How to enter the free 2026 Mijas photography marathon with prizes up for grabs

Get ready to snap as Mijas opens the registration for its 17th Focus on Mijas photography marathon honouring late photographer Jesus Jaime Mota.

Popular cultural event returns in June 2026

Photography enthusiasts will have the chance to share their talent and passion for photos by capturing the beauty and character of Mijas, as the Town Hall’s Culture Department prepares to host the 17th ‘Focus on Mijas’ Photography Marathon. Scheduled for Sunday, June 7, the event will be held in memory of acclaimed local photographer Jesus Jaime Mota, whose legacy continues to influence the area’s photographic community. Open to everyone without restriction, the competition aims to encourage creativity while promoting the local town.

Participation is entirely free. Organisers invite both amateur and experienced photographers to register by email before the deadline at 2pm on Friday, June 5

Full day of photography challenges

Participants must attend accreditation from 10am at the Casa Museo, in Mijas Pueblo. The secret competition themes will be revealed during this time, giving photographers the opportunity to interpret a range of subjects throughout the day.

The shooting window will run between 10am and 11pm on June 7, allowing entrants plenty of time to explore the area and complete their assignments. Competitors may submit up to two photographs for each theme, though participating in every category is not compulsory. Should unforeseen circumstances prevent the marathon from taking place on the scheduled date, organisers have confirmed it will be moved to Sunday, 14 June.

Digital format and submission requirements

Entries must be submitted in digital format by email no later than 11pm on Wednesday, June 10. Organisers require photographs to be sent as JPG files under 2MB in size, labelled with the participant’s full name. To maintain a streamlined review process, photographers must attach their images to the email and avoid using file-transfer services or cloud-storage platforms like WeTransfer or Google Drive.

Colour, black-and-white, and toned images are all accepted. Standard digital processing—including cropping, exposure adjustments, and RAW-to-JPG conversion—is permitted. However, photo montage techniques will only be allowed in categories where organisers expressly authorise them.

Exhibition and awards ceremony planned

Following the competition, a distinguished jury presided over by the Councillor for Culture will select 200 photographs to feature in a video presentation. A further 30 images will be chosen for a public exhibition. Judges will assess these entries according to technical quality, visual impact, composition, and the message conveyed.

Awards donated by local photography organisations and businesses will include photographic works and specialist equipment. Sponsors include Galeria Foto Art, Asociacion Fotografica Nuevo Enfoque, and Laboratorio Imagen Fotocolor.

Winners will be announced during an awards ceremony scheduled for July 3 at 7:30pm in the Town Hall assembly hall. Following the ceremony, visitors can view the exhibition featuring the winning and finalist photographs at the Casa Museo, which runs from July 3 to August 3. Photographs submitted to the marathon may later be used by Mijas Town Hall for non-profit cultural purposes, with full credit always given to the authors.

For the full brochure and all details visit the Mijas town hall website or email maraton.enfoca.mijas@mijas.es