Memorial María Luisa announces winners of 36th Photo Contest

The jury of the 36th María Luisa Memorial International Photography and Video Competition has announced the results for the 2026 edition of one of the most prestigious international competitions dedicated to mountain, nature, and adventure photography.

After evaluating 18,059 images and 182 videos and documentaries from 78 countries, the jury highlighted the extraordinary technical, artistic, and narrative quality of the submitted works, underscoring the growing environmental awareness and the expressive power of the winning entries. The top prize, the Cajastur Foundation Grand Prize, was awarded to Christoph Fischer of Canada for his work entitled “Fearless”, an image that the jury described as "a powerful synthesis of simplicity, emotion, composition, and respect for the natural environment." Among young photographers, under nineteen years of age, the prize went to the photograph "Dernières Lueurs" by Lubin Godin, from France.

Awards by category:
Mountain Photography: Filip Hrebenda (Slovakia)
Mountaineering and Winter Sports: Tyler Lekki (USA)
Climbing: Sam Bie (France)
Adventure and Other Extreme Sports: Marc Marco (Spain)
Travel and People Photography: Azim Khan Ronnie (Bangladesh)
Bird World: Andy Parkinson (United Kingdom)
Plant World: José Luis Gigirey (Spain)
Underwater World: Pietro Formis (Italy)
Biodiversity and Geodiversity: Imre Potyó (Hungary)
Natural Landscapes: Maxime Daviron (France)
Creative Photography: Noah Wetzel (USA)
Children's World. Macro photo: Bidyut Kalita (India)
Theme of the Year, Rural World Photography: Juan Zas (Spain).

In the video, film, and documentary category, the overall winner, the Foto Ruano Grand Prize, was Champions of the Golden Valley, by Ben Sturgulewski (USA). In this category, the jury also awarded seven other thematic prizes and ten honorable mentions.

The jury particularly wanted to recognize the geographical and thematic diversity of the winning works, reflecting the international nature of the competition and its consolidation as a leading event in the field of nature and adventure photography.

The official awards ceremony will be held in Infiesto and Oviedo (Asturias) on April 24 and 25, 2026, at the Teatro Filarmónica and Hotel de la Reconquista, in an event that will bring together photographers, sponsors, media representatives, and members of the cultural and mountaineering communities.

The open-air exhibition featuring a selection of the award-winning photographs will be on display in the streets and squares of Infiesto, starting on the afternoon of April 24th. This extraordinary collection of photographs can now be viewed online at www.memorialmarialuisa.com, as well as on Facebook, Instagram, and video platforms. 

The María Luisa Memorial, named in honor of María Luisa Álvarez, has been promoting photographic excellence and the dissemination of values ​​associated with nature, environmental respect, and the spirit of perseverance for over three decades.