Belfast Photo Festival

Delighted to introduce our next Instagram Resident Alastair Philip Wiper. Hello this is Alastair Philip Wiper @alastairwiper. This week I’m sharing some images from my series “They’re Dying to Get in Here” a study of death through the daily practices of an ordinary American funeral home. At Avenidas Funeral Home in a suburb of Phoenix, Arizona, people are prepared for burial or cremation in a ritual that takes place thousands of times a day around the world. Embalmers prepare bodies - arms and legs are massaged to relieve rigour mortis, the face is set, blood is replaced with embalming fluid, and the body is groomed. After a funeral, the body is buried, or cremated at their facility in Tucson. This series shows a rare glimpse into a subject that none of us can escape. The question of what happens to our bodies when we die leads us on a journey through various realms of contemplation and endeavour, underscoring the complexity and profundity of human attitudes toward mortality and inviting viewers to ponder the mysteries that lie beyond our mortal coil. Follow along: https://lnkd.in/e8dj6VDs #InstagramTakeover

In Memory of Oliviero Toscani 🕊️ It is with profound sadness that we bid farewell to our dear friend and creative visionary, Oliviero Toscani. A trailblazer in the world of photography and design, his fearless creativity and bold storytelling changed the landscape of visual communication forever. In 2019, we had the privilege of welcoming Oliviero to the Belfast Photo Festival. During his talk at the Ulster Museum, Oliviero shared his remarkable journey, including his transformative work as Creative Director for United Colors of Benetton. His groundbreaking campaigns not only built a globally recognised brand but also sparked vital conversations about humanity, diversity, and the power of visual storytelling. Rest in peace, maestro. #BelfastPhotoFestival #OlivieroToscani #FriendOfTheFestival #CreativeLegend #Photography #UlsterMuseum #UnitedColorsOfBenetton

LESS THAN: 14 DAYS LEFT TO SUBMIT AWARDS / PUBLICATION / EXHIBITION / CASH PRIZE SUBMIT: https://lnkd.in/e7er6beD Benefit from: - Submission review by Photo Industry Professionals - Opportunities for Immediate Exposure Between 20 and 40 photographers / artists will benefit from: - Awards and cash prizes - Exhibition exposure at the Festival’s main city centre gallery - Exhibition exposure at the 2026 Photo Schwiez Festival (Switzerland) - Full editorial in Aesthetica arts and culture magazine - Spotlight Interview - with representatives from world leading photographic institutions (e.g. TATE, MoMA, TIME, Pompidou, Aperture) - 1 Year Royal Photographic Society Membership - Inclusion in the special Festival issue of Abridged Magazine - Long term Festival representation and promotion - An opportunity to participate in an Instagram Residency - Exhibition alongside some of the biggest photographic names as part of the major photographic event - Publication and inclusion in the Festival programme - Inclusion in the Festival’s award winning marketing & PR campaign, with has an estimated reach of 115+ million - International press exposure - Being seen by over 100,000 visitors, including a substantial number of visual arts professionals and the media - Dedicated feature on the Festival website and online gallery - Your work produced by the Festival for exhibition The opportunity is in partnership with Picter, Aesthetica Magazine, The Royal Photographic Society, Arts Council of Northern Ireland, Belfast City Council, Alexander Boyd Displays Image courtesy: TOILETPAPER Magazine #BelfastPhotoFestival #OpenSubmission #PhotoContest

Delighted to introduce our next Instagram Resident Valeria Luongo. Hello everyone, my name is Valeria Luongo (@va.luo), an Italian documentary photographer and anthropologist. My work explores rituals, spirituality and gender issues. This week I am taking over @belfastphotofestival and will show you some of my work! ‘When Women Fly', an ongoing series about a group of indigenous women from Cuetzalan del Progreso, Mexico who are challenging gender roles through their participation in a traditional male ritual called 'Danza de los Voladores'. Since 2013 I’ve been working on several projects in Cuetzalan and this one is very special to me: I plan to eventually turn the series into a photo book, to create a piece of work that is dedicated to the stories of the women who fly. Follow along: https://lnkd.in/e8dj6VDs #InstagramTakeover

Delighted to introduce our next Instagram Resident Alisa Martynova. Hey there, it's Alisa Martynova (@alisamartynova_) here sharing my project "Nowhere Near" about African migration in Europe. The migrant’s journey is a long one, night after night, inching toward the horizon like constellations. These scattered stars, in their crossing, are like the migrants that I met in Italy, France and the UK who had come from various African countries. Some young migrants aimed to reach Libya from southern countries, often finding a dead end in prison. Others aimed at Europe’s El Dorado; many found it, despite sacrifices, its promise intact. Others met a dreadful reality - the dream they had long harboured, treasured on those endless nights of travel, shattered. Thank you Belfast Photo Festival for the wonderful opportunity to share my work! Follow along: https://lnkd.in/e8dj6VDs #InstagramTakeover #Migration #DocumentaryPhotography

LESS THAN: 30 DAYS LEFT TO SUBMIT AWARDS / PUBLICATION / EXHIBITION / CASH PRIZE SUBMIT: https://lnkd.in/e7er6beD Benefit from: - Submission review by Photo Industry Professionals - Opportunities for Immediate Exposure Between 20 and 40 photographers / artists will benefit from: - Awards and cash prizes - Exhibition exposure at the Festival’s main city centre gallery - Exhibition exposure at the 2026 Photo Schwiez Festival (Switzerland) - Full editorial in Aesthetica arts and culture magazine - Spotlight Interview - with representatives from world leading photographic institutions (e.g. TATE, MoMA, TIME, Pompidou, Aperture) - 1 Year Royal Photographic Society Membership - Inclusion in the special Festival issue of Abridged Magazine - Long term Festival representation and promotion - An opportunity to participate in an Instagram Residency - Exhibition alongside some of the biggest photographic names as part of the major photographic event - Publication and inclusion in the Festival programme - Inclusion in the Festival’s award winning marketing & PR campaign, with has an estimated reach of 115+ million - International press exposure - Being seen by over 100,000 visitors, including a substantial number of visual arts professionals and the media - Dedicated feature on the Festival website and online gallery - Your work produced by the Festival for exhibition The opportunity is in partnership with Picter, Aesthetica Magazine, The Royal Photographic Society, Arts Council of Northern Ireland, Belfast City Council, Alexander Boyd Displays Image courtesy: TOILETPAPER Magazine #BelfastPhotoFestival #OpenSubmission #PhotoContest

🎉 HAPPY NEW YEAR! 🎉 As we welcome 2025, we’re filled with excitement for the creative journeys ahead. May this year bring you inspiration, new perspectives, and unforgettable moments through the lens. Here’s to another year of celebrating photography and the incredible stories it tells. Wishing you all a wonderful start to the year! Cheers to new beginnings! 📸 #BelfastPhotoFestival #HappyNewYear #Photography 

Delighted to introduce our next Instagram Resident Jonathan Ducrest. I can’t remember the first time I saw an image of La Muralla Roja, though I do remember being amazed that such a structure even existed. Named for its red walls, it looks like something that might have been dreamed up by AI. But actually it is very real and was constructed in 1973 as a 50-apartment complex by postmodern Catalán architect Ricardo Bofill and inspired by traditional North African casbahs and their labyrinthine intersecting corridors, staircases and terraces. Every corner becomes a canvas for the beauty of Bofill’s creation—the interplay of light and shadow dancing across the vibrant red, pink, lilac and blue interior walls shifted with each passing hour. Peering down from the top floor to the building’s courtyards, I felt transported into the optical illusions of Dutch artist Mauritz Escher—each turn around a corner revealed a new perspective, a new angle to capture, as the building’s thrilling geometry unfolded before my lens. Follow along: https://lnkd.in/e8dj6VDs #InstagramTakeover 

HAVE YOUR WORK SEEN BY BRISTOL PHOTO FESTIVAL Alejandro Acín – Festival Director (Bristol Photo Festival, Bristol, U.K) SUBMIT: https://lnkd.in/e7er6beD Biography: Alejandro is the founder-director of IC Visual Lab (ICVL), an independent photography platform leading the second edition of the Bristol Photo Festival. Through ICVL, he has worked on curatorial and publishing projects with institutions such as Bristol Museums, Arnolfini Gallery, and international festivals like Getxophoto and Photo Kathmandu, supported by Arts Council England and the British Council. Alejandro also manages historic archives, including the Historical Photographs of China, the Martin Parr Foundation library, and the British Empire & Commonwealth Collection. Additionally, he is an Associate Lecturer for the MA Photography programme at the University of South Wales. See all 2025 Open Submission judges on our website: https://lnkd.in/e7er6beD #BelfastPhotoFestival #OpenSubmission

🎄 Merry Christmas from everyone at the Belfast Photo Festival! 🎄 As we reflect on an amazing year filled with creativity, inspiration, and unforgettable moments, we want to take a moment to thank our incredible community of artists, photographers, volunteers, and supporters. Your passion and dedication have made this year's festival truly special. Wishing you all a joyful, peaceful, and festive season! Image: Promotion for a fast-food restaurant in the old town neighbourhood. Shanghai, China. 1995. © Gueorgui Pinkhassov / Magnum Photos #BelfastPhotoFestival #MerryChristmas