A jury, composed of Borja Arrizurieta Colomo, Javier Ortiz Moreno, and Arbil Iciar Manterola, unanimously decided the list of awardees after analyzing all submitted works.
In the free theme category, the first prize went to Jose Agustin Gurrutxaga Garagartza for Sun and shadows; the second to Jose Ramon Luna de la Ossa for Raíces; and the third to Agustin Aizpurua Arozena for Huellas en el olvido.
Furthermore, the Tolosaldea Champion award was received by Josema Dieguez Rodriguez for his work Itsasoa ta egurra I-IV. In the local awards, Andoni Lizeaga Lasa won first place with Bide zaila, Ruben Cáceres Delgado took second with Aterrizaje controlado, and Nerea Maillo Carpintero secured third place with La mirada del picapinos.
Finally, the photographers qualified for the Argizaiola award were Jose Agustin Gurrutxaga Garagartz, Agustin Aizpurua Arozena, and Oscar Manso Navas.
Organizers indicated that although the number of participants has increased compared to last year—179 people participated this year—the figures are still not as desired. The Tolosaldea section saw 23 participants, with a significant gender imbalance: 20% of participants were women and 80% were men. They also explained that female participation has decreased compared to the previous year.
“"There are professional female photographers, but it seems they find it harder to participate in contests."
Therefore, Elena Marquez emphasized the need to explore ways to increase the presence of women in future editions. Additionally, they highlighted the very low participation of young people in photography. In this regard, organizers stated they are open to receiving new proposals and ideas to attract young people to the contest for next year's edition.
The awards ceremony thus marked the end of this year's edition of the Tolosa Herria 2026 Photography Contest; an edition that has showcased the quality of photography while also presenting challenges for increasing participation.
