POY Latam was created by Loup Langton and Pablo Corral Vega in 2011 to celebrate excellence in documentary and artistic photography in Ibero-America. It has become the largest and one of the most important competitions in the region. POY Latam is not for profit and seeks to reach the general public through the organization of the contest, exhibitions, workshops and publications. Unlike most other contests, the judging is transparent and broadcast live.

Loup Langton and Pablo Corral Vega have worked together for more than two decades trying to expand opportunities for Latin American visual journalists. In 1994 they directed the book project Descubriendo Ecuador that engaged more than 40 photographers and editors from 14 countries to produce a book and an exhibit about Ecuador. In the years since then they’ve created numerous workshops, with internationally acclaimed faculties, and symposia throughout Latin America. They partnered with POY in 2011 to establish POY Latam.