Ice climbers, kayakers, surfers, bikers, and skaters showcasing their skills in some of the world's wildest environments, captured by equally daring photographers. The winning photographs of this year's Red Bull Illume 2023 competition are revealed.
The Red Bull Illume is a competition that presents the pinnacle of action sports and adventure photography, and this year has been no different. Submissions from amateur and professional photographers from all over the globe have been judged by an esteemed panel of industry professionals, revealing the grand prize winner as Krystle Wright - the first female photographer to win the top spot in the competition's 17-year history.
(For full transparency, DCW editor James Artaius is a member of the Red Bull Illume judging panel.)
The Australian photographer won over the judges with her incredible shot of climber Angela VanWiemeersch illuminated in a crack, deep within Long Canyon, Utah, United States. In addition to winning the grand prize, the same shot also won the Innovation by MPB category. Taken with her Leica SL2 and APO-Vario-Elmarit-SL 90-280 f/2.8-4, the shot resembles a lightning bolt, illuminating the crack on an iconic trad climb.
On winning Krystle Wright said, "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."
Instead of ranking the winners, they are split into winners of individual categories and are therefore in no particular order. The winner of the Masterpiece by Sölden category is Lorenz Holder, a two-time overall Red Bull Illume winner. Teaming up with the BMX rider Senad Grosic, in a brightly colored post-modern apartment complex, Holder wanted to portray "a balance of architecture and action sports". His image was taken with Canon EOS R5 and Canon RF 28–70mm f/2L USM.
Emerging with Canon is the category for 'young talents', and was won by Gonzalo Robert Parraguez from Chile for his heart-thumping photo of kayaker Kilian Ivelic Astorga, traversing a cavernous waterfall. A two-hour drive, a 10-minute hike, and a 15-minute rappel into a deep canyon were needed before getting out his Sony A7 III and capturing this exceptional shot.
Get the Digital Camera World Newsletter
The best camera deals, reviews, product advice, and unmissable photography news, direct to your inbox!
The full winner's gallery along with an equipment list and stories about how the shots were made can be found on the competition website. The top five images, from each of the ten categories, are now part of a unique exhibition, beginning in Sölden until December 21. The exhibition then travels to Germany for the Berlin Travel Festival December 1 - 3 and then to Salzburg’s Hangar-7 December 13 – February 4, 2024.
If you can't make it to the exhibition, do not fear! You can now preorder the Limited Edition Red Bull Illume Photobook 2023, featuring the top 250 images including the stories behind those incredible images and biographies of the top 50 finalists.
Kalum Carter is a photographer, photo editor and writer based in the UK, and for almost a decade he has worked with brands and publications to create, edit, and sequence imagery. Having recently graduated with a Master's Degree in Photography from the University of the West of England (UWE), Kalum joined Digital Camera World as a Staff Writer, covering news, reviews, and his biggest passion – photography books!
Kalum's photography has been published and exhibited around the world, and he continues to photograph on a project-by-project basis. He is currently working on a personal project capturing the people and landscape of Gower, South Wales. Currently untitled, this body of work will be exhibited for the National Trust later this year.
