WhiteWall x Irys: Photography in Focus

WhiteWall is a founding partner of the new Irys app, a curated space that puts photography back at the center.

A new meeting place for photography enthusiasts who value quality, vision, and authentic photographic work.

The Vision Behind Irys

Founded by Alan Schaller, Irys is the result of over a decade of work in commercial and fine art photography, as well as extensive experience in building creative online communities. The app has been available in early access since September 2025 and offers high-resolution uploads, real exhibition opportunities, and a publishing and gallery network that fairly compensates artists.

Discover the Irys App
A circular-cropped black-and-white portrait shows photographer Alan Schaller. He is looking directly into the camera while holding a Leica camera up to his face as if taking a photo. He is wearing a dark, textured shirt, and a distinctive patterned camera strap is wrapped around his wrist. The background shows a blurred outdoor view with a stone wall.
"Every photographer I know who has worked with WhiteWall loves their printing and framing, so I’m really excited to share that WhiteWall has joined Irys as one of its Founding Partners.

Together, we’ll run competitions for the community, with winners receiving their own work printed and framed by WhiteWall.

We have much more planned with Whitewall coming up soon! Everyone at Irys can’t wait to kick this off and to get your photos printed and on the wall where they belong," Alan Schaller

Bring your photography to life

Participation in the WhiteWall Spotlight Competitions is rewarded with prizes that pave the direct path to a finished artwork. For the best submissions, WhiteWall awards vouchers worth €200 to €500, which can be used flexibly for a product of your choice. WhiteWall makes your digital “One Moment” permanently experienceable as an exclusive wall piece.

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A bright, modern living room features a large-format, vertical black-and-white photograph on the wall. The motif by Phil Penman depicts a nighttime street scene in a narrow alley with pedestrians and glowing lanterns. Below the picture is a low wooden table with books and a vase, next to a large, beige-brown sectional sofa. Sunlight streams through a large window, casting striped shadows on the wall.

WhiteWall Spotlight: The second competition

Colorful Spring | One Moment

Spring is a shift in energy that goes far beyond nature. It is the first warm light on a city street, the vibrant return of color in our daily lives, and the awakening of the world around us. We want to see how you capture this transition. Show us your unique One Moment where life and light align. Whether your focus is on people, architecture, or the outdoors, win the chance to bring your work to life in gallery quality.

The competition runs from April 13, 2026, to May 10, 2026

A dramatic worm's-eye view looking straight up into the square courtyard of a modern building. The four inner walls are painted bright yellow and feature numerous evenly spaced windows. At the top, the roof edges form a precise frame around a patch of gray, cloudy sky. A single section of wall in the lower area features red bricks.

WhiteWall Spotlight: The First Competition

Travel Photography | One Moment

Great travel photography is earned. It is the result of patience, intuition, and that split second when light and composition align perfectly.

Show us your “One Moment” and take the chance to bring your work to life in gallery-quality with WhiteWall. The first competition of the new Irys app in 2026 is dedicated to travel photography and seeks images that capture the fleeting essence of the moment.

The competition ran from January 15th to February 15th, 2026

Two smartphones against a black background display details about a photo competition within the IRYS app. The left, tilted screen shows information about the "Competition Series," including prize details and entry conditions. The right screen displays the "WhiteWall Spotlight Group" with sample images of a coastal rock formation, colorful architecture, and an ocean wave. The IRYS and WhiteWall logos are positioned in the top left.

First place: Enamul Kabir

Enamul Kabir is a Bangladeshi street and documentary photographer. Through his images, he seeks to capture authentic visual narratives of contemporary Bangladesh. Inspired by everyday moments and local realities, he documents the dynamism and complexity of street life.

A dramatic scene of a crowded train. People cling to the outside while a baby is being handed down through a window to a woman on the platform.

Second place: Ricardo Abril

Ricardo Abril is a Brazilian photographer from Brasília. His passion for photography has been with him since childhood, but only later—after working in film and design—did it find expression as an artistic medium. In recent years, he has devoted himself intensively to street photography. Through subtle cultural details, he creates visual narratives that reveal the poetry of spontaneous encounters and everyday interactions.

A sunny beach scene by the ocean. In the foreground, three young women in bikinis sit in beach chairs, looking in different directions. In the background, near the shoreline of the receding waves, three young men play football on the light sand under a clear blue sky.

Third Place: Patrice Menconi

French photographer Patrice Menconi has captured a silent moment inside a mosque: a father and son framed by a vast architecture of light and shadow. The clean lines and black-and-white aesthetic draw the eye to the connection between the two figures and the stillness of the moment. An image that invites the viewer to pause and reflect.

An atmospheric black and white photograph from inside a mosque. In the center, a man sits praying on the carpet while a child lies next to him. The architecture is defined by tall columns, large arched windows in the background, and magnificent circular chandeliers hanging low from the ceiling. The incoming light creates a peaceful, spiritual atmosphere.