Snow Much to See

An international photo contest hosted by Images & Neige, the only photography festival in the world devoted entirely to snow, ice and cold.

  • Opens on 1 November 2026
  • 6 free, then from €5.00
  • Opens in 1 day 0 hours
Snow Much to See

Key dates

The categories you enter your photos in

This contest sorts entries by profile.

Single photographs

Up to 999 photos

  1. Snowy or icy landscapes –

  2. Scenes of winter life –

  3. Urban settings shaped by cold or snow

    3 photographs included

  4. Winter sports and leisure

    3 photographs included

  5. Wildlife and plants in the cold

  6. Human, social or environmental impacts of the cold

  7. Poetry and reverie

  8. Minimalism, graphics and abstraction

  9. Macro and close-up

  10. Smartphone

  11. Drone

Photographic series

  1. Snowy or icy landscapes

  2. Scenes of winter life

  3. Urban settings shaped by cold or snow –

  4. Winter sports and leisure –

  5. Wildlife and plants in the cold –

  6. Human, social or environmental impacts of the cold –

  7. Poetry and reverie –

  8. Minimalism, graphics and abstraction –

  9. Macro and close-up –

  10. Smartphone –

  11. Drone –

Rules

Snow Much to See — Rules

“SNOW MUCH TO SEE”

INTERNATIONAL PHOTOGRAPHY CONTEST

RULES 2026-2027

Version applicable from 1 November 2026. This English version is provided for information; in case of discrepancy, the French version prevails.

ARTICLE 1: ORGANISER OF THE CONTEST

The international photography contest entitled “Snow Much to See” is a private initiative organised by:

Ms Giandra De Castro
Professional photographer – artist-author
Sole proprietorship
96 rue du Chable
74170 Saint-Gervais-les-Bains, France
SIRET: 849 118 500 00024
Email: giandra@snowmuchtosee.com
Contest website: https://imagora.org/concours/snow-much-to-see

She is hereinafter referred to as “the Organiser”.

The Organiser independently handles the design, administration, technical and financial management, receipt of entries, collection of entry fees, organisation of the jury, selection of the winners and production of the editorial materials related to the contest.

The “Snow Much to See” contest is part of the programme of the “Images & Neige” photography festival, organised by the City of Cluses.

This connection does not make the City of Cluses an organiser or co-organiser of the contest. The City acts solely within the partnership concluded with the Organiser, in particular to help promote the contest and to present works selected within the festival.

Any question about entries, payments, selection, results or these rules must be addressed directly to the Organiser.

ARTICLE 2: PURPOSE AND THEME

The purpose of the contest is to promote photographic creation around the worlds of snow, cold, ice and, more broadly, winter subjects.

The photographs submitted may represent, in particular:

  • snowy or icy landscapes;
  • scenes of life in winter;
  • urban settings shaped by cold or snow;
  • winter sports or leisure activities;
  • wildlife and plants in cold environments;
  • the human, social or environmental impacts of the cold;
  • an artistic, documentary, poetic or abstract interpretation of the theme.

The photographs must have an identifiable link with the theme of the contest. The Organiser and the jury alone are competent to assess compliance with this condition.

The contest comprises eleven categories, open to single photographs and to series:

  • Snowy or icy landscapes;
  • Scenes of winter life;
  • Urban settings shaped by cold or snow;
  • Winter sports and leisure;
  • Wildlife and plants in the cold;
  • Human, social or environmental impacts of the cold;
  • Poetry and reverie;
  • Minimalism, graphics and abstraction;
  • Macro and close-up;
  • Smartphone;
  • Drone.

The Smartphone, Drone, and Macro and close-up categories are defined by the shooting technique: they are open to every theme. Each photograph is entered in one category only.

ARTICLE 3: CALENDAR

The provisional calendar of the contest is as follows (all times are Paris time):

  • 1 November 2026 at 00:00: opening of the contest and of entries;
  • 30 November 2026 at 23:59: closing of entries;
  • 1 to 14 December 2026: review of the photographs and individual online voting by the jury;
  • between 15 and 20 December 2026: jury deliberation meeting;
  • 21 December 2026: announcement of the results.

Selected entrants will be informed individually by email after the jury deliberation.

The results may then be published on the contest website, on the Organiser’s social networks and on the communication materials of the contest and of the “Images & Neige” festival.

The Organiser reserves the right to change this calendar in the event of technical, editorial, artistic or organisational necessity. Any substantial change will be brought to the attention of entrants by any appropriate means.

ARTICLE 4: ELIGIBILITY

The contest is open to amateur and professional photographers of any nationality, aged over 18 on the date their entry is submitted.

The following may not take part in the contest:

  • the Organiser;
  • the members of the jury;
  • persons directly involved in the administration or pre-selection of the contest;
  • members of their household, where their participation is likely to create a conflict of interest;
  • minors (under 18).

Each entrant takes part in their own name. Collective entries are accepted only if they are expressly submitted by several co-authors and the identity and agreement of each of them are specified.

Taking part in the contest implies full, complete and unreserved acceptance of these rules.

ARTICLE 5: TYPES OF ENTRIES

Entrants may submit:

  • one or more single photographs;
  • one or more photographic series;
  • an entry comprising both single photographs and series.

A series must consist of at least three photographs with artistic, narrative, documentary or thematic coherence.

Each photograph submitted is counted individually for the calculation of entry fees, including when it belongs to a series.

Entrants are free to submit as many photographs as they wish, subject to payment of the corresponding fee set out in Article 6.

The Organiser may exclude an entry whose volume, presentation or organisation does not allow normal assessment by the jury.

ARTICLE 6: ENTRY FEES

Entry fees are set as follows:

  • €5 for an entry of up to 3 photographs;
  • €10 for an entry of up to 10 photographs;
  • €15 for an entry of up to 20 photographs;
  • beyond 20 photographs: €2 per additional photograph.

Examples:

  • 1 to 3 photographs: €5;
  • 4 to 10 photographs: €10;
  • 11 to 20 photographs: €15;
  • 21 photographs: €17;
  • 25 photographs: €25.

Entry fees are collected directly by the Organiser using the payment methods offered on the contest platform or website.

They contribute in particular to the costs of administering the contest, running the platform, organising the jury, communication, and publishing and producing a promotional book.

Payment must be made in full before the closing date of the contest. An entry that is unpaid, partially paid or whose payment is rejected will not be submitted to the jury.

Except in the event of complete cancellation of the contest by the Organiser, entry fees are non-refundable, in particular in the event of:

  • voluntary withdrawal of the entrant;
  • an incomplete file;
  • non-compliance with these rules;
  • rejection of the entry;
  • non-selection by the jury;
  • an error made by the entrant when submitting;
  • submission after the deadline.

In the event of a payment clearly made twice, the entrant must contact the Organiser and provide the necessary supporting documents.

ARTICLE 7: HOW TO ENTER

Entries are submitted exclusively on the website or platform indicated by the Organiser:

https://imagora.org/concours/snow-much-to-see

Entries sent by email, post, private messaging, physical media or any other means will not be taken into account, unless expressly agreed in advance by the Organiser.

Entrants must provide the requested information, in particular:

  • their first and last name;
  • their contact details;
  • their country of residence;
  • their status as amateur or professional photographer;
  • the title of each photograph or series;
  • a caption or presentation, where requested;
  • useful technical information;
  • the digital file of each photograph.

Entrants remain responsible for the accuracy of the information provided.

Presentation texts and captions may be written in French or English; where applicable, they will be machine-translated into French, the working language of the contest.

The Organiser may ask winners for a translation, correction or limited adaptation of the texts for publication.

ARTICLE 8: TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS FOR FILES

Photographs must be submitted in JPEG or JPG format, in the colour space requested by the platform.

It is recommended to provide files:

  • of at least 3,000 pixels on the longest side;
  • of sufficient quality for on-screen review;
  • free of any added watermark, logo, signature or border;
  • containing no information in the image itself that directly identifies their author.

The Organiser may set a maximum file size to ensure the proper functioning of the platform.

Selected entrants must, on first request, provide the high-resolution files needed for printing, exhibition and publication in the book.

If a compliant file is not provided within the stated deadline, the Organiser may:

  • decide not to print or publish the photograph concerned;
  • select another photograph by the same entrant;
  • or designate another winner.

Recommended file naming:

  • single photograph: LASTNAME_FIRSTNAME_NUMBER.jpg
  • photograph belonging to a series: LASTNAME_FIRSTNAME_SERIES-TITLE_NUMBER.jpg

ARTICLE 9: AUTHENTICITY OF WORKS AND DIGITAL PROCESSING

Entrants must be the author of the photographs submitted and hold the original files proving their authenticity.

Usual photographic processing is allowed, in particular:

  • cropping;
  • adjustment of exposure, contrast or colour;
  • conversion to black and white;
  • removal of dust or minor technical defects;
  • panoramic stitching;
  • exposure blending or focus stacking, when based on photographs taken by the entrant.

Photomontages or significant manipulations are allowed only when clearly declared and part of an assumed artistic approach.

Images entirely generated by artificial intelligence software are not accepted.

The use of artificial intelligence tools for purely technical or corrective purposes must remain incidental and must not create the main elements of the image.

In case of doubt, the Organiser may request:

  • the original file;
  • the EXIF data;
  • the source files;
  • the different stages of production;
  • any explanation allowing the conditions of creation of the work to be verified.

Refusal to provide these elements or a finding of false declaration may lead to the exclusion of the entrant, including after the results have been announced.

ARTICLE 10: CONTENT OF PHOTOGRAPHS

Photographs must not:

  • contravene the laws and regulations in force;
  • undermine human dignity;
  • contain discriminatory, hateful, defamatory or insulting content;
  • glorify crimes, violence or unlawful behaviour;
  • infringe the privacy or image rights of a third party;
  • reproduce without authorisation a work, trademark or protected element;
  • have been obtained by endangering people, animals or the environment.

The Organiser reserves the right to exclude, without refund, any photograph it considers clearly contrary to these rules or likely to harm the image of the contest or of the festival to which it is attached.

This decision is not an artistic judgement and gives no right to compensation.

ARTICLE 11: COMPOSITION AND FUNCTIONING OF THE JURY

The jury is made up of professionals of photography, imagery or culture, qualified personalities, partners of the contest and, where applicable, representatives of the City of Cluses or of the “Images & Neige” festival.

The final composition of the jury may be published on the contest website.

Jury members carry out a first review and an individual online vote from 1 to 14 December 2026.

They then meet between 15 and 20 December 2026 to compare their assessments and decide the final list of winners.

Any jury member with a direct personal, family, professional or financial link with an entrant must declare it and abstain from reviewing that entry.

Jury decisions are taken collectively. The jury’s discussions, notes, votes and deliberations are confidential.

Jury decisions are final and cannot be appealed as regards the artistic assessment of the works.

The jury may:

  • not award all or some of the prizes;
  • select several photographs by the same entrant;
  • change the distribution of works between categories, with the Organiser’s agreement;
  • declare a prize ex aequo.

ARTICLE 12: SELECTION CRITERIA

Photographs may be assessed in particular according to the following criteria:

  • respect and interpretation of the theme;
  • artistic and aesthetic quality;
  • originality of vision;
  • technical mastery;
  • narrative or emotional strength;
  • coherence of a series;
  • editorial quality of the entry;
  • suitability of the works for exhibition or publication.

These criteria are indicative and are not subject to any mandatory weighting.

ARTICLE 13: PRIZES AND PROMOTION OF WINNERS

13.1: Exhibition Prize

Subject to the final programme of the festival, four winners will be selected for an “Exhibition Prize”. For each of them, the jury selects up to three photographs, printed by the Organiser and shown at the “Images & Neige” festival.

The format, medium, venue, duration and material conditions of the exhibition will be decided by the Organiser together with the City of Cluses.

The exhibition may be transferred or made available to the City of Cluses for its municipal exhibitions promoting the festival in the area.

The conditions of ownership, storage and possible handover of the prints will be communicated to the winners before the exhibition.

13.2: Podium prizes

The jury awards a 1st, 2nd and 3rd prize to single photographs (single image). The winning photographs are exhibited at the “Images & Neige” festival and published in the contest book with the jury’s analysis.

13.3: Category prizes

In each of the eleven categories, the jury awards a “single image” prize and a “series” prize. It may decide not to award a category prize if the entries in that category do not justify it.

13.4: Free portfolio review

Any entry whose entry fees reach at least €20 receives a portfolio review: the submission receives written comments, for the entrant alone.

13.5: No cash prize

Unless expressly stated otherwise, the prizes and distinctions awarded in the contest carry no cash prize.

ARTICLE 14: CONTEST BOOK

A book devoted to the contest and to the selected works may be published by the Organiser.

Entrants selected for the book will receive, as far as possible, a proof copy or the pages concerning them in order to check:

  • the spelling of their name;
  • the title of the works;
  • the captions;
  • the biographical information;
  • the general conformity of the reproductions.

Correction requests must be sent within the deadline set by the Organiser. In the absence of a reply within this deadline, the elements provided will be deemed approved.

Proofreading does not allow entrants to challenge the selection, overall composition, graphic design, order of the photographs or editorial choices of the Organiser.

Variations in colour, contrast or framing inherent in printing processes cannot engage the Organiser’s liability, except in the case of manifest error.

The conditions for awarding, purchasing or shipping the book will be specified later.

ARTICLE 15: INFORMING THE WINNERS

Selected entrants will be contacted at the email address given when they registered.

They must confirm their acceptance and provide the requested elements within the deadline set by the Organiser, in particular:

  • the high-resolution files;
  • a short biography;
  • a portrait, where applicable;
  • the final captions;
  • the necessary authorisations;
  • information useful for communication.

In the absence of a reply within the deadline, despite a reminder where possible, the Organiser may consider that the entrant waives their selection and designate another winner.

Each entrant is responsible for regularly checking their email, including their spam folder.

ARTICLE 16: COPYRIGHT AND PERMISSION TO USE

Entrants retain all their copyright in the photographs submitted. Taking part in the contest does not involve any general or exclusive transfer of their rights.

However, entrants grant the Organiser and, for the sole purposes of the partnership, the City of Cluses, free of charge, permission to reproduce and display the selected photographs in order to:

  • administer and promote the contest;
  • announce the selected entries and the winners;
  • present the contest within the programme of the “Images & Neige” festival;
  • produce the exhibitions related to the contest;
  • publish and distribute the contest book;
  • promote present and future editions of the contest and the festival;
  • carry out their institutional, cultural, media and digital communication;
  • build archives devoted to the contest and the festival.

This permission is granted:

  • worldwide, given possible distribution on the Internet;
  • on printed and digital media;
  • for five years from the closing of the contest, except for publications already issued, archives and the book, which may be kept without time limit;
  • non-exclusively.

Any independent commercial use of a photograph, unrelated to the promotion, exhibition, publication or archiving of the contest and the festival, will require a separate agreement with the author.

The name or pseudonym of the author will be credited as far as the medium allows.

Photographs may undergo the technical adaptations needed for their distribution, in particular limited cropping, resizing, compression, colour conversion or integration into a layout, without distorting the work.

ARTICLE 17: ENTRANT’S WARRANTIES

Entrants declare and warrant that they:

  • are the author of the photographs submitted;
  • hold all the rights necessary for their presentation and use under these rules;
  • have not transferred any rights incompatible with their participation;
  • have obtained the necessary permissions from any recognisable persons;
  • hold the permissions relating to private property, works, trademarks or protected elements appearing significantly;
  • warrant that the photographs do not infringe the rights of any third party.

Entrants indemnify the Organiser and the City of Cluses against any claim, action or recourse by a third party based on the authorised use of the photographs.

In the event of a serious dispute, the Organiser may suspend the publication or exhibition of a photograph until the situation is clarified.

ARTICLE 18: LIABILITY

The Organiser cannot be held liable for:

  • an interruption or malfunction of the entry platform;
  • data loss attributable to an operator or an external technical incident;
  • a corrupted, incomplete or unreadable file;
  • an error in the contact details entered by an entrant;
  • non-receipt of an email;
  • an incompatibility between the entrant’s equipment and the platform;
  • an event of force majeure affecting the organisation of the contest, the publication of the book or the exhibition.

Each entrant is advised to keep a copy of all files and information submitted.

The Organiser does not guarantee that all selected photographs will necessarily be exhibited, published or communicated, in particular due to material, technical, editorial, budgetary or programming constraints.

ARTICLE 19: CANCELLATION, POSTPONEMENT OR CHANGE OF THE CONTEST

The Organiser may change, postpone, suspend or cancel all or part of the contest in the event of:

  • force majeure;
  • major technical failure;
  • an insufficient number of entries;
  • material or financial impossibility;
  • any circumstance making it impossible or excessively difficult to continue the contest.

In the event of complete cancellation of the contest before the jury meets, the entry fees collected will be refunded, excluding any other compensation.

In the event of postponement or change of the calendar, entries already submitted remain valid, unless the Organiser decides otherwise.

Cancellation or change of the “Images & Neige” festival does not automatically lead to the cancellation of the contest, which is organised independently by Ms Giandra De Castro.

However, a change in the festival programme may lead to the adaptation, postponement or cancellation of the exhibition associated with the contest, without calling the list of winners into question.

ARTICLE 20: PERSONAL DATA PROTECTION

The Organiser is the data controller for the personal data collected for the purposes of the contest.

The data are used to:

  • administer entries;
  • manage payments;
  • communicate with entrants;
  • organise the jury and the selection;
  • establish and publish the list of winners;
  • produce the book and the exhibitions;
  • carry out communication relating to the contest.

Data essential to promoting the contest may be passed on to the City of Cluses, jury members, technical service providers, the publisher, the printer or partners involved in the organisation, within the limits of their respective tasks.

Administrative data are kept for as long as needed to manage the contest and comply with legal, accounting and tax obligations.

The names, biographies, countries of residence and information relating to winners may be kept in the archives of the contest and the festival.

In accordance with applicable regulations, entrants have in particular the right of access, rectification, erasure, restriction and objection, under the conditions provided by law.

These rights may be exercised with the Organiser at the following address: giandra@snowmuchtosee.com

A complaint may also be lodged with the French data protection authority (CNIL).

ARTICLE 21: EXCLUSION AND WITHDRAWAL OF A PRIZE

The Organiser may exclude an entrant or withdraw a prize, including after the results have been published, in the event of:

  • false declaration;
  • plagiarism;
  • undeclared use of an image generated by artificial intelligence;
  • lack of authorship;
  • infringement of the rights of a third party;
  • vote manipulation or attempted fraud;
  • insulting, threatening or harmful behaviour affecting the smooth running of the contest;
  • non-compliance with these rules.

In this case, the entrant may not claim any refund or compensation. The jury may be invited to designate a new winner.

ARTICLE 22: CLAIMS AND DISPUTE RESOLUTION

Any claim relating to the administration of the contest must be sent in writing to the Organiser within thirty days of the publication of the results.

The artistic assessments and final decisions of the jury cannot be the subject of a claim.

The Organiser and the entrant undertake to seek an amicable solution before any legal proceedings.

These rules are governed by French law. Failing amicable settlement, the dispute will be brought before the competent court in accordance with the applicable rules of procedure.

ARTICLE 23: ACCEPTANCE OF THE RULES

Submitting an entry and paying the entry fees imply full and complete acceptance of these rules.

The rules can be consulted and downloaded on the contest website.

The Organiser may amend them to correct an error, clarify a provision or meet an organisational need, provided that the amendment does not substantially affect the rights of entrants who have already submitted their file.

The applicable version is the one published on the contest website on the date the entry is submitted.

Done at Saint-Gervais-les-Bains, 28 October 2026

Ms Giandra De Castro
Organiser of the “Snow Much to See” contest

Rules set by Snow Much to See, version 7.

Download rules (PDF)
User guide

Organised by

Snow Much to See

Snow Much to See 2026-2027

An international photo contest hosted by Images & Neige, the only photography festival in the world devoted entirely to snow, ice and cold. Winners are exhibited at the festival, in the Alps, in the heart of winter.

Applications from 1 to 30 November 2026.

Why enter

  • 4 exhibition places: the Exhibition winners’ photos are printed by us and exhibited at the Images & Neige festival, in the Alps.

  • 3 podium prizes: 1st, 2nd and 3rd prizes for a single image, exhibited at the festival and published in the book with the jury’s analysis.

  • 11 category prizes, as single image and as series: in each of the 11 categories, one single-image prize and one series prize.

  • Anonymous judging: your photos are judged without your name; your details only serve to present the winners at the festival and in the book.

  • 6 free photos: your first 3 single photos are free in Sport, and 3 more in Urban.

  • Free portfolio review: from €20, your entry receives written comments, for you alone.

  • Easy entry: no resizing needed: upload your photos as they are, the platform resizes them automatically.

  • A jury that explains: every winning photo is published in the contest book with the jury’s written analysis.

Who can enter

Amateur and professional photographers of any nationality, aged 18 or over. Your photos compete as single images, as series (at least three coherent images), or both.

Entry fees

€5 for up to 3 photos, €10 up to 10, €15 up to 20, then €2 per photo beyond 20. Your first 3 single photos are free in Sport, and 3 more in Urban. Free portfolio review from €20.

Calendar

Opens 1 November 2026 at 00:00. Closes 30 November 2026 at 11:59 pm, Paris time. Jury deliberation between 15 and 20 December. Results on 21 December 2026.

The eleven categories

  • Snowy or icy landscapes

  • Scenes of winter life

  • Urban settings shaped by cold or snow

  • Winter sports and leisure

  • Wildlife and plants in the cold

  • Human, social or environmental impacts of the cold

  • Poetry and reverie

  • Minimalism, graphics and abstraction

  • Macro and close-up

  • Smartphone

  • Drone

Smartphone, Drone, and Macro and close-up are technique categories: they are open to every theme. Each photograph is entered in one category only.

The jury

Giandra De Castro (jury president), Frédéric Boiteux, founder of the Images & Neige festival, Françoise Guillen, Deputy Mayor of Cluses for cultural life, Priyam Nursimhulu, Director of Cultural Affairs of the City of Cluses, and Manon Canale, cultural project officer.

The Images & Neige festival

Founded 16 years ago in Cluses, Haute-Savoie, Images & Neige is the only photography event in the world devoted exclusively to snow, ice and cold: nearly 200 works shown each edition, indoors and outdoors, sometimes in very large formats.

Your rights

You remain the author of your photographs. Only selected photographs may be used, for five years, non-exclusively and always credited with your name, for the competition, the festival, the exhibition and the book.

Your files

JPEG, with no signature, logo or border; no resizing needed. Images entirely generated by artificial intelligence are not accepted. Titles and captions in French or English.

The full rules are available on this page. Contact: giandra@snowmuchtosee.com · www.snowmuchtosee.com

Frequently asked questions

Who can enter?

Anyone over 18, amateur or professional photographer, from any country. Jury members and the organiser cannot enter.

How much does it cost?

The fee depends on the total number of photographs entered: €5 for up to 3, €10 for up to 10, €15 for up to 20, then €2 for each additional photograph. Each photograph in a series counts. In the winter sports and leisure category and the urban environments in cold or snow category, your first 3 single photographs are free. A free written portfolio review is included from €20. Fees are not refunded unless the organiser cancels the competition.

What do the winners receive?

4 exhibition places: the Exhibition winners’ photos are printed by us and exhibited at the Images & Neige festival, in the Alps. 3 podium prizes: 1st, 2nd and 3rd prizes for a single image, exhibited at the festival and published in the book with the jury’s analysis. 11 category prizes: in each of the 11 categories, one single-image prize and one series prize. The prizes have no cash value.

Can I change my entry after submitting it?

Yes, until entries close on 30 November 2026 at 23:59, Paris time. If you add photographs, the fee is recalculated on the new total.

What files should I send?

JPEG files, 3,000 pixels recommended on the longest side, with no signature, logo or border. Images entirely generated by artificial intelligence are not accepted. If you win, you will then provide high-resolution files for printing.

What happens to my rights?

You remain the author and keep your rights. Only selected photographs may be used, for five years, free of charge and non-exclusively, for the competition, the festival, the exhibition and the book, always credited with your name (article 16 of the rules).

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