Photo Competition 2026

Highlights on the Painter's Trail

For 20 years, the Painter's Path has led through one of Germany's most impressive landscapes. As early as the 19th century, light was the true companion of painters who roamed the Saxon Switzerland with their sketchbooks. Besides the perhaps most famous, Caspar David Friedrich, Carl Gustav Carus, Adrian Ludwig Richter, and Bernardo Bellotto – better known as Canaletto – were also impressed by the region. Even back then, the sight captivated them: the moment when rocks, sky, and landscape took on an atmosphere that was more than just a sight – a feeling, an inner glimpse of light.

To this day, countless special views unfold along the Painter's Path: vast vistas from table mountains, mystical rock formations, quiet valleys, and surprising perspectives that change with every step and every position of the sun. Light guides the gaze then and now, shapes contrasts, and turns a motif into a story.

What fascinated the Romantics in the 19th century continues to entice photographers today. This competition aims to forge a connection between the two visual worlds.

Your view. Your light. Your Painter's Path.

Photographic subjects can be submitted in two categories along the Painter's Path: firstly, images that deal with the Painter's Path throughout the different seasons, and secondly, photographs that compare historical painterly views with contemporary perspectives.

Category 1: The Painter's Trail through the Seasons

Each season bestows its own light upon the Malerweg.

In winter, the path becomes a serene beacon when snow and ice sparkle and the light rests clear and cool over the landscape.
Spring awakens nature: delicate greens, blooming colors, and the first warm light that makes the renewal palpable.
In summer, light signifies summit joy—vast views under a bright sky, glowing rocks, and long days filled with Elbe Sandstone moments.
Autumn finally bathes the Malerweg in golden and red hues, as the foliage's coloration shines particularly intensely in the soft light.

Whether a quiet moment or a grand view, whether a detail or a panorama: Show us your very own special light moment on the Malerweg and submit your photo in the appropriate seasonal category.

Category 2: Historical Painter's Views – Then & Now

This anniversary category encompasses the artistic engagement with Saxon Switzerland, as particularly expressed in the works of the romantic painters.

In the second category, we are looking for photographic subjects on the Painter's Path that can be well compared with a historical motif by a painter. A selection of historical drawings/paintings is provided below.

Participants may submit other locations on the Painter's Path.

The prerequisite is that participants either hold the necessary usage rights for the historical image motif or that it is a public domain work.

Works that are public domain include, in particular, those

whose authors have been deceased for more than 70 years (§ 64 UrhG),
or that have been explicitly published under a free license (e.g., Public Domain, CC0).

By submitting, participants ensure

that they are authorized to use the historical template,
that no rights of third parties (particularly copyright, usage rights, or personality rights) are violated by the submission,
and that they indemnify the organizer from any claims by third parties.

The historical template is not part of the competition submission but serves solely for content comparison. The organizer reserves the right to request proof of rights to the historical template if necessary.

Historical Templates

The Most Important Information about the Photo Competition at a Glance

Participation

Participation from 18 years of age (minors only with consent form)
Each participant can submit a maximum of one photo in category 1 and a maximum of 1 photo in category 2
Photos must be taken on the Malerweg trail
The requirement to stay on trails applies in the national park

Submission Deadline

August 16, 2026, 11:00 PM (CET) - including real contact details (name, address, email, phone), indication of the photo location, and category assignment
Upload photos via: https://pollunit.com/de/polls/malerweg

The winners will be notified approximately 2 weeks after the submission deadline via email and will be published on the website www.saechsische-schweiz.de/malerweg/fotowettbewerb after the award ceremony.

Image Requirements

JPEG format, portrait or landscape orientation
File size: at least 5 MB, but no more than 10 MB
Minimum resolution: 4000 × 3000 pixels or 3000 x 4000 pixels, 300 dpi
Color space: sRGB
No AI-generated or AI-altered images
No montages or collages

How many photos will be awarded?

12 photos in category 1 (3 per season)
6 photos in category 2

Prizes

There are a total of 18 equivalent prizes. These will be awarded by lottery among the awarded photos.

4 x 1 gift voucher for GLOBETROTTER worth 125.00 EUR
3 x 1 ticket each for the Photocamp HerbstlichT 2026 (11/13-11/15/26) worth 111.00 EUR including 1 x photowalk worth 20.00 EUR
3 x 1 gift voucher worth 125.00 EUR from BERGGAST
5 x 1 gift voucher worth 125.00 EUR from the Bio and National Park Refuge
3 x 1 travel voucher worth 125.00 EUR from AugustusTOURS

Additionally: Printing of winning photos by PixelfotoExpress

Award Ceremony

On September 19, 2026, as part of the 10th Globetrotter Hiking Days in Bad Schandau.

Exhibition

Exhibition of the winning photos in the National Park Center Bad Schandau after the award ceremony until the end of the year

Evaluation and Jury

The evaluation of the submitted photos will be carried out by the following jury:

Stefan Wiesner (Professional photographer and editor of the magazine ZIELFOTO)
Philipp Zieger (Professional photographer Philipp Zieger Photography)
Sven Russek (Head of pixelfoto-express.de)
Representative of the Globetrotter branch in Dresden
Representative of Bio- und Nationalparkrefugium Schmilka as Malerweg project member
Representative of BERGGAST as Malerweg project member
Representative of AugustusTOURS as Malerweg project member
Representative of the Tourism Association Saxon Switzerland e.V.

The following criteria will be used to evaluate the submitted images:

Technical quality (color balance, sharpness, exposure)
Image composition (image layout, perspective)
Creativity and originality (uniqueness, innovation)
Relevance to the theme (interpretation of the theme)

Detailed Terms and Conditions To the Participation Link