The moment creatives, athletes and adventure & action sports fans have been waiting for is here. The top 250 selection for the Red Bull Illume Image Quest 2023 is ready to be seen on redbullillume.com. There are also two new partners that have joined the contest – Canon and MPB.
The wait is over. After thousands of images have been submitted to the Red Bull Illume Image Quest 2023 into 10 categories over three months, the top images have now been carefully selected. The result – the 250 best adventure and action sports photos and reels are now available to see on redbullillume.com. Red Bull Illume is the world’s greatest adventure and action sports imagery contest and in 2023 it is celebrating its 7th edition.
It is always challenging to get high-quality photos and videos, it’s even more so to get the best adventure and action sports shots. That’s why it’s so incredible to get that many groundbreaking submissions from all around the world. The imagery varies massively in scope and includes a broad spectrum of sports from freediving and parkour to more traditional pursuits like rock climbing, surfing and mountain biking. Each story behind these images is unique and shows the effort it takes to capture such breathtaking moments of action.
Among those is spectacular surfing shot from Morgan Maassen: “I love using photography to freeze moments in time, to create postcards of curiosities.”
The story of Rein Rijke illustrates the challenges that can be encountered in the field of photography: “The ice was so thin, you could see it moving like a wave, with cracks and the sounds of breaking ice under my feet.”
For Nathan Saier photography is more than just taking images: “With photography we are not just able to capture these important moments, we have the ability to inspire.”
Behind each image is an incredible story and all of them can be found in the gallery on redbullillume.com. Dive into the world of these passionate creators and get inspired by their stories.
The Judging Panel
Who is judging the incredible submissions to Red Bull Illume? The judging panel is as varied as it is experienced in the nuances of adventure and action sports imagery, consisting of 52 renowned judges from all over the world. It includes past winners like Will Saunders and Chris Burkard, some of the best athletes in the world like Anna Gasser and Matthias Dandois. There are also industry experts like Laura Stanley from Pexels and Jeremy Layton from the Daily Mail.
Two-time Red Bull Illume Judge, Olympic gold medalist and World Champion snowboarder Anna Gasser says, “A photo is a work of art, in the perfect picture everything is coherent, down to the last detail.”
Two more Red Bull Illume partners: Canon and MPB
It is an honor to announce that Canon, the world’s largest camera manufacturer, trusted by creators of all levels, is teaming up with Red Bull Illume. Driven by a pioneering passion to constantly redefine the world of imaging, Canon continues to explore the boundaries of what’s technologically possible, to empower creators to push boundaries of their craft. The Japanese company is supporting the Emerging with Canon category – the one for photographers under the age of 25 – because they want to encourage the next generation of adventure and action sports photographers.
More exciting news, MPB has also joined as a new partner of Red Bull Illume. MPB is the largest global platform to buy, sell and trade used photo and video kit. They have a wide range of used photo and video kit so there’s something for beginners to professionals, whether they’re shooting stills or video. MPB stands for innovative ideas and sustainable solutions that’s why supporting the Innovation by MPB category is a perfect fit.
What’s next?
Stay tuned for the next announcement at the beginning of November, then it will be revealed which 50 images out of the top 250 made it into the finals to the Winner Award Ceremony in Sölden, Austria.
The 3-day Winner Award Ceremony takes place between November 28 and November 30, 2023, with the winners to be announced on Thursday evening [CET]. As well as the legendary ceremony there will be much more for the invited content creators. Over the three days there will be workshops, talks, and opportunities for networking. The Winner Award Ceremony is a gathering of the most influential people from the industry – including the top 50 finalists, judges, partners, athletes and media outlets. In past editions business relationships and close friendships have been forged at the Red Bull Illume Winner Award Ceremonies.
The Winner Award Ceremony will take place in Sölden, Austria from November 28 – 30, 2023.
© Ötztal Tourismus / Rudi Whylidal
The event is also the kickoff of the global exhibit tour with tour stops starting in Sölden and at the Berlin Travel Festival followed by the Hangar-7 in Salzburg, Austria. More detailed information about the stops is to be announced soon.
