Expedition
Photographers: here's your chance be in the frame for Red Bull Illume 2021
Think you have a keen eye for capturing the best of action and adventure sports? Get inspired, as the international photography contest Red Bull Illume 2021 is open for entries.
Entries are now open for Red Bull Illume 2021. Two years on from the last contest, Red Bull Illume is back for 2021 for the sixth edition. Red Bull Illume showcases the most captivating action and adventure photography on the planet, while illuminating the passion, lifestyle and culture behind the photographers that shoot them.
You don't have to be a professional photographer to enter Red Bull Illume: amateur photographers and even smartphone aficionados are encouraged to submit their photos in any of the submission categories available in the contest.
Red Bull Illume 2019 – Masterpiece by EyeEm winner
© Lorenz Holder / Red Bull Illume
What's in store for 2021?
The Red Bull Illume submission list features 10 categories, including a new category for 2021: Photo Story – photos presented in a slideshow from 30 seconds up to three minutes. Also new for 2021 is that videos, in addition to photos, can be submitted to the Best of Instagram by Lenovo category. For each category, you can submit up to 10 entries, and you can submit the same image to a maximum of two categories. The contest is free to enter, and entries for all categories are open for five months, from March 1 to July 31, 2021.
How will the entries be judged?
50 world-renowned photo editors and digital experts from international publications in the news, photography and sports industries will judge the 275 semi-finalists, 45 finalists and nine category winners. For the 10th category, Best of Instagram by Lenovo, the general public will take part in the judging by choosing the finalists from a selection of semi-finalists selected by the judges – scroll down for more info about being involved.
Judges base their decisions on a mix of composition, technical superiority, creativity, impact, artistic flair and overall qualities of photographic excellence.
Results will be unveiled at the Winner Award Ceremony in November 2021 when the winners will be awarded with trophies and amazing photographic prizes, together worth more than €100,000. In 2022, all finalist images will be presented around the globe, providing the winners with an unprecedented level of exposure.
Red Bull Illume 2019 – Best of Instagram by SanDisk winner
© Baptiste Fauchille / Red Bull Illume
Best of Instagram by Lenovo
The submissions for Best of Instagram by Lenovo will be judged every month, from April to August, first by an internal Red Bull Illume jury who'll select the top five still and top five moving images – these will be official Red Bull Illume semi-finalists. They'll then be put to a community vote on redbullillume.com to select one monthly winner each for still and moving images. The monthly winners will automatically become official Red Bull Illume finalists. In total, there'll be five still and five moving image finalists – out of these, the public will decide who to crown Best of Instagram by Lenovo category winners.
Check out @redbullillume to see the submissions and to find out how to submit your own images.
Be inspired by 2019's winners
In 2019, a record-breaking 59,551 images were submitted by thousands of photographers from countries all around the world, with Ben Thouard taking the name as Overall Winner. Get your creative and adventure neurons firing by checking out the winning photos from 2019 below, then scroll down to find out how you can be involved in the 2021 contest.
Red Bull Illume 2019 – Playground winner
© Lorenz Holder / Red Bull Illume
Red Bull Illume 2019 – RAW winner
© Noah Wetzel / Red Bull Illume
Red Bull Illume 2019 – Lifestyle winner
© Alexander Wick / Red Bull Illume
Red Bull Illume 2019 – Wings winner
© Philip Platzer / Red Bull Illume
The Red Bull Illume competition is currently open for entries. Submissions are due by July 31. Click here, to learn more about the 2021 competition.
