Calendar Bookmark list

How can we help?

Booking

Bookmark

2026 Photo Competition

Bright Spots along the Malerweg

For 20 years, the Malerweg has wound its way through one of Germany’s most impressive landscapes. As early as the 19th century, light was the true companion of the painters who roamed Saxon Switzerland with their sketchbooks. Alongside Caspar David Friedrich, arguably the most famous among them, Carl Gustav Carus, Adrian Ludwig Richter and Bernardo Bellotto – better known as Canaletto – were also captivated by the region. Even then, the scenery cast its spell over them: the moment when rocks, sky and landscape took on an atmosphere that was more than just a sight – a feeling, an inner glimmer of hope.

To this day, the Malerweg offers countless remarkable views: sweeping vistas from table mountains, mystical rock formations, tranquil valleys and unexpected perspectives that change with every step and every position of the sun. Light guided the eye then and still does today, shaping contrasts and turning a subject into a story.

What fascinated the Romantics in the 19th century continues to inspire photographers today. The aim of the competition was to establish a connection between these two visual worlds.

Your view. Your light. Your Malerweg.

Photographs of the Malerweg were submitted in two categories: images exploring the Malerweg through the changing seasons, and photographs comparing historic painters’ views with present-day perspectives.

The best entries received awards and prizes.

 Category 1: The Malerweg through the Changing Seasons 

Each season lends the Malerweg its own distinctive light.

In winter, the trail becomes a tranquil ray of hope as snow and ice sparkle and clear, cool light settles over the landscape.
Spring awakens nature: delicate greenery, vibrant blossoms and the first warm light that makes the sense of a new beginning tangible.
In summer, light embodies the joy of reaching the summit – sweeping views beneath bright skies, luminous rocks and long days filled with Elbe Sandstone moments.
Autumn, finally, bathes the Malerweg in shades of gold and red, as the changing foliage glows with particular intensity in the soft light.

Whether a tranquil moment or a magnificent view, a detail or a panorama: show us your own personal ray of light on the Malerweg and submit your photograph in the appropriate seasonal category.

  • Yellow rapeseed field in the foreground, with a wooded hill beneath a cloudy sky in the background.
  • Colourful meadows with yellow rapeseed flowers and a wooded table mountain in the background beneath a blue sky.
  • Green hills shrouded in mist beneath a cloudy sky, depicting a tranquil landscape.
  • Sunrise over wooded hills and mist in the valley, with rocks in the foreground.
  • Green landscape with gentle hills, with Rosenberg and Zirkelstein in the background beneath a colourful sky.
  • Sunset over a landscape with colourful foliage and the striking Barbarine rock formation in the foreground.
  • Sunset over a wooded landscape with rocks in the foreground.
  • Sunrise over the snow-covered rocks of the Schrammsteine, overlooking the wintry landscape of the Elbe Valley
  • Snow-covered landscape with a tree and a house in the foreground, and a blue sky in the background.

Category 2: Historic Painters’ Views – Then & Now

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

In the second category, we are looking for photographic subjects along the Painters' Way that can be readily compared with a historical subject depicted by a painter. A selection of historical drawings/paintings is provided below.

Participants may submit other locations along the Painters' Way.

Participants must hold the necessary rights to use the historical image or the work must be free from copyright.

Works free from copyright include, in particular, those

  • whose creator died more than 70 years ago (Section 64 of the German Copyright Act),
  • or which have been expressly published under an open licence (e.g. Public Domain, CC0).

By submitting an entry, participants confirm

  • that they are entitled to use the historical reference image,
  • that the submission does not infringe any third-party rights (in particular copyright, rights of use or personality rights),
  • and that they shall indemnify the organiser against any third-party claims.

The historical reference image does not form part of the competition entry and serves solely for comparison of content. The organiser reserves the right to request evidence of the rights to the historical reference image if necessary.

Historical References

  • Copper engraving of a landscape with rocks, trees and a small river; people and animals are visible.
  • Historic building beside a river, with a stone bridge and trees in the background.
  • People in historical clothing stand in a rocky gorge with trees and a waterfall in the background.
  • Rocky landscape with towering rocks and mist..
  • Rocky landscape with a wooden bridge and several people, surrounded by trees and mountains.
  • Landscape with tall trees, a group of people and gentle hills in the background.
  • Black-and-white steel engraving of a landscape with mountains, forests and a river, surrounded by large rocks.
  • Historic half-timbered building surrounded by trees, with a hill in the background. People and horses are visible.
  • A waterfall flows between moss-covered rocks, surrounded by trees beneath a cloudy sky.
  • View from a cave of a landscape with trees and mountains in the background, with people standing in the foreground.
  • Historic mill in a rural setting, surrounded by trees and hills.
  • Black-and-white landscape with a river, mountains, trees and a small house on the riverbank.
  • Landscape with a river, mountains in the background and people working on the riverbank. Sepia tones dominate the image.
  • Black-and-white lithograph depicting Königstein Fortress, the River Elbe and Pfaffenstein in the background.
  • Black-and-white steel engraving depicting the River Elbe, with trees in the foreground and a striking, tall mountain in the background.
  • Historical black-and-white drawing of the Pirna cityscape, featuring a castle, towers and clouds in the sky.
  • Historical cityscape of Pirna featuring buildings, towers and a busy street.

Key Information about the Photo Competition at a Glance

Participation

  • Participants must be aged 18 or over (minors may only participate with a declaration of consent)
  • Each participant may submit no more than one photo in Category 1 and one photo in Category 2
  • Photos must have been taken along the Malerweg
  • Visitors to the national park must remain on designated paths

Submission deadline

  • 16 August 2026, 23:00 (CET) – including full contact details (name, address, email address, telephone number), the location where the photo was taken and the relevant category
  • Upload photos via: https://pollunit.com/de/polls/malerweg

The winners will be notified by email approximately two weeks after the submission deadline and announced on the www.saechsische-schweiz.de/malerweg/fotowettbewerb website 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
  • Colour space: sRGB
  • No AI-generated or AI-altered images
  • No composites or collages

How many photos will receive awards?

  • 12 photos in Category 1 (3 per season)
  • 6 photos in Category 2

Prizes

There are 18 prizes of equal value in total. These will be allocated to the award-winning photos by random draw.

  • 4 x 1 GLOBETROTTER voucher worth EUR 125.00
  • 3 x 1 ticket for the HerbstlichT 2026 photography camp (13–15 November 2026), worth EUR 111.00, including 1 photo walk worth EUR 20.00
  • 3 x 1 BERGGAST voucher worth EUR 125.00
  • 5 x 1 voucher worth EUR 125.00 from the “Bio- und Nationalparkrefugium”
  • 3 x 1 AugustusTOURS travel voucher worth EUR 125.00

In addition: printing of the winning photos by PixelfotoExpress

Award ceremony

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

Exhibition

Exhibition of the winning photos at the NationalparkZentrum Bad Schandau following the award ceremony until the end of the year

Assessment and Jury

The submitted photographs were assessed by the following jury:

  • Stefan Wiesner (professional photographer and editor of ZIELFOTO magazine)
  • Philipp Zieger (professional photographer at Philipp Zieger Photografie)
  • Sven Russek (head of pixelfoto-express.de)
  • Representative of the Globetrotter branch in Dresden
  • Representative of “Bio- und Nationalparkrefugium Schmilka” as a member of the Malerweg project
  • Representative of BERGGAST as a member of the Malerweg project
  • Representative of AugustusTOURS as a member of the Malerweg project
  • Representative of the Saxon Switzerland Tourism Association

The following criteria were used to assess the submitted images:

  • Technical quality (colour balance, sharpness, exposure)
  • Composition (image layout, perspective)
  • Creativity and originality (uniqueness, innovation)
  • Relevance to the theme (interpretation of the theme)

We Thank Our Sponsors and Partners

Globetrotter Store Dresden

Organic and National Park Refuge Schmilka

PixelfotoExpress

MOUNTAIN GUEST. Staying in coziness.

Augustus TOURS