- 4 themes 12 photos
- 8 hours 4 checkpoints
Amsterdam 12 September 2026
On 12 September 2026, Urban Photo Race turned Amsterdam into a photo marathon. Photographers set out from Museumplein with one day, four themes and one rule: for each theme, a series of three photographs that build one idea.
The themes were Falling apart, Almost happy, Not my problem and Somewhere else. The day ended at Oedipus Brewing in Amsterdam-Noord. The jury, Bas Losekoot, Dougie Wallace and Giedo van der Zwan, studied every entry before choosing the winners below.
The race in numbers
115
Registered
99
Showed up
93
Finished all 4 checkpoints
The jury
Bas Losekoot
Dougie Wallace
Giedo van der Zwan
It's always great to visit Amsterdam as a non-tourist. Hunting weird corners, random encounters, urban oddities and beautiful bits of chaos. Turning the whole city into our playground.
It was such a freaking enriching experience to discover the city in such a challenging and unexpected way. I loved every minute of it.
Finished my first photo race and it will certainly not be the last!
I loved being part of this edition, it was a great mixture of fun, effort and unexpected visual results.
Great race in a dynamic city. The themes made me look differently for a day.
Blisters and stiff legs, but it was so worth it. See you next year.
The starting point
From Museumplein to the finish
From the start at Museumplein, along the canal at a checkpoint by Brouwerij ‘t IJ, to the last one of the day at Oedipus Brewing: a cold beer, the “I raced Amsterdam” photo wall, and a hundred photographers who had spent the whole day apart in the same city, comparing what they came back with.
Images throughout the day
What the jury said
I photographed extensively in the streets of Amsterdam myself, and know the city by heart, and yet, these series created during the race were shot in some interesting locations I have never seen before.
Bas Losekoot
The winners
| Award | Winner | Prize |
|---|---|---|
| Best Photographer | ||
| 1st place | Bram Busink@brambusinkphotography | €250 cash + Angelbird storage card + Saal Digital €100 voucher + Capture One (1 year) |
| 2nd place | Niels van de Laar@iskander_niels | €150 cash + Albelli €100 voucher + Saal Digital €100 voucher |
| 3rd place | Mechteld van Kessel@mechteldvankessel | €100 cash + Photofacts Academy membership (1 year) + Saal Digital €100 voucher + Angelbird USB-C 4.0 Solid Flex™ cable |
| Best Theme | ||
| Theme 1 · Falling apart | Bram Busink@brambusinkphotography | €50 cash + Angelbird USB-C 4.0 Solid Flex™ cable |
| Theme 2 · Almost happy | Niels van de Laar@iskander_niels | €50 cash + Angelbird USB-C 4.0 Solid Flex™ cable |
| Theme 3 · Not my problem | Jolien Roos@jolien_roos | €50 cash + Angelbird USB-C 4.0 Solid Flex™ cable |
| Theme 4 · Somewhere else | Niels van de Laar@iskander_niels | €50 cash + Angelbird USB-C 4.0 Solid Flex™ cable |
| Jury's Favourite | ||
| Picked by Bas Losekoot, Dougie Wallace and Giedo van der Zwan | Bram Busink@brambusinkphotographyTheme 1 · Falling apart | Free entry to one Urban Photo Race 2027 of your choice |
| Jury's Special Recognition | ||
| Special Recognition | Gerald Peterson@peterson_gerald_bnwTheme 1 · Falling apart | Capture One (1 year) + free entry to one Urban Photo Race 2027 of your choice |
Best Photographer
1st place
Bram Busink
“After the themes were given, I started looking for an original approach. When I photograph, I look for stories with a human element. In general, I am really attracted to colour, light, and reflections. In the final selection, I found a harmony between all these elements.”
@brambusinkphotographyTheme 1 · Falling apart
Theme 2 · Almost happy
Theme 3 · Not my problem
Theme 4 · Somewhere else
Theme 1 · Falling apart
Theme 2 · Almost happy
Theme 3 · Not my problem
Theme 4 · Somewhere else
3rd place
Mechteld van Kessel
“My own free eye. Pics taken in the moment, my way of making pictures.”
@mechteldvankesselTheme 1 · Falling apart
Theme 2 · Almost happy
Theme 3 · Not my problem
Theme 4 · Somewhere else
The themes
Theme 3 · Best Theme
Not my problem
Jolien Roos
“I wandered through Amsterdam looking for things people had left behind, then waited for life to enter the frame. Someone passing by, looking away, carrying on. Sometimes it was patience, sometimes pure luck, like the cat who seemed to pose for the shot.”
@jolien_roos
Special Recognition
Special Recognition · Theme 1 · Falling apart
Gerald Peterson
“Creating a series in colour brings an extra challenge: the colours need to work together as well as the images. I try to tell a story while creating harmony through colour.”
@peterson_gerald_bnw
Series from the race
With thanks to our partners
Photofacts is a leading online photography education platform packed with masterclasses, Dutch courses, and practical tutorials designed to level up your skills. Whether you're trying to master tricky low-light exposures or nail composition on the fly, Photofacts provides the knowledge you need to capture the city like a pro.
photofactsacademy.nl
Freedom on the streets is digital, but art belongs in print. Albelli is a premier photo printing specialist that turns your fleeting race-day captures into beautiful, tangible photo books and high-end wall art. They are the final step in your creative process, helping you bring your best urban frames off your memory card and onto your walls.
albelli.nl
Based at the foot of the Austrian Alps, Angelbird designs and engineers high-performance storage media and purpose-built workflow solutions for professional film, photography, and audio production. Driven by real-world needs and trusted by industry leaders like ARRI, Atomos & RED, Angelbird combines precision craftsmanship, cutting-edge technology, pro-level customer support, and uncompromising reliability to empower every stage of the creative process, giving creators the confidence and freedom to stay focused on their vision, without limits.
angelbird.com
Born in Amsterdam in 2012, Oedipus Brewing was built on friendship, curiosity and a refusal to follow the rules. We brew beers that blend craft with imagination, tradition with surprise. From our brewery and Craft Space in Amsterdam-Noord, we keep pushing flavor in unexpected directions. Crafted for the curious.
oedipus.com
Saal Digital is the trusted partner of professional photographers and photography enthusiasts who demand the highest quality. Specialising in premium photo products, from fine art prints and high-quality photo books to personalised wall art in HD, they turn special moments into real masterpieces that last a lifetime. With state-of-the-art printing, premium materials and great attention to detail, Saal Digital delivers exceptional results for professionals and anyone who wants to preserve their memories in the best possible way.
saal-digital.com
Is the professional choice for photographers worldwide, known for fast, reliable tethered shooting, true-to-life color processing, and precision editing tools built for the way photographers actually work.
captureone.com