YNOT – The Erotic Review’s Photographer of the Year competition has launched its 2010 call for entries. The contest annually rewards professional and amateur shooters with a top prize of £$1,000 and publication of a spread in both the magazine and a book-form anthology of contest images.“The competition is the first major internationally recognized annual erotic photo competition award of its type,” editor Jamie Maclean said. “The award is accessible to everyone, whether a gifted amateur or an established professional. We want to enable photographers of all levels to compete in the worldwide arena.”

The competition does not censor, categorize or theme erotica, preferring to judge all work on its inherent craft.

“We have placed only a few restrictions for photographs suitable for the Erotic Photography Award: It must represent sexuality of a single person or between consenting adults,” the rules state. “We will not tolerate any works that include references to minors or animals. Otherwise we want to encourage imagery expressing all aspects of sexuality and subject matter, heterosexual, gay and lesbian, transsexual, fetish and other alternative lifestyles.”

This year’s entries will be judged by an independent panel composed of Maclean, Copstick, Eric Franck, Stephen Bayley and Freeric Fontenoy. The panel will award the top prize based on criteria including original outlook, “photographic skills, and above all, coherent, technically proficient and exceptional erotic imagery.”

Second prize, to be awarded based on votes from The Erotic Review’s registered readership, is £250.

In addition to the top two awards, another 50 photographers will see their images featured on The Erotic Review’s Erotic Photography Award website and in the anthology. Each winning photographer will receive a link to his or her website and a copy of the book.

Deadline for entries is Jan. 31. The entry fee is $20. All competitors must register online, but entries may be submitted via a Web interface or on disc by post. For more information, see the competition’s entry page.