Carsten Rühlemann

The second Paris race: a start at the Mairie du 14e, four themes from the Left Bank to a photography barge in the 13th, and a jury that could not separate two third places.

The second Urban Photo Race in Paris started on Saturday 14 October 2023, at 11:00 sharp in front of the Mairie du 14e, with photographers from France, the Netherlands and Germany, expat Parisians among them, newcomers next to regulars. Newly-weds were coming out of the village hall as the race left.

The route crossed the city south to north. Racers had the first two themes, Unexpected and So Parisian!, with them on the way to the furthest checkpoint, Jardin Villemin by the Canal Saint-Martin. From there the third theme, Délice, took a loop past the Opéra and the Grands Boulevards to the slightly hidden Place Édouard VII. A demonstration around République, so Parisian after all, cost some racers a metro connection and made the day a double challenge for them.

The final theme, Duo, led to the fourth and last checkpoint: Quai de la photo, a barge given over to photography in the 13th arrondissement. The autumn weather held, with sunny spells and a few drops of rain, and the day closed with a drink on the terrace of the péniche. Racers then submitted their twelve photographs for the jury.

The winners

Carsten Rühlemann won Best Photographer and the theme Unexpected, ahead of Rosa Van den Ende, who also won the theme So Parisian! The jury could not separate Anne-Cécile Zoungrana and Agnès Vergnes, who shared third place. Délice went to Alberto Dibiase and Duo to Séverine Hoareau, and the jury favourites were Aisen Verdanian, Annette Collomb and Mariette Bolhuis.