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Man biking in nature
“In my photos, I like to show the viewers the beauty of the environment where athletes perform. I think a great location is one of the key elements for a great action picture.” Lorenz Holder

The Red Bull Illume photography contest is currently accepting submissions and wants to see the best actions sports and adventure photography out there. Now in its fifth year, the contest is free to enter and top photographers will walk away with gear from Sony, SanDisk, Skylum, and COOPH.

Bike rider over car
“I’d been working on shots through transparent surfaces for a few years but it was during a long drive across Europe that I had this idea. I was forcing myself to think of new angles and nothing really came to mind. But when I said to myself that the best ideas are the simplest ones, that usually you have the answer in front of you, I realized the shot was actually in front of me. It was right there, where most people spend a lot of time everyday – cars!” © Ale Di Lullo

This year the contest features 11 categories including new categories like Best of Instagram, Emerging (for photographers 25 and younger), RAW (for images straight out of camera), and Moving Image, for video sequences between 5-30 seconds. Judges will be selecting 55 finalists, 11 category winners, and one overall winner. All finalist images will be included in the Red Bull Illume Exhibit Tour in 2020.

Check out these tips from some of our favorite action sports photographers to get you started.

rough male hands close up
“The main instruments in rock climbing are your hands and arms. It was a deal—we’d shoot a close-up of his hands. With the help of two medium soft box sets on both sides I focused on the hands and fingers, their owner hiding in the shade. I wanted the viewer to see more than just the hands of the athlete.” Denis Klero

The contest is accepting submissions through July 31, so there is plenty of time to start digging through your archives or pursue something new.

Jeanette D. Moses
Jeanette D. Moses

Jeanette D. Moses is a New York City–based filmmaker and photographer known for her intimate depictions of New York's creative communities. She’s been a contributor to PopPhoto since 2014, specializing in interviews, gear reviews, and all things analog.

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