Formentera, January 28, 2026
The Consell Insular de Formentera has announced the 23rd edition of the Beni Trutmann Photography Contest, a well-established event in the island’s cultural calendar. This contest, which pays tribute to the renowned Swiss photographer Beni Trutmann, aims to foster creativity and environmental awareness through the artistic vision of its participants.
The initiative is organized by the Consell, reaffirming its commitment to preserving Formentera’s natural environment and cultural heritage. As in previous years, the contest serves as a platform to highlight the island’s landscapes, wildlife, and local traditions.
Beni Trutmann discovered Formentera in 1958 and dedicated over four decades to documenting the transformation of its landscape and the relationship between the islanders and their surroundings. His archive of more than 30,000 photographs bears witness to Formentera’s recent past.
With this contest, Formentera keeps alive the memory of the Swiss artist, while also promoting a respectful view of nature and an aesthetic commitment to sustainability and the landscape.
Formentera’s natural environment takes center stage
Nature remains the main theme of the contest, in line with the spirit of Trutmann’s work. Photographs should reflect the landscape, fauna, vegetation, or the interaction between humans and their environment, encouraging a critical and conscious perspective on today’s environmental challenges.
Additionally, the rules state that submitted photographs must be unpublished and not have received awards in other contests, thus ensuring the originality and authenticity of the works. This condition reinforces the documentary and creative value of the contest, which has always aimed to merge art with environmental commitment.
Summary of the contest rules
The Beni Trutmann Photography Contest features four categories:
• Black and white photography
• Color photography
• Environmental awareness photography – for images that invite reflection on ecological issues
• Junior photography – aimed at young people aged 12 to 18
Each participant may submit up to three photographs, distributed among the categories as they wish. In the general categories (black and white, color, and environmental awareness), the photos must be submitted printed and unmounted, with a minimum width of 20 cm and a maximum length of 40 cm. Technical adjustments such as brightness, contrast, or saturation are allowed, but digital manipulation or excessive retouching is not permitted.
Photos must be submitted to the Citizen Services Office (OAC) in Sant Francesc or sent by registered mail to:
Consell Insular de Formentera
Plaça de la Constitució, 1
07860 Sant Francesc, Formentera
Spain
Works in the junior category, however, must be submitted via email to: concursfoto@conselldeformentera.cat
The submission deadline is April 10, 2026, and author anonymity is ensured through a system of envelopes and numbering.
The jury will meet before April 24 to deliberate, and the awards ceremony will take place on May 4, 2026, coinciding with the opening of the exhibition.
You can find the 👉 official contest rules published by the Consell Insular de Formentera at the following link, where all participation requirements and procedures are detailed.
The photographer who fell in love with Formentera
Karl Werner Thomas Trutmann, better known as Beni Trutmann, was born on November 26, 1935, in Locarno, Switzerland. From a young age, he showed great interest in art and image-making, studying at the Zurich School of Arts, where he discovered his passion for photography. At the age of 22, he moved to Paris to work alongside renowned photographer Harry Meerson — an experience that shaped his professional development. Two years later, he began his solo career, establishing himself as an independent photographer.
His professional life can be divided into two main phases: the first linked to advertising photography from 1965 to 1984, and the second, more humanistic and reflective, spanning from 1985 to 1995. However, the turning point in his life came in 1958, when he first visited Formentera. The island captivated him so deeply that it became his home and the main focus of his artistic work.
For 44 years, Trutmann documented the evolution of Formentera, its landscapes, its people, and its customs through his lens. His commitment to preserving the island’s natural and cultural heritage led him to collaborate with the environmental group GOB, using his talent to support ecological causes. His series Beauty and Destruction of an Island expressed his concern about urban development and the loss of the island’s identity.
Beni Trutmann passed away on April 28, 2002, at his home in La Mola, leaving behind a legacy of more than 30,000 photographs that today form an invaluable visual memory of the island. His work continues to inspire those who see photography as a way to preserve the essence and truth of the places we love.
I’m Ramón Tur, the person behind everything written and photographed on this website about Formentera. I discovered the island in 1972 when my parents, aboard the mythical Joven Dolores, took me on vacation from Ibiza for the first time, and it was love at first sight that has only grown stronger over time, making Formentera my place of residence for many years now. If you wish, you can follow me on Instagram @4mentera.com_
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