08/10/2026

MontPhoto celebrates its 30th anniversary with an unforgettable edition that not even the rain could dampen.

Lloret de Mar hosted a historic gala and an action-packed Saturday filled with photography, gatherings, and celebration. A weather warning forced the cancellation of the Saturday night and Sunday programs, yet it could not dampen the spirit of an anniversary marking the start of a new chapter.

The MontPhoto Festival celebrated its 30th anniversary from October 2 to 4, with a shared sense that this was the best edition in its history. Three decades after its inception in 1997 as a mountain photography contest, MontPhoto once again transformed Lloret into a meeting point for the world's finest nature photography.

An awards gala, presentations, nine exhibitions, portfolio reviews, photography outings, and a marquee open to the general public filled a weekend that brought together photographers and attendees from 26 countries. Rain also played a role: while it forced changes to plans, it confirmed something the festival already knew—those who photograph nature learn to adapt to it.

Chronicle of an action-packed weekend

Friday: the big anniversary night

After an afternoon spent visiting exhibitions, the festival kicked off on Friday, October 2, at 7:00 PM at the Teatre de Lloret de Mar with the opening ceremony and awards gala. Admission was free with prior reservation, and the public responded fittingly for the occasion: the theater was nearly full. Like all presentations in the auditorium, the gala featured professional simultaneous interpretation in Spanish and English, which attendees followed on their own mobile phones.

The evening opened with Japanese pianist and composer Yoko Suzuki—a regular at the gala—performing *Inspirada per la natura* (Inspired by Nature), the soundtrack she composed for MontPhoto last year. This time, the music accompanied a selection of images spanning the contest's 30 editions. Next, photographer Tino Soriano took the floor in a lighthearted manner and invited Paco Membrives, Roser Gruart, Josep Carreras, and Isabel Garrido to the stage to accept—on an honorary basis—an award recognizing the entire MontPhoto community.

Then came the turn of MontPhoto president Roser Gruart, who delivered a speech—titled "Fora de l'amagatall" (Out of the Hide)—that called for action and engagement, addressing both policymakers and the audience. Drawing on the concept of the nature photographer's "hide," she urged photography to step out of that concealment and take a stand against war, discrimination, and climate change denial—a speech that encapsulates the values ​​the organization champions.

Gruart concluded his remarks with a nod to the anniversary celebration and a summary of the figures spanning three decades: 30 editions, 11 categories, 64 finalists this year, and over 180,000 images in the contest archive. The full speech can be downloaded at the bottom of this article.

Following the speeches came the most anticipated moment: the awards ceremony, which delighted the entire theater audience with its mix of surprises and applause. Many of the winning photographers traveled to Lloret to accept their awards in person. The celebration continued with a cocktail reception at the La Garota restaurant in Lloret de Mar, featuring toasts, reunions, and photographers who had arrived from all corners of the globe.

Saturday: the heart of the festival

Saturday was a packed day. Early risers were already at Sa Boadella Cove at 6:40 a.m. to photograph the sunrise with Javier Alonso Torre. Later, Martín Gallego—a specialist in macro photography and close-up nature imagery—led a macro photography outing through the Marimurtra Botanical Garden in Blanes.

At 10:00 a.m., the theater auditorium opened with presentations by Alejandra Rendón—a PhD chemist and photographer who combines science and aesthetics to protect threatened biodiversity—and Giancarlo Velmarch, an environmental scientist and conservation photographer. After the break, the stage welcomed Dhritiman Mukherjee—one of India’s most renowned conservation photographers and a *Wildlife Photographer of the Year* winner and jury member—and Mexican-Australian filmmaker and environmental scientist Raquel Trejo, who presented her "Coral Kids" project.

The afternoon session featured documentary filmmakers Ofelia de Pablo and Javier Zurita (Hakawati Film), who demonstrated how to move from imagery to real-world impact, as well as Alejandro Camba, a photojournalist for *La Voz de Galicia*. The session in the auditorium concluded with presentations by photographer and writer Paroma Basu—a contributor to *The Guardian* and *National Geographic News*—and visual artist and ocean explorer Francesca Page. It was a day that deeply moved an enthusiastic audience.

Meanwhile, throughout the morning, Josep Maria de Llobet, Laura Ligari, and Santi Palacios conducted portfolio reviews, while the featured photographers presented their exhibitions during guided tours.

Outside, the Estrella Damm tent served as a gathering spot for everyone, featuring audiovisual displays, culinary experiences, music, presentations, and family activities. The stage hosted Cristina Vilà (from the SOS Costa Brava Federation), Alberto Masó, Foto Ruano, Gabriel Brau, and Santi Palacios (from Sonda Internacional). It was a day defined by hugs and conversations that stretched on without a glance at the clock—charged with an energy that is hard to put into words. Until the alarm sounded.

Nature Calls the Shots

As Saturday evening fell, the rain arrived. A weather warning for heavy rainfall forced the cancellation of Saturday night’s activities and the entire Sunday program. Among the events that could not take place were presentations by Yhabril Moro—one of the major award winners from the previous night—Júlia Ferrer, and Javier Alonso Torre; talks by Carlos Gonzalo and Martín Gallego in the tent; and the closing ceremony featuring the 30th-anniversary commemorative video. "It wasn't an easy decision, but the safety of the people who make MontPhoto possible comes before everything else," the organizers explained.

However, spirits remained high. The team and volunteers worked together to clear away the water, reorganized as needed, and continued the celebration amidst photography and countless stories.

An Award List Worthy of a 30th Anniversary

In its 30th edition, the contest once again broke its participation record. The MontPhoto 2026 Honorary Award went to "Black Panther Atmosphere" by British photographer Andrew Rouse, who also won the Art in Nature category. It was an image that capped off an edition of exceptional quality.

Hungary delivered a brilliant performance, securing three first-place awards and two double wins (taking both first and second place in a category). Its standout photographer was Imre Potyó, the only entrant to win two category first-place awards. Spain triumphed in the Nature Activity and Landscape categories—achieving a double win in both—and claimed the Portfolio Award with "Universo perpendicular" by Juan Cuetos. The Storytelling Award went to Italian photographer Luca Eberle for "A Crocodile Reborn – Cambodia's Forgotten Legacy", while the Catalunya Award was won by Marc Casanovas Felix for"*Sindrome del nido".

List of awards by category:

• Honorary Award: *Black Panther Atmosphere* by Andrew Rouse (UK)
• 1st Prize – Nature Activity: *Blue Abyss* by Yhabril Moro (Spain)
• 1st Prize – Mammals: *The First Pollinating Carnivore* by Amit Eshel (Israel)
• 1st Prize – Birds: *Shadow and Reality* by Csaba Daróczi (Hungary)
• 1st Prize – Other Animals: *Stream Love* by Francesco Visintin (Italy)
• 1st Prize – Plant World: *Guano Blooming* by Imre Potyó (Hungary)
• 1st Prize – Landscape: *Aliento de fuego* (Breath of Fire) by Arai Josue Alonso Melian (Spain)
• 1st Prize – Underwater World: *Iguana at Lunch* by Henley Spiers (UK)
• 1st Prize – Environmental Concern: *Mayfly Enchanter* by Imre Potyó (Hungary)
• 1st Prize – Art in Nature: *Black Panther Atmosphere* by Andrew Rouse (UK)
• 1st Prize – Portfolio: *Universo perpendicular* (Perpendicular Universe) by Juan Cuetos (Spain)
• 1st Prize – Storytelling: *A Crocodile Reborn – Cambodia's Forgotten Legacy* by Luca Eberle (Italy)
• Catalonia Award: *Síndrome del nido* (Nest Syndrome) by Marc Casanovas Felix (Spain)

The winning and finalist images are featured in the book Inspired by Nature 2026, presented during the festival. The full list of winners and all awarded works can be viewed in the MontPhoto 2026 Gallery.

Nine exhibitions spanning three decades

Nine exhibitions accompanied the festival. The major outdoor exhibition "30 Years of MontPhoto" brought some of the images that have shaped the contest's history out into the street, displayed in large format with trilingual text. The 2026 Contest exhibition showcased the winning works from this edition.

Alongside these, visitors could see "The Good Shepherdess" by Paroma Basu; "Changing Planet 2026" from MontPhoto’s youth competition; "Flying Roots" by María Solaguren-Beascoa Negre; "Ter" by Iñaki Relanzón and Carles Virgili; and a selection from the Cuban festival Fotocanímar. The Youth Residency presented "SOS Costa Brava," the result of the "Beyond the Image" intensive workshop, which brought young photographers together with Javier Zurita (Hakawati Film) in the days leading up to the festival. Amidst the presentations, "El viatge de les aus" (The Journey of the Birds) by Eloïsa Matheu—president of the Wildlife Sound Recording Society—invited the audience to discover nature through sound.

Thirty Years Is Not the End

"Thirty years of observing nature have taught us that you cannot impose a script on it. This year, nature decided to take the stage itself, and what we witnessed was a team that adapted and kept moving forward with a smile," summarizes Roser Gruart, president of MontPhoto.

That team is, perhaps, the anniversary's greatest achievement. It brings together long-serving volunteers who have poured their hearts and souls into the project and a younger generation already taking up the mantle with fresh ideas, talent, and respect for the path already traveled—a passing of the torch that prepares MontPhoto for the decades ahead.

The anniversary also caps off a stellar year for the organization. In July, the Government of Catalonia (Generalitat) granted MontPhoto the status of Public Utility and Social Benefit Organization, and the Lloret de Mar Tourism Awards honored the organization with an Award for international outreach.

MontPhoto extends its gratitude to the Lloret de Mar City Council, Lloret Turisme, the Girona Provincial Council, the Department of Culture of the Generalitat, and the Ministry of Culture, as well as to the sponsors, collaborators, speakers, and award-winning photographers. Special thanks go to the volunteers who stepped up at every turn and to the audience who showed up regardless of the weather.

The organizers are already working on MontPhoto Fest 2027. See you next year—this time, with an umbrella at the ready.