Every trip you take gets flattened into a rectangle. The frame you picked, the direction you happened to be facing, the shot you got instead of the one you missed. A 360 camera does not ask you to choose. It captures the whole scene and lets you decide what mattered once you are home.
From August 31 to September 30, we want to see what that looks like in your hands. Insta360 Xplorers is our latest contest for X Series shooters, with four categories, fourteen winners, and a $1,500 travel fund sitting at the top of the prize list. Photos and videos both count, so long as they were shot in 360.
Four Ways to Tell Your Story
Pick the category that fits your footage. Enter as many as you like.
01 Explore Your City
Find new stories in the places you already know. The route you walk every day looks different when you capture all of it at once.
City landmarks | Hidden gems | Local moments
02 Journey in Motion
Keep the camera rolling for everything between the start and the finish. Mount it, forget about it, and pull your shots out later.
Road trips | Scenic views | Travel moments
03 Creative Perspectives
Break out of the rectangle. Invisible selfie stick shots, tiny planet views, and angles a phone will never reach.
Unique angles | Creative travel shots | 360 storytelling
04 From Sunset to Stars
Shoot from golden hour straight through to the night sky, and show us what happens to a place after dark.
Sunsets | City lights | Night adventures
What You Can Win
360 Vision Award, 2 winners
- Insta360 X6 Essentials Bundle
- $1,500 travel fund
- Insta360 Explorer Backpack
Best Category Award, 4 winners
- Insta360 X6 Travel Bundle
- A surprise Insta360 merch drop
Travel Discovery Award, 8 winners
- A surprise Insta360 merch drop
How to Enter
Step 1. Shoot your entry on an Insta360 X Series camera, in any one of the four categories above.
Step 2. Post it to Instagram or TikTok.
Step 3. Mention @insta360 and add #Insta360Xplore and #Insta360TravelShot.
That is the whole process. No upload portal, no submission form.
Key Dates
- Submissions open: August 31
- Submissions close: September 30
- Winners announced: October 20
Get Inspired
Need ideas before you hit record? These shots from the X Series community show what the four categories can look like in practice. Steal the technique, then make it yours:
Why X6 Makes a Good Travel Camera
X6 shoots native 8K50fps 360 video and runs 140 minutes at 8K30fps on a single charge, so a full day out does not turn into a battery management exercise. It goes 20m (66ft) underwater without a case. And because it records everything around you at once, you choose your framing after the trip instead of during it, which is exactly the freedom this campaign is built to show off.
Any Insta360 X Series camera qualifies, so you do not need the newest body to enter.
Start Shooting
You already took the trip. Insta360 Xplorers is your chance to show the rest of it, the parts that fell outside the frame. Submissions open August 31.
FAQ
- What criteria are used to select the winning entries?
Entries will be evaluated based on visual impact, creativity, and technical prowess.
- What are the content submission rules?
Submissions must be shot on an Insta360 X Series camera. Participants must ensure that their entries are original and do not use uncopyrighted materials or infringe on the rights of third parties. Plagiarism is strictly prohibited. If any entry involves false information or infringement, the participant will be disqualified and held responsible.
- What happens to my content after I submit it?
Once you submit your work, you grant Insta360 a worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty-free, sublicensable, and transferable license. This includes, but is not limited to, copying, editing, modifying, publishing, and displaying your work, as well as recreating, copying, editing, modifying, publishing, and displaying derivative works for both commercial and non-commercial purposes.
- Who is responsible for copyright?
The individual or organization that uploads the entry bears all copyright responsibilities for the work. The organizer is not liable for any legal disputes related to copyright, trademarks, portrait rights, reputation rights, or privacy rights. The legal liability rests entirely on the contestant.
- What do I need to do if I win?
If you win, you'll need to provide some basic personal information and payment details to claim your prize. If you don't submit this information or complete the necessary procedures within 30 days, you'll automatically forfeit your prize.
- What kind of content is prohibited?
Your work must not contain any pornographic or violent content, or any material that goes against content regulations.
- How are winners chosen and notified?
Entries are accepted from Instagram and TikTok. Winners will be notified via DM from the official Insta360 account, and all fourteen winners will be announced on October 20, 2026: two 360 Vision Award winners, four Best in Category Award winners, and eight Travel Discovery Award winners.
- How can I contact Insta360 with questions?
If you have any questions, feel free to contact us via email at awards@insta360.com.
Keen to keep up to date on Insta360 stories? Keep an eye on our blog and sign up for our mailing list. Got a story to share? Email yours to communitystories@insta360.com and win up to US$50.
Your shot. Your world. The Insta360 Global Awards 2026 supported by Leica are officially open. Join creators worldwide and compete across six categories (Street, Travel, Life, Portrait, Sports, and Night) for your share of a US$150,000+ prize pool, including cash prizes and Insta360 gear. Submit your best video or photo at insta360.com/awards.
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