2016 Red Bull Illume Image Quest

There are just under 24 hours left to submit to the 2016 installment of the Red Bull Illume Image Quest, and I highly encourage everyone to do so.

If you don’t already know about the Illume contest, it’s a free; once-every-three-years photography competition specific to highlighting the very best action and adventure sports photographs and photographers in the world. There’s really nothing else like it out there.

Out of nearly 30k submissions back in 2013, I was honored to be selected a top 50 overall/top 5 category finalist. I was definitely a little fish in a big pond, going up against names that have all but defined the industry. But as a relatively unknown I made it; that’s why I’ve been encouraging so many photographers to submit this year.

I was only shooting “professionally” for a couple of years when I heard about/decided to submit to the 2013 contest. My photo that made the finals was actually captured in what I suppose you can consider my second year of shooting. You can imagine I was beyond thrilled.

Nowhere else can a local, up-and-coming surf photographer rub shoulders as equals with the 10-years senior staff photographer for Burton, the staff photographers for your favorite magazines, or photographers who spend 300+ days a year on the road contracted with some of the biggest companies or names in media.

There are very few other forums where top photographers from so many sports get the opportunity to interact with each other, share stories, ideas, and techniques. You’re not likely to find a photographer taking ski or snowboard photos in the Alps shooting on the beach on the North Shore, or a photographer covering kayaking also in Joshua Tree shooting bouldering; but the Illume contest puts everyone next to each other on a level playing field.

This year is going to be insane. The bar is so unbelievably high, not only in surf but all of action sports photography. You’ve just got to put your best photos forward, and hope they align with what the judges happen to be thinking/looking for on that given day when they’re considering images.

The Illume contest has opened so many doors for my career and myself. I still look back at all the finalist photos from 2013, across multiple sport disciplines, as a source for inspiration in my current projects. There’s not much of a difference in those that made the first round (top 250) and the top 50 finalists. I’m still in awe of all those photographs.

I just wrapped up my submissions for this year, and it looks as though many photogs are as well—in the past 30 hours submissions have nearly doubled, and I expect to see many more flood in this last 24 hours. If you’re thinking of submitting… all entries must be submitted by midnight CET (Central European Time) on March 31, 2016 (that’s 3pm PST!).

Head to www.redbullillume.com for more information and to submit.

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