- 4 themes 12 photos
- 8 hours 4 checkpoints
Brussels 6 June 2026
On 6 June 2026, Urban Photo Race turned Brussels into a photo marathon. Photographers set out from Parc du Cinquantenaire with one day, four themes and one rule: for each theme, a series of three photographs that build one idea.
The themes were Trying too hard, In motion, Out of place and Nothing is what it seems. Over the next two weeks, the jury, Daniel Rachamim, Jeffrey De Keyser and Kevin Scarlett, studied every entry before choosing the winners below.
The race in numbers
95
Registered
85
Showed up
79
Finished all 4 checkpoints
The starting point
Images throughout the day
Racing with the Sigma BF
Sigma, main prize partner of UPR Brussels, brought its new Sigma BF to the race. Six participants picked one up at the start line and raced the whole day with it.
A full-frame mirrorless camera stripped to the essentials: a 24.6 MP sensor in a seamless aluminium body, with the main controls right under your fingers. Tested where it counts, through a full day of photographing the city.
- 6 cameras 6 participants
- Full frame 24.6 MP
The jury
There were many individual images that really stood out to me, and I especially enjoyed seeing how some photographers carried a consistent idea and style throughout their series. That consistency is what ultimately helped me choose my favorite entry.
Daniel Rachamim
The winners
| Award | Winner | Prize |
|---|---|---|
| Best Photographer | ||
| 1st place | Anna Linmans | SIGMA 35mm F1.4 DG II | ART + Photofacts Academy 1 Year Membership + €250 cash |
| 2nd place | Elitsa Andreeva | €120 cash + Albelli €100 Voucher |
| 3rd place | Karen Velleman | €75 cash + WISPER WORKSHOP |
| Best Theme | ||
| Theme 1 · Trying too hard | Anna Linmans | €50 cash |
| Theme 2 · In motion | Esther Gerritsen | €50 cash |
| Theme 3 · Out of place | Siebe Jacxsens | €50 cash |
| Theme 4 · Nothing is what it seems | Anna Linmans | €50 cash |
| Jury's Favourite | ||
| Daniel Rachamim's pick | Esther GerritsenTheme 2 · In motion | €35 cash |
| Jeffrey De Keyser's pick | Esther GerritsenTheme 2 · In motion | €35 cash |
| Kevin Scarlett's pick | Anna LinmansTheme 4 · Nothing is what it seems | €35 cash |
| Jury's Special Recognition | ||
| Special Recognition | Anna LinmansTheme 4 · Nothing is what it seems | Lomography Simple Use Camera loaded with Classicolor 35mm film |
Best Photographer
1st place
Anna Linmans
“I wanted to show how Brussels feels to me and I used the themes to illustrate that. I find the metro beautiful, ugly and a bit scary.”
@bintjerobijnTheme 1 · Trying too hard
Theme 2 · In motion
Theme 3 · Out of place
Theme 4 · Nothing is what it seems
2nd place
Elitsa Andreeva
“I am interested in spatial illusion, in reducing cityscapes and still lifes to abstraction. I shoot images that are abstract paintings.”
@el_el_poochableTheme 1 · Trying too hard
Theme 2 · In motion
Theme 3 · Out of place
Theme 4 · Nothing is what it seems
3rd place
Karen Velleman
“It truly fascinates me that we walked the same streets, yet saw a different city. I was drawn to fleeting moments.”
@kunstkip.karenTheme 1 · Trying too hard
Theme 2 · In motion
Theme 3 · Out of place
Theme 4 · Nothing is what it seems
The themes
Theme 2 · Best Theme
In motion
Esther Gerritsen
“Instead of photographing people in motion, I looked for a different kind of motion. Motion lives not only in action, but also in shapes and lines.”
@headshot_nederland
Theme 3 · Best Theme
Out of place
Siebe Jacxsens
“Inspired by Belgium's love for the surreal, this series celebrates the beauty of the unexpected encounters in familiar urban spaces.”
@studiosiebe
With thanks to our partners
Built for photographers who demand precision on the street. Sigma's Art line lenses deliver exceptional sharpness and character in every frame. Main prize partner for UPR Brussels, offering the Best Photographer a Sigma 35mm F1.4 DG II Art lens. On race day, six Sigma BF cameras were available for participants to shoot with.
sigmabenelux.com
The leading Dutch language online photography platform with 125+ courses taught by the best photography educators from the Netherlands and Belgium. The Best Photographer won an annual membership worth €179, giving full access to the entire course library for a full year.
photofactsacademy.nl
Turns your best photos into something you can actually hold. Photo books, prints, canvases, calendars and more, all made to last. The 2nd place Best Photographer won a €100 voucher to create something lasting from their race day work.
albelli.be
A global community and brand dedicated to analogue photography. From experimental cameras to vibrant colour films, Lomography celebrates the unpredictable, the creative and the unexpected. Jury's Special Recognition won a Simple Use Camera loaded with Classicolor 35mm film. For those who shoot differently.
instagram.com/lomography
A Belgian arts organisation where people connect with art in freedom across six disciplines including photography. WISPER believes everyone with an artistic hunger or curiosity should feel at home and free to be themselves. The 3rd place Best Photographer won a spot in their street photography workshop: A Look at the City.
wisper.be