One Month Left to Enter The Red Bull Illume Image Quest

Press Release / 02.07.2021

The countdown to Red Bull Illume Image Quest 2021 has begun, as the end of the submissions phase nears. There’s just one month left for photographers and videographers to enter their best adventure and action sports imagery to win prestige, global recognition, prizes valued at over €200,000 and the chance to have their imagery published all around the world!

The deadline reminder comes as we reveal some of the judges who have agreed to help select the winners. They include Russ O’Connell, picture editor at the UK’s prestigious Sunday Times Magazine. We will also have 2010 Overall Winner, Chris Burkard, confirmed as a judge as well as the legendary, Fred Mortagne, the first ever Overall Winner of the Red Bull Illume Image Quest. 

"For me, this contest changed my life and career, just being celebrated as a photographer was mind-blowing. As a judge, I'm looking for images that depict how the human experience blends with these wild natural environments we get to play in. I'm also hyped to see creativity pushed to its limits and can't wait to see what people bring to the table!" Chris Burkard says. 

Joining them in selecting the world’s greatest adventure and action sports imagery on the 2021 judging panel is Laura Stanley from Pexels (Canada), Sean Doherty from Surfing World Magazine (Australia), Angelika Hala, photo editor at STERN (Germany), editor-in-chief at 30° Degrés Magazine Christian Bugnon (Switzerland), Theo Acworth from Method Mag (UK), Calle Rosenqvist from Kamera & Bild (Sweden) and Andrea Estevam, content director for Rocky Mountain Sports Content (Brazil). 

“What I love most and what I think truly makes great adventure and action sports imagery is something that gives you pause, or that instant roller coaster stomach drop feeling. Seeing a human go up against the world's most unpredictable elements shows us how strong we really are.” Laura Stanley explains. 

The international judging panel consists of 50 renowned photo editors and photo experts who will base their decisions on a mix of composition, technical superiority, creativity, impact, artistic flair, and the overall qualities of photographic excellence within that image’s category. Voting takes place in three rounds; first the finalists are chosen, then the category winners, and finally, the overall winner is selected.

The winners will receive incredible gear like the premium Lenovo™ Yoga™ 9i laptop, pro-grade workflow bundles from SanDisk Professional™, state-of-the-art cameras from Leica, a dream photoshoot from Black Diamond, and of course the most invaluable prize: A ton of worldwide exposure for their work and joining the Red Bull Illume community as an official winner. 

Entering is easier than ever: Photographers can submit their photos on redbullillume.com, and for the Best of Instagram by Lenovo category they simply need to share their photos and videos up to 1min on Instagram and tag @redbullillume and #rbi21submission.

Red Bull Illume Image Quest 2021 is a one-of-a-kind opportunity and winning is guaranteed to transform any photographer’s life, whether amateur or professional. Submissions close on July 31, 2021, at 00:00 (CEST) which means there’s one month to go out there and get creative. So, go on and take a shot at winning! Stay tuned to redbullillume.com and social media to see all the latest news and info.