The moments you almost didn't shoot.
Every day, small unrepeatable scenes play out across Malaysia and go completely undocumented. This October, we want to see the ones you managed to catch — on the street, at the market, in the last light of the day.
This is the first I Love Candid Photography Contest, and it exists for one reason: to give the everyday moments of Malaysian life a proper stage. Not the postcard shots — the ones in between. A trishaw rider mid-turn. Steam over a kopitiam counter at 7am. The five seconds of gold light before the sun drops behind a row of shophouses.
Pick the category below that fits what you shoot, follow the four steps, and send it in before the end of October. Winning photos get printed prizes, a cash reward, and a full feature on ilovecandid.com.
Pick your category
Every entry needs to fit one of these four. Enter up to three photos total, in any combination.
Street & everyday life
The unscripted moments — kids playing five stones, an uncle reading the papers, a queue at the pasar malam. If it happened before you could ask permission, it belongs here.
Golden hour Malaysia
That narrow window before sunset when everything turns amber — kampung rooftops, padi fields, the city skyline. Show us Malaysia at its warmest.
Market & makan
Wet markets, hawker stalls, kopitiams before 8am. Steam, spice, and the choreography of people getting their makan.
Faces of the city
Candid portraits of strangers — a barber mid-snip, a commuter lost in thought. Caught with respect, never posed.
How to enter
Four steps, all through Instagram — no account or upload portal to fight with.
Step 1
Follow along
Follow @ilovecandid on Instagram, or check ilovecandid.com — that's where updates and reminders go out.
Step 2
Post your photo
Share it on Instagram, tag @ilovecandid, and add the hashtag #ILoveCandidContest2026 in your caption.
Step 3
Tag the location
Add a location tag somewhere in Malaysia — it doesn't need to be exact, just enough to place the photo.
Step 4
Fill in the entry form
Add your name, category, and a line about the shot on our entry form — this is what confirms your submission.
What you can win
Cash prizes, a gear voucher, and a full feature on the blog for our four favourites.
Grand prize
Plus a camera-bag & accessories voucher and a full feature on ilovecandid.com.
1st runner-up
Plus an accessories voucher.
2nd runner-up
Cash prize, no strings attached.
People's choice
Picked by likes on our shortlist post — plus a shoutout across our socials.
What judges are looking for
Key dates
Rules, in short
- Open to anyone shooting in Malaysia — you don't need to live here.
- Up to 3 entries per person, across any of the four categories.
- Photos must be candid and unposed, taken within the last 12 months.
- Light edits — exposure, colour, crop — are fine. No compositing or added elements.
- You must hold full rights to whatever you submit.
- By entering, you allow us to feature the photo on the blog and our socials, with credit.
Questions people ask
Is there an entry fee?
No — entry is completely free. There's nothing to buy and no account to set up.
Can I submit a photo edited in Lightroom or VSCO?
Yes. Light edits — exposure, colour grading, cropping — are all fine. What we don't allow is compositing, adding or removing elements, or AI-generated images.
How will I know if I've won?
Winners are contacted by Instagram DM and announced on ilovecandid.com and our Instagram around 15 November 2026.
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