Photography
World's best adventure and action sports photos revealed
Photographer Krystle Wright wins coveted Red Bull Illume Overall Winner title and nine other category winners announced.
For the first time in its 17-year history, a female photographer has taken the grand prize at Red Bull Illume, the world’s largest imagery contest that celebrates adventure and action sports. Australian photographer Krystle Wright convinced the Red Bull Illume Judging Panel consisting of more than 50 renowned judges with her shot of climber Angela VanWiemeersch illuminated in a crack, deep within Long Canyon, Utah, United States. It also wins the Innovation by MPB category.
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Krystle Wright was overwhelmed by being crowned as overall winner.
This is incredible. I wanted to earn my place in this industry and my work to get recognized. Red Bull Illume is the only platform that truly recognizes what we do."
Krystle Wright
© Krystle Wright / Red Bull Illume
Wright's winning shot is one of ten awe-inspiring works to win a category winner prize at the Red Bull Illume Winner Award Ceremony in Sölden, Austria. The mountain village hosted the ceremony for the first time, alongside workshops, side-events with Red Bull Illume Partners, Canon, MPB, Radiant Photo and COOPH. It was a gathering of some of the biggest names in adventure and action sports photography which included former winners Fred Mortagne, Lorenz Holder and Ben Thouard, who also gave talks before the Winner Award Ceremony.
Red Bull Illume is considered the pinnacle of adventure and action sports imagery and attracts submissions from amateur and professional photographers around the world – from Red Bull’s world and beyond. The ten category winners of the seventh edition of the contest feature ice climbers, kayakers, surfers, bikers, skaters and other athletes in some of the world’s wildest environments – as well as unusual urban locations.
Masterpiece by Sölden – Lorenz Holder (GER)
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Lorenz Holder
© Lorenz Holder / Red Bull Illume
Lorenz Holder, a two-time overall winner of Red Bull Illume, won the Masterpiece by Sölden category after once again teaming up with the BMX rider Senad Grosic in another unique location, this time a brightly colored post-modern apartment complex.
Emerging with Canon – Gonzalo Robert Parraguez (CHL)
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Gonzalo Robert Parraguez
© Gonzalo Robert Parraguez / Red Bull Illume
Emerging with Canon, the category for young talents, was won by Gonzalo Robert Parraguez for his shot of kayaker Kilian Ivelic Astorga.
Energy – Ted Grambeau (AUS)
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Ted Grambeau
© Ted Grambeau / Red Bull Illume
The renowned surf photographer Ted Grambeau won Energy for his shot of Jimmy McKean at the base of a giant Southern Ocean swell.
Other category winners include:
Creative – Delphin Montessuit (FRA)
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Delphin Montessuit
© Delphin Montessuit / Red Bull Illume
Lifestyle by COOPH – Ross Taylor (GBR)
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Ross Taylor
© Ross Taylor / Red Bull Illume
Playground by Radiant Photo – Jb Liautard (FRA)
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Jb Liautard
© Jb Liautard / Red Bull Illume
RAW – Léo Grosgurin (FRA)
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Léo Grosgurin
© Léo Grosgurin / Red Bull Illume
Photos of Instagram – Yhabril (ESP)
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Yhabril Moro
© Yhabril Moro / Red Bull Illume
Reels of Instagram – Gabriel Marwein (IND)
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Gabriel Marwein
© Gabriel Marwein
The Red Bull Illume Exhibit Tour is on!
The top five images from each of the ten categories were unveiled earlier this month and can be viewed here. They now form a unique exhibition, beginning in Sölden with the images displayed on 2x2m outdoor lightboxes until December 21. The exhibition also travels to Germany for the Berlin Travel Festival (December 1 - 3) then to Salzburg’s Hangar-7 (December 13 – February 4, 2024) , before setting off to illuminate other parts of the world.
Get inspired by the jaw-dropping imagery
Check out all the images that were submitted to the Red Bull Illume Image Quest in the gallery and get inspired for your next adventure and action sports shoot!