The International Wildlife and Nature Photography Festival of Montier-en-Der in Haute-Marne, France, is celebrating its 28th edition through November 23. What began as a modest regional photography exhibition has transformed into one of Europe's most prestigious wildlife photography events, attracting over 40,000 visitors annually and featuring work from the world's most renowned nature photographers.
This year's festival poster showcases a mesmerizing underwater photograph by Laurent Ballesta, a photographer and scientist specializing in marine life. The image captures a golden horseshoe crab making its way across sandy ocean floor near Pantagalan Island in the Philippines, accompanied by three small golden pilot fish. In an age of artificial intelligence, such extraordinary images might seem digitally created, but they represent the genuine artistry and dedication that has made the festival famous worldwide.
The festival has established itself as a platform for both artistic excellence and environmental awareness. Since 1997, it has consistently surprised and delighted visitors with extraordinary photographs while using the beauty of these images to raise awareness about the urgent need to preserve our natural environment. The carefully curated exhibitions feature work from globally acclaimed photographers including Laurent Ballesta and Vincent Munier, who serve as this year's honorary patrons, as well as previous featured artists such as Jim Brandenburg, Tim Laman, Reza, Steve McCurry, and Frans Lanting.
The festival's remarkable journey began with perfect timing and vision. In the late 1990s, when environmental conservation and biodiversity preservation were not yet recognized as fundamental global issues, and photography had not yet experienced the smartphone and social media revolution, local photographers in the Der region had a brilliant idea. They brought the prestigious Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition, organized annually by BBC Wildlife Magazine and the Natural History Museum of London, to Haute-Marne in 1997. The stands were installed for four days in Montier-en-Der and several surrounding towns.
The event immediately attracted significant attention, and this regional nature photography exhibition rapidly evolved into an international festival featuring exceptional images each year. "This year we've chosen the theme of exploration," explains Dominique Grandjean, the festival's president. "We'll journey from ocean depths to the most distant lands, but also to our own backyards. Nature photography can showcase spectacular landscapes from places we may never visit, but it also reveals what we don't see and what's sometimes right before our eyes, in our daily lives, close to home."
Environmental education has become one of the festival's core missions. This year, in addition to year-round programming, 4,000 students will be welcomed to the festival to view exhibitions and participate in workshops. The event features an impressive 80 hours of conferences, roundtable discussion spaces, and approximately 100 forums addressing major environmental issues on the festival agenda.
The festival's success stems from its rigorous selection of exceptional photography. While beautiful images can be captured in one's own backyard, the photographers selected for the festival rank among the world's finest. The two patrons of this 28th edition, Vincent Munier and Laurent Ballesta, exemplify this standard of excellence. Munier participated in the very first regional exhibition nearly thirty years ago and has since become a regular fixture. This year, he's presenting a book and film that will premiere in Saint-Dizier, while Ballesta offers a unique new exhibition.
These headlining photographers attract audiences while introducing them to emerging talents. The Montier festival competition has become Europe's second-largest photography contest after the BBC's Wildlife Photographer of the Year, motivating photographers worldwide to participate in the event. "Today, photographers clearly come to us as a priority and work specifically for Montier," notes Grandjean. "Regular participants reserve exclusive premieres of their exhibitions, films, or books for us. Some have told me, 'In two years, I plan to release this work, and if you're interested, I'll debut it first at Montier.' Last year, one photographer held his first exhibition at Montier, and four days later, he received invitations to three other festivals."
Year after year, the festival has distinguished itself through remarkable and unprecedented exhibitions, the result of demanding curatorial standards and the freedom to choose what will best serve the public. "We won't accept a famous photographer with an average exhibition," assures the festival president. "But an unknown photographer with a superb exhibition – we don't hesitate. We also require photographers to be present during all four festival days to engage with the public."
A lesser-known aspect of the festival is its role as a premier networking venue for photography professionals. "From the early years, photography agencies would gather their photographers during Montier," recalls Grandjean. "Camera and equipment manufacturers also came with a brand village that we organize near Lake Der at Giffaumont Champaubert. This attracts people, including photographers, because each brand has its ambassadors whose work is exhibited." This year's Brand Village will again feature a 1,000-square-meter exhibition space for photography equipment and wildlife observation gear.
The festival's exceptional organization and presentation have been fundamental to its growth. Anyone who has walked through the Montier-en-Der venues can attest to the meticulous care the festival teams provide to ensure everything runs smoothly. An army of volunteers works year-round to have everything ready for the big day, and this organization has played a crucial role in the festival's expansion.
"Today, the Montier festival is the premier European wildlife and nature photography festival," summarizes Grandjean. "It's the largest in terms of space and number of exhibitions, but that's not necessarily what we're pursuing – we focus primarily on the quality of our exhibitions." The festival now features approximately one hundred exhibitions across all its venues, cementing its reputation as Europe's most comprehensive wildlife photography event.
Grandjean assumed the presidency of the festival's organizing association this year, succeeding Régis Fournel, making this 28th edition his first as festival head. "For a first time, I surprise myself, but I'm relatively calm," he reflects. "The organization went well, as did the installation. Thursday, the public arrives and the train has left the station – we're going to enjoy it."
What remains for visitors is to wander through the festival halls as if traveling to the four corners of the world, admiring photographs they never could have imagined. The festival continues to fulfill its dual mission of showcasing extraordinary artistic achievement while fostering a deeper appreciation for the natural world that urgently needs our protection.
