Sean Henry’s Seated Man is frozen in place after a solid snowfall. Photo: Chantelle Bruton. Chantelle – from Tumbarumba – was the inaugural winner of the Snowy Valleys Sculpture Trail Winter Photo Competition with a photo of Vaclav Fiala’s sculpture Universum at the Pilot Hill Sculpture Forest.
Photographers are being encouraged to explore the Snowy Valleys this winter and capture the region’s unique blend of art and landscape as part of the 2026 Snowy Valleys Sculpture Trail Winter Photography Competition.
The annual competition, a partnership between the Snowy Valleys Sculpture Trail, Sculpture by the Sea and Region Media, is now open and offers entrants the chance to have their work recognised on a national stage while celebrating one of regional NSW’s most distinctive outdoor art experiences.
The photographer behind the winning image will receive two nights’ accommodation in Bondi during Sculpture by the Sea Bondi 2026, which runs from 16 October to 2 November, and will join the exhibition’s team of photographers for a paid day photographing one of Australia’s best-known outdoor art events.
The winning photograph will also be published by About Regional and Region Riverina and be featured by the Head On Photo Festival Foundation in its online magazine, providing valuable exposure for photographers looking to share their work with a wider audience.
Region Media editor-in-chief Kim Treasure said the competition was an opportunity to celebrate both regional photography talent and the landscapes that made the Snowy Valleys such a compelling destination.
“Some of the best photographers in Australia live and work in regional communities, and this competition is a chance to showcase that talent to a much wider audience.
“Whether you’re carrying a professional camera or simply taking photos on your phone, we hope the competition inspires people to explore the trail, discover new corners of the Snowy Valleys and share their own perspective of this remarkable outdoor gallery, where art, landscape and the changing seasons combine to create something different every day.
“We’re excited to see the unique ways photographers capture that experience,” Kim said.
Stretching about 150 kilometres from Tumut to Khancoban, the Snowy Valleys Sculpture Trail features more than 60 sculptures by Australian and international artists displayed across forests, vineyards, townships and alpine landscapes.
Established following the 2019-20 Black Summer bushfires, the trail has grown into one of regional NSW’s largest permanent outdoor sculpture collections and a major tourism drawcard, attracting visitors from across Australia and overseas.
Snowy Valleys Sculpture Trail founder and Sculpture by the Sea director David Handley said the competition was about more than simply photographing a sculpture.
“What we’re looking for is a photograph that stops people in their tracks,” he said.
“It might be a dramatic landscape, an unexpected angle, beautiful light or a fleeting moment that won’t happen again.
“The best images tell a story and encourage people to look more closely, both at the artwork and the place where it’s found,” David said.
The competition follows the success of last year’s event, won by Gundagai photographer Elizabeth Medyskyj.
Gundagai’s Elizabeth Medyskyi’s winning photograph in the 2025 Snowy Valleys Sculpture Trail Winter Photography Competition. Photo: Elizabeth Medyskyi.
Her winning image captured Tony Davis’s Folly Interstice sculpture in the Sugar Pines Sculpture Forest at Laurel Hill beneath a dusting of snow.
The photograph highlighted the way winter conditions can transform familiar artworks and landscapes, creating scenes that may only last for a few hours before disappearing.
Organisers are seeking images that capture the beauty of artworks situated within the towns, vineyards and natural environments of the Snowy Valleys.
Entry is open to photographers of all skill levels.
To enter, participants can photograph any sculpture along the Snowy Valleys Sculpture Trail and post their image on Instagram or Facebook, tagging @snowyvalleyssculpturetrail, using the hashtag #snowyvalleyssculpturetrail and following both @snowyvalleyssculpturetrail and @sculpturebythesea.
Entrants are also encouraged to send a direct message to the Snowy Valleys Sculpture Trail social media accounts to ensure their entry is seen.
Social media accounts must be set to public to be eligible.
Alternatively, photographers can submit up to six images via email to info@sculpturebythesea.com, where selected images may also be shared through the Snowy Valleys Sculpture Trail’s social media channels.
Entries close at 11:59 pm AEST on 31 August.
For those planning a winter road trip through the region, the competition offers another reason to stop, explore and see the Snowy Valleys through a different lens while potentially turning a memorable moment into an award-winning photograph.
Original Article published by Edwina Mason on About Regional.
