINMENT PHOTOGRAPHS

This category honors the visual coverage of topics including but not limited to politics, business, sports and technology. An entry consists of one or as many as three photographs by the same photographer published separately. An entry may also consist of as many as three photographs by different photographers published separately, the photographs being similar in style or subject. Entries may be submitted as print or digital content or as a combination of print and digital content. One or as many as three magazine covers by the same or different photographers may be submitted as an entry or as part of an entry.

4 BEST SERVICE AND LIFESTYLE PHOTOGRAPHS

This category honors the visual coverage of topics including but not limited to fashion, food, travel, health, parenting and active sports. An entry consists of one or as many as three photographs by the same photographer published separately. An entry may also consist of as many as three photographs by different photographers published separately, the photographs being similar in style or subject. Entries may be submitted as print or digital content or as a combination of print and digital content. One or as many as three magazine covers by the same or different photographers may be submitted as an entry or as part of an entry.

5 BEST PROFILE PHOTOGRAPHS

This category honors individual and group portraits. An entry consists of one or as many as three photographs by the same photographer published separately. An entry may also consist of as many as three photographs by different photographers published separately, the photographs being similar in style or subject. Entries may be submitted as print or digital content or as a combination of print and digital content. One or as many as three magazine covers by the same or different photographers may be submitted as an entry or as part of an entry.

6 BEST NEWS AND ENTERTAINMENT STORY

This category honors the visual coverage of topics including but not limited to politics, business, sports and technology. Entries will be evaluated primarily on the quality and use of photography. An entry consists of one article or clearly branded editorial package, either of which may include work by more than one photographer. Entries may be submitted as print or digital content or as a combination of print and digital content. A related magazine cover or landing page may be submitted as part of an entry.

7 BEST SERVICE AND LIFESTYLE STORY

This category honors the visual coverage of topics including but not limited to fashion, food, travel, health, parenting and active sports. Entries will be evaluated primarily on the quality and use of photography. An entry consists of one article or clearly branded editorial package, either of which may include work by more than one photographer. Entries may be submitted as print or digital content or as a combination of print and digital content. A related magazine cover or landing page may be submitted as part of an entry.

8 BEST PRINT ILLUSTRATIONS

This category honors illustrations published in magazines. An entry consists of one or as many as three illustrations by the same or different illustrators published either separately or together. One or as many as three magazine covers by the same or different illustrators may be submitted as an entry or as part of an entry.

9 BEST DIGITAL ILLUSTRATIONS

This category honors illustrations published digitally. An entry consists of one or as many as three illustrations by the same or different illustrators published either separately or together. One or as many as three digitally enhanced magazine covers featuring the work of the same or different artists may be submitted as an entry or as part of an entry.

10 BEST ILLUSTRATED STORY

This category honors visual narrative published in magazines and online. An entry consists of one article, which may include work by more than one illustrator or writer. Entries may be submitted as print or digital content or as a combination of print and digital content. A related magazine cover or landing page may be submitted as part of an entry.

How to enter? Click here for instructions, fees and deadlines

Download the 2024 call for entries here

Finalists and Winners Announced: Thursday, February 15, 2024

To view the ASME Awards 2023 winners’ gallery, visit asme.media

For more information, email asme@asme.media or call 212.872.3737