Red Bull Illume is considered ‘the Oscars of adventure and action sports imagery’ – and there‘s an Oscars-level party when it‘s time for the unveiling of all the winners. It’s the event that content creators get excited about as everyone gains immense exposure while their work is shared with the world. It is also a gathering of the most influential people from the industry and in past editions business relationships and close friendships have been forged. 


In 2021 the pandemic forced us to hold a virtual Winner Award Ceremony that’s why we wanted to make the 2023 one extra special. The 3-day event took place in the world-famous ski resort Sölden, Austria, from November 28 – 30, 2023, and the top 50 photographers, judges, athletes and selected media were invited.

There was an action-packed schedule including interactive workshops hosted by our partners, inspiring talks by previous winners, and social get togethers. For the creators it was a unique opportunity to be with their peers. Creating can be a solitary experience, with hours in the field shooting and behind a monitor editing, so when the finalists had the chance to meet, share ideas and inspiration they made the most of it. 

We at zooom have experience hosting events in one-of-a-kind locations. Previously, we held Winner Award Ceremonies in Aspen, Dublin, Hong Kong, Chicago and in LUMEN – Museum of Mountain Photography at Kronplatz in South Tyrol. So the snow-capped peaks and stunning vistas of Sölden were a fitting venue for the Winner Award Ceremony. The finalist images were displayed in the resort village on the unique outdoor lightboxes until the end of December 2023.