SPELEOFOTOGRAFIA 2026 – Call for Entries

23rd International Competitive Photo Exhibition with Caving Theme

We invite photographers from all over the world to submit their best underground images. The competition is free of charge. Deadline: September 15, 2026.

📸 Categories & Prizes

Category A – Cave Beauty

Aesthetics of underground spaces, karst decoration, and details. Condition: Photo title, country, and karst type must be in English.

Category B – Speleomoment + Story

Reportage from caving activities, exploration, and expeditions. Condition: Each photo must include a textual story (max. 5,000 characters).

Awards: 3 best works per category + Grand Prize + Public Award (voting on social networks).

📋 Technical Requirements

• Format: Online form at speleofotografia.sss.sk
• Image specs: min. 3000 px on longer side, .jpg, max. 5 MB
• Language: Titles & location data MUST be in English; story for Category B may be in Slovak or English

📅 Key Dates

• Entry deadline: September 15, 2026
• Judging: From October 1, 2026
• Awards ceremony: November 2026, SMOPaJ Liptovský Mikuláš

👥 Jury

Submit your photos →

About us

Although the first cave photography was made already in 19th century, taking the pictures in the underground is still anything but piece of cake. Complex planning and preparation are just the beginning. Taking the pictures underground requires except the special equipment a considerable amount of courage, caving experiences, skills in lighting, but especially well-coordinated team of cavers. Speleophotography means a teamwork. The photographer usually need the assistance in transportation, arranging the scene and lighting. For the moment of pressing the shutter release button usually wait the cavers in the dark of underground sometimes few minutes, another time even a few hours… Let’s flash! So this one is really extraordinary!

Most of the Speleofotografia participants belong among the world elite in caving. Their masterpieces are increasingly moving towards to reproduce the dynamics of speleological activities. All sort of difficulties of discovery and exploration of caves show to us, that caving belongs among the most demanding, but also challenging and stimulating human activities. In addition to theme of abseiling of pits, overcoming of the underground rivers and lakes, or crawling narrow squeezings, the sense of beauty in detail is expressing too. Through the theme of static cave decorations – clusters of crystals, cave pearls, dripstone formations, shiny castles of ice… What surprises are still waiting in cave? 

The Speleofotografia is an international competitive exhibition of photos on speleological themes. Its aim is to present uniqueness of underground world, speleologist’s work as well as forms of life in caves. During the all previous years there were presented about 1,500 photos by authors from more than 20 countries around the world. Join us!

Lukáš Vlček

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  Announcing the Winners of SPELEOPHOTOGRAPHY 2024!26. May 2026
  The 22nd International Speleological Photography Contest has concluded, showcasing breathtaking underground imagery that illuminates the hidden wonders and challenges of cave exploration. Below are the official results: 🏆 Grand Prize Winner Rémi Flament (France) – “Speleomoment” Category A – Beauty of Caves Category B – Speleomoment Explore the Winning Entries Dive into the full collection of award-winning… Read More »Announcing the Winners of SPELEOPHOTOGRAPHY 2024!
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  The 22th year of the international photo exhibition with the theme of speleology18. June 2024
  Slovak Speleological Society State Nature Conservancy of the Slovak Republic – Slovak Caves Administration Slovak Museum of Nature Protection and Speleology City of Liptovský Mikuláš A – Cave Beauty – photos illustrating the beauties of cave spaces and speleothem details. B – Speleo-moment – reportage photos from speleological activities and expeditions They will be chosen… Read More »The 22th year of the international photo exhibition with the theme of speleology
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  Form 202418. June 2024