Red Bull Illume Is Back
Press Release / 30.01.2019
Red Bull Illume returns – the contest that was already at the pinnacle of adventure and action sports photography is taking things even higher!
It showcases the most creative and captivating images on the planet, while illuminating the passion, lifestyle and culture behind the photographers that shoot them.
The Image Quest 2019 is the fifth edition of Red Bull Illume and evolves with two exciting new categories; Best of Instagram by SanDisk and the Moving Image category. Submissions for Best of Instagram by SanDisk start on February 1 and runs monthly, with final submissions ending June 14.
Entries for the main contest are open for three months from May 1 - July 31, 2019. Winners will be announced at the Winner Award Ceremony at the end of November 2019. The finalist images will then travel around the world in an entirely new exhibit tour in 2020. Photography industry leader Sony is back on board as a partner, also sponsoring the Innovation category.
As well as the new categories, three existing categories have changed. The Emerging category is for rising talents to compete against each other on a similar footing – with submissions accepted only from photographers 25 years old or under.
The Raw category aims for shots that are `straight out of camera` showcasing the real image. Composition, exposure and lighting must be done in front of the lens. Images that reveal a unique angle, a visual idea, a different format, light and flash effects, in general something never seen before can now be submitted to the Innovation by Sony category.
The Best of Instagram by SanDisk category is for photographers most gram-worthy moments of show-stopping adventure and action sports. To enter, participants simply need to tag @redbullillume and #rbi19submission. Best of Instagram submissions start on February 1, with one winner selected by the community each month from February till June.
As images are no longer standing still and photographers become content creators, from 2019 onwards, moving images may be submitted into Red Bull Illume. The new category, Moving Image, is an open playing field for the best adventure and action sport sequences between 5 and 30 seconds.
Exclusive Winner Award Ceremony & Worldwide Exhibit Tour
Once the submission phase comes to a close on July 31, it’s time for the world to be illuminated. During the judging phase, 50 of the world’s best photo editors and digital experts select 55 finalists, 11 category winners, and determine 1 overall winner, to be unveiled at the Winner Award Ceremony at the end of November 2019.
The Winner Award Ceremony is not only a couple of hours of stage time, but a three-day event in a stunning location, which will be announced soon, including workshops, talks, and product tests. It is an occasion that will see more than 100 opinion-leaders of the scene – including finalists, judges, and partners – come together.
In 2020, all finalist images will travel to capitals and cultural hubs on three continents in parallel as part of the Red Bull Illume Exhibit Tour, providing an unprecedented level of exposure. In addition to the unique nighttime exhibition with 2x2m lightboxes, the 55 finalists will be illuminated on digital smart frames in an innovative Indoor Exhibition.
