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Belmond Names Jury for 2026 Photo Award

The luxury travel brand has announced the judges who will select the winner of its annual, early-career travel photography prize.

Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Hotels

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Belmond has named a jury, including Aperture executive director Sarah Meister and photographers Tyler Mitchell and Chris Rhodes, to select the winner of its 2026 early-career photo award. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

Belmond, the luxury travel brand owned by LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton, has unveiled the jury for the 2026 Belmond Photo Award. The panel includes Aperture executive director Sarah Meister, photographers Tyler Mitchell and Chris Rhodes, and Belmond senior vice president Arnaud Champenois.

Why it matters

The award supports early-career artists with a residency at a Belmond property and funding to create a new body of work. The 2026 edition drew more than 2,000 applications, signaling strong interest in the prize.

The 2026 award drew more than 2,000 applications over a program now three years old, though the source does not give a comparison to prior years' application totals. The jury's selection remains pending.

The players

Belmond

A luxury travel company and brand owned by LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton, known for its hotels, trains and resorts around the world.

Sarah Meister

Executive director of Aperture, the New York nonprofit photography foundation that hosts the book launch and serves on the jury.

Tyler Mitchell

A photographer who serves on the 2026 Belmond Photo Award jury.

Chris Rhodes

A photographer who serves on the 2026 Belmond Photo Award jury and has a separate book project not linked to the award.

The details

Belmond said the award, formerly called the Belmond Photography Residency, is open to early-career artists and judged by a jury. The jury will meet in New York during the week of the announcement, with the winner to be revealed at Paris Photo the following week.

Timeline

  1. 2023: Belmond launched the photo award, then called the Belmond Photography Residency.

  2. Tuesday, November 3, 2026: Belmond unveiled the 2026 jury lineup and previewed its Portofino book launch in New York.

  3. Week of November 3, 2026: The jury meets in New York to select the winner.

  4. Week of November 9, 2026: The winner is expected to be revealed during Paris Photo.

Industry Context

The award follows the original Belmond Photography Residency, which was renamed as the Belmond Photo Award and now runs as a jury-led prize for early-career travel photographers. It is one of several luxury hospitality brands funding photography programs to tie their identity to visual storytelling.

Photographers considering the award should note the application window has closed and the next cycle will be announced by Belmond. Travelers who follow the brand may see the winner's residency at a Belmond property once the prize is awarded.

The takeaway

Luxury hospitality brands are increasingly backing emerging photographers as a way to connect their properties with new visual perspectives on travel. Readers interested in the field can follow the award's winner when it is announced at Paris Photo.

What happens next

The winner of the 2026 Belmond Photo Award is expected to be revealed during Paris Photo in the week of November 9, 2026.

Further reading

Explore more on Hotels and the luxury properties behind this photography program.

Source note: This article includes information reported by WWD.