About:

Stories, visions and wonders born of winter.

The contest invites photographers from around the world to submit work related to snow, ice, and cold – whether sports-related, urban or natural. Selected entries will be showcased during the 16th edition of the  IMAGE & NEIGE INTERNATIONAL PHOTOGRAPHY FESTIVAL, taking place from January 30 to February 1, 2026, in the French Alps.

We invite you to celebrate the artistic power of photography in winter landscapes. From frozen silence to fierce storms, from mountain sports to poetic stillness, this annual event brings together photographers who explore snow, ice, and the visual soul of winter.

• Held in a setting shaped by the very elements it showcases, the festival features:

• Outdoor and indoor exhibitions

• Photographic series and single-shot awards

• Talks, screenings, and workshops

• A public-friendly, high-visual-impact experience

From frozen cityscapes to alpine adrenaline and abstract ice forms – Images & Neige invites you to capture how winter speaks through your lens. This year, we're especially looking for work that highlights winter sports and urban atmospheres.

Upload 1-15 images in any combination of the following categories:

• Sport scenes or related to winter sports or winter (star category)
• Urban settings (star category) featuring ice and Snow photograph
• People and ice, people and snow (staged photography, family events …)
• Poetry and wonders of Ice and Snow
• Graphism and abstraction
• Ice and Snow Landscapes
• Animals on Ice and Snow
• Other

What Winners Receive

4 Exhibition Prize Winners

Each of the four winners will have three photographs selected, printed on aluminum dibond (40×60 cm), and presented in gallery-quality frames during the 2026 Festival. Photographs for exhibition will be selected by the jury from the submitted series. The photographs will be exhibited at the Parvis des Esserts in Cluses, France. Winners may collect their exhibited works after the festival (shipping costs not covered).

10 Honorable Mentions

Ten additional photographers will receive honorable mentions based on jury ranking. These works and their authors will be featured in the Festival's official portfolio and promotional content.

Special Prizes

The jury reserves the right to award a 'Jury's Favourite' and/or a Special Mention in recognition of outstanding work.

About IMAGE & NEIGE INTERNATIONAL PHOTOGRAPHY FESTIVAL

The IMAGE & NEIGE INTERNATIONAL PHOTOGRAPHY FESTIVAL was founded by Frédéric Boiteux.In 2023, he was awarded the Silver Medal in the "Commercial" category by the French Professional Photography Federation. The contest is First Edition launched in 2025 organized by the CIty of Cluses (France) as part of the IMAGE & NEIGE INTERNATIONAL PHOTOGRAPHY FESTIVAL. The contest is Managed by Giandra de Castro, Artist Photographer and Fine Arts Director for the Cultural Center La Gorge. 

Website:cluses.fr

Facebook:@imagesetneige

How to enter

All submissions must be made via the Picter platform. Entries submitted by other means will not be considered.

• Open to participants aged 16 and over, from all countries.

• Submission fee: €20 per entry.(series : 1 entry per category : single image : 2 entries)

• A single entry may include:

  • 1 to 15 Standalone images (eligible for the Special Prizes and the Honorable Mentions
  • One or more series (minimum 3 images per series, maximum 15)
  • A mix of both series and standalone images

• JPG images : 1500 pixels on the long edge

Photographers must own full rights to the submitted images. 

If selected, high-resolution files will be required for printing.

Judging Criteria

Photos will be evaluated based on:

• Artistic and visual impact

• Relevance to the theme (snow, ice, cold), with a special warm welcome to urban and sports

• Technical quality

• Originality and narrative strength

All decisions of the jury are final.