WhiteWall Photo Contest on Irys

WhiteWall is a Founding Partner of Irys, the new photography app created by renowned photographer Alan Schaller. Developed specifically for photographers, the platform places high-quality photography, creative freedom, and meaningful exchange within an engaged community at its core.

A key part of this partnership is the WhiteWall Spotlight Competitions on Irys. These regularly held photography contests invite photographers to submit their best work and compete with the international Irys community. Winners receive WhiteWall vouchers, which can be used to transform their photographs into premium wall art or Fine Art Prints.

“All photographers I know who have worked with WhiteWall have been impressed by the quality of their printing and framing,” says Alan Schaller, founder of Irys. Together, Irys and WhiteWall aim to create new opportunities for photographers to showcase their work and celebrate outstanding photographic moments.

At a time when many social networks are dominated by short-lived content, Irys offers a curated space for photographers who want to present their work, discover new perspectives, and connect with like-minded creatives. High-resolution image displays and a strong focus on photographic quality create an environment where images once again receive the attention they deserve.

As a multi-award-winning photo lab, WhiteWall supports the vision of Irys as an official Founding Partner. Together, the two brands promote the visibility of exceptional photography and create new opportunities for photographers around the world.

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.

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.

CREATE NOW
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.

Past competitions

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 ran 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.

First place: Verona Villar

Coming from a scientific background closely linked to microscopy and image analysis, I approach photography as an exploration of perception and visual layering. As a self-taught photographer, I focus on experimental street photography, long exposure, and reflective compositions shaped by movement, light, and atmosphere.

An artistic, long-exposure photograph by Verona Villar captures a sunny beach scene with a warm, nostalgic pastel overlay. In the foreground, a heavily blurred, ghost-like human figure in motion sweeps across a wooden boardwalk. The background reveals a sandy beach with a blue lifeguard tower, a red parasol, and two distant beachgoers near the calm turquoise sea. The composition blends sharp structural lines with ethereal movement, creating a dreamy, painterly atmosphere.

Second place: Mania de Praeter

Mania is a pediatric neurosurgeon based in Antwerp, also spending time in New York where her partner lives. After the lockdown she developed a passion for street photography, focusing on authentic, unposed moments.

Her work is driven by a sensitivity to light and composition, aiming for intimate, timeless images. She observes everyday life in Antwerp and New York and translates its quiet poetry into photographs.

While mainly working in black and white, she is also drawn to color photography and inspired by Saul Leiter and Harry Gruyaert.

An atmospheric fine art photograph by Mania de Praeter depicts a partial view of a person wearing a vibrant orange dress and brown leather clogs. The subject is leaning against a textured concrete wall, partially hidden behind a pillar while holding up a large open black umbrella. A row of brutalist concrete pillars extends into the background, creating a rhythmic sequence of light and shadow. The moody, cinematic lighting accentuates the textures of the stone and the rich color of the fabric.

Third place: Jon Stone

Since completing his photography studies at Salisbury College of Art in 1983, Jon Stone has worked for 43 years as a commercial photographer based mainly in the South of England.

After a lifetime in commercial photography, this is his first step into a more artistic direction, and he is delighted by its reception.

The works submitted to the Whitewall “Spring Colour” competition are composites of 10 to 20 separate images taken from slightly different positions. The interesting part is that only after assembling them does it become clear which combinations work.

He says: “They work differently up close. From a distance they appear soft, but up close they are sharp. I like the scratchy textures created by the ghost images.”

Jon’s work can be seen at www.stonephoto.co.uk

An atmospheric, painterly landscape photograph by Jon Stone captures a vibrant yellow willow tree reflected in a calm pond. The foreground is filled with soft, multi-layered wild grasses that frame the water. In the background, low bushes blend into a bright blue sky with wispy white clouds. The entire scene features a textured, soft-focus overlay reminiscent of an impressionistic oil painting.

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.

WhiteWall: Photography in gallery quality

Since 2007, WhiteWall has stood for premium photo products in gallery quality. Photographers, artists, and creatives around the world rely on its precise craftsmanship, outstanding print quality, and personalized presentation options. From Fine Art Prints and wall art to custom-made frames, WhiteWall combines state-of-the-art production technologies with expert craftsmanship and has received numerous international awards for its achievements.

In a modern production facility, a technician wearing a white protective glove carefully processes a large, glossy photo print. The print features a colorful pattern of vertical pink, beige, and blue stripes and is wrapped over a cylindrical metal roller. The worker uses a hand squeegee tool to smoothly mount the image, which reflects clearly on the polished work surface in the foreground. In the soft-focus background, rows of industrial ceiling lights illuminate the manufacturing hall.