Connecting Photographers, Galleries, and Collectors Worldwide
Paris Photo is the world's leading international fair dedicated to photography, held annually in Paris at the Grand Palais.
For collectors and investors, Paris Photo is more than a fair; it is a marketplace for photography where trends are established and major acquisitions are made.
Paris Photo was launched at the Carrousel du Louvre in 1997 and quickly established itself as a serious platform for fine art photography.
In 2011, the fair moved to the Grand Palais, providing a larger and more prestigious setting.
Visitor numbers have since risen to nearly 60,000 annually, making Paris Photo one of the most visited art fairs in Paris.
The fair attracts exhibitors and publishers from more than 30 countries, along with thousands of collectors, curators, photographers, publishers, museum representatives, and photography enthusiasts.
For photography collectors and investors, Paris Photo serves as a barometer of the photography market.
It brings together leading galleries, blue-chip dealers, and emerging voices, offering works from early photography to experimental digital projects.
Major museum acquisitions also take place during the fair, reinforcing its influence on public collections worldwide.
Paris Photo is a meeting point for the global photography community, a platform for intellectual exchange, and an annual opportunity to experience photography across its many forms.
The 28th edition of Paris Photo will take place at the Grand Palais from November 13–16, 2025, continuing its role as the premier fair for photography worldwide.
What Happens at Paris Photo?
The fair brings together more than 200 exhibitors, including leading galleries, publishers, and institutions. Visitors can explore:
-
Historical photography: Early prints, Daguerreotypes, Vintage Prints, rare works, and masterpieces from the 19th and 20th centuries.
-
Contemporary photography: Works from established artists and new talents.
-
Experimental formats: Large-scale works, video, installations, and digital projects.
-
Photobooks: A dedicated sector where publishers and artists present books, limited editions, and new releases.
Over the years, Paris Photo has introduced key sectors such as Prismes (large-scale works), Emergence (young artists), Digital (AI and technology-based photography), and Voices (curated perspectives).
Paris Photo: Dates & Opening Hours
(Open to everyone)
1:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
1:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
1:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
1:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Vernissage
(Collectors Circle & VIP, by invitation)
Wed, Nov 12, 2025
11:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m.
Exclusive Morning Access
(Collectors Circle & VIP)
Daily (Nov 13-16)
10:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Ticket Details and Assistance: Visit the official ticket shop or contact Paris Photo’s customer service.
Paris Photo combines commerce, culture, and scholarship. It is a place where photography collectors find rare works, curators identify future exhibitions, and the public experiences photography’s past and future in a single event.
12 key facts about Paris Photo
-
Founded in 1997: Paris Photo began at the Carrousel du Louvre with 60 international galleries and publishers.
-
Held at the Grand Palais: Since 2011, its main home has been the Grand Palais, one of Paris’s most iconic cultural venues.
-
Largest international photography fair: It is the leading global art fair dedicated exclusively to photography.
-
Over 200 exhibitors: Each edition gathers more than 200 galleries and publishers from around the world.
-
60,000 visitors annually: It attracts a mix of collectors, curators, academics, photographers, and the general public.
-
Specialized sectors: The fair is structured into Main, Emergence (formerly Curiosa), Prismes, Digital, Voices, and Book sectors.
-
Paris Photo-Aperture PhotoBook Awards: Established in 2012, these awards recognize excellence in photobook publishing.
-
Elles x Paris Photo initiative: Launched in 2018, this program supports women photographers and has raised their visibility in the fair.
-
Market influence: Major collectors and institutions acquire works here, and Artprice presents its annual photography market report during the fair.
-
Global reach: Sister editions were held in Los Angeles (2013-2015), and a New York edition was planned for 2020 but postponed.
-
Commitment to sustainability: Paris Photo has pledged net-zero carbon emissions by 2040, with concrete measures like reducing plastic and using recyclable materials.
-
Next edition: The 28th edition will take place at the Grand Palais, Paris, from November 13–16, 2025.
Visit the official Paris Photo website before the fair and create a shortlist of galleries, publishers, and artists you want to see. This will help you navigate more efficiently.
Paris Photo: Timeline
Initially hosting 60 galleries and publishers, Paris Photo quickly became the leading international fair dedicated to photography.
| Year | Milestone |
|---|---|
| 1997 | Founding edition; 60 galleries and publishers from 12+ countries participate. |
| 2001 | Acquired by Reed Expositions France, enabling expansion. |
| 2005 | Visitor numbers rise, reaching 40,000 in 2006. |
| 2007 | Italy named Guest of Honor; international outreach expands. |
| 2009 | Special focus on Arab and Iranian photography, curated by Catherine David. |
| 2010 | Spotlight on Central European photography curated by Nataša Petrešin-Bachelez. |
| 2011 | Major relocation to the Grand Palais; launch of “Platform” talks program. |
| 2012 | Launch of Paris Photo–Aperture PhotoBook Awards. |
| 2013 | Expansion to the U.S. with Paris Photo Los Angeles. |
| 2018 | Introduction of Curiosa (Emergence) sector; start of Elles x Paris Photo initiative highlighting women photographers. |
| 2021 | Temporary relocation to Grand Palais Éphémère; Elles x Paris Photo curated by Nathalie Hershdorfer. |
| 2023 | Introduction of Digital sector, curated by Nina Roehrs. |
| 2024 | Return to expanded Grand Palais; launch of Voices sector with international curators; celebration of Robert Frank’s centenary. |
| 2025 | 28th edition scheduled for November 13–16, 2025 with 224 exhibitors from 33 countries. |
Many of the original exhibitors remain, even if not all continue to participate, making the fair both a link to its origins and a reflection of photography’s growing global market.
Paris Photo is the world’s largest international art fair dedicated to photography.
For photography lovers, Paris Photo is not just another fair on the calendar. It is the annual point of reference for understanding where photography has been, where it is now, and where it may be headed next.
Paris Photo Reasserts Its Place as Photography’s Global Fair
Beneath the glass canopy of the Grand Palais, Paris Photo opened its 27th edition last November with a return to its historic home after three years in temporary quarters.
The move marked more than a logistical triumph.
It reinforced the fair’s status as the most influential marketplace for photography, where collectors, curators, and artists gather to take stock of a medium that is both rooted in history and advancing rapidly into digital frontiers.
Founded in 1997 at the Carrousel du Louvre, Paris Photo began as a modest fair with 60 exhibitors.
Today, it draws more than 200 galleries and publishers from over 30 countries, along with an international audience of collectors, museum representatives, and scholars.
Its growth reflects the medium's elevation within the art market, as photographs once considered peripheral now command attention equal to painting and sculpture.
The fair's strength lies in its layered structure.
The Main Sector presents leading international galleries, offering everything from 19th-century pioneers to contemporary experiments.
The Emergence section, formerly known as Curiosa, is dedicated to younger artists and smaller galleries, while Prismes focuses on large-scale installations rarely seen in commercial settings.
In recent years, the introduction of the Digital and Voices sectors has expanded the scope, addressing both technology-driven practices such as AI imagery and curated thematic explorations by invited experts.
Equally important are the initiatives designed to correct longstanding imbalances in representation.
Since 2018, the Elles x Paris Photo program has supported galleries exhibiting women photographers, raising their share of representation at the fair from 20 percent to nearly 40 percent.
Curators including Fannie Escoulen and Fiona Rogers have guided the program, which has become a model for similar efforts in other fairs.
Photo Books are a central attraction.
The Paris Photo–Aperture PhotoBook Awards, founded in 2012, honor publishing across categories from debut titles to catalogues.
Past winners include Laia Abril’s On Abortion and Vince Aletti’s The Drawer, works that underscore the photobook’s role as both artistic form and cultural record.
For collectors, Paris Photo serves as a barometer of market trends.
Artprice, a leading data provider, releases its annual photography market report during the fair, signaling its importance as a site where acquisitions and pricing trajectories are closely observed.
More than 180 museum groups typically attend, underlining the fair’s dual function as a marketplace and an institutional meeting point.
The fair also reflects broader shifts in the art world’s values.
Sustainability policies, such as reducing plastic, reusing construction materials, and expanding vegetarian catering—are now integrated into its operations, with a stated goal of reaching net-zero carbon emissions by 2040.
Accessibility measures, from improved disabled access to sensitivity around sound and light levels, further extend its appeal.
What distinguishes Paris Photo is not simply its scale but its insistence on treating photography as an intellectual field as well as a commercial one.
The Platform and Artist Talks series bring together curators, historians, and practitioners to debate topics ranging from the status of the photobook to the future of women’s representation.
These conversations, archived online, extend the fair’s reach beyond the walls of the Grand Palais to a global public.
As the 28th edition approaches in November 2025, Paris Photo enters its third decade with a clear mandate: to reflect the breadth of photography’s past while engaging with its newest forms.
From Walker Evans’ documentary rigor to contemporary experiments in AI, the fair has positioned itself as the gathering where photography is not only traded but interrogated, analyzed, and redefined.
Since its start in 1997, Paris Photo has evolved from a tightly curated photography fair into a large-scale international event.
In its early years at the Carrousel du Louvre, the selection of exhibitors was smaller, more focused, and often considered higher in quality.
The move to the Grand Palais brought greater visibility and transformed the fair into a spectacle that now draws tens of thousands of visitors each year.
Exhibitor numbers have more than doubled, and while the selection process is less strict today, Paris Photo still attracts leading galleries, publishers, and collectors.
Many of the original exhibitors remain, even if not all continue to participate, making the fair both a link to its origins and a reflection of photography’s growing global market.
With so many exhibitors, events, and works on display, Paris Photo can feel overwhelming.
Pro tip: plan ahead. Review the official exhibitor list online before your visit, and make a shortlist of the artists, galleries, and publishers you want to see.
That way, your time at the fair will be focused, rewarding, and unforgettable.
The sponsors of Paris Photo play an essential role in sustaining its position as the leading international fair dedicated to photography.
Over the years, the event has partnered with a wide range of prestigious brands, cultural institutions, and industry leaders whose support extends beyond financial backing to shaping the fair’s identity.
Luxury houses such as Chanel and J.P. Morgan have historically been associated with the fair, aligning their brands with its global prestige, while major players in the imaging industry like Leica, Nikon, and Canon have contributed by reinforcing the link between cutting-edge technology and artistic creation.
Institutional sponsors, including the French Ministry of Culture and leading museums, provide cultural credibility and help strengthen the fair’s curatorial depth.
Together, these sponsors not only enhance the visitor experience through special exhibitions, talks, and awards but also underline Paris Photo’s reputation as a vital meeting point between commerce, culture, and creativity in the photography world.
Paris Photo 2025 opens with an exclusive Collectors Circle and VIP Vernissage on Wednesday, November 12, from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., offering invited guests early access to the fair.
Public opening hours run from Thursday, November 13 to Saturday, November 15, from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m., and on Sunday, November 16, from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Collectors Circle members and VIP guests also enjoy special daily access from 10:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., except on Vernissage day.
The event takes place at the Grand Palais, 3 avenue du Général Eisenhower, 75008 Paris, one of the city’s most iconic cultural venues.
In line with its commitment to sustainability, Paris Photo encourages visitors to choose eco-friendly travel options—walk when possible, or use public transport for short distances.
Why Paris Photo Matters
-
For Collectors: It is a trusted place to acquire works with guaranteed quality and provenance.
-
For Art Professionals: The fair offers networking, market insights, and opportunities to discover new talent.
-
For Photographers: It provides visibility, career opportunities, and exposure to a global audience.
-
For the Public: Visitors gain access to photography across all genres, from classic to experimental.
Why Visit Paris Photo?
Visiting Paris Photo offers the chance to see photography across different periods and styles in one place.
With so many exhibitors, visitors are encouraged to plan their visit ahead of time.
Checking the official website for exhibitor lists and event programs makes the experience more focused and rewarding.
Paris Photo: FAQ
Paris Photo is the largest international art fair dedicated to photography. It gathers galleries, publishers, collectors, and artists to present and discover works from early photography to contemporary digital art.
The fair was founded in 1997 at the Carrousel du Louvre in Paris.
Paris Photo is held at the Grand Palais in Paris. From 2021 to 2023, it temporarily moved to the Grand Palais Éphémère during renovations.
Each edition features around 200 exhibitors, including international galleries and photobook publishers.
Attendees include collectors, museum curators, gallery owners, art advisors, photographers, academics, students, and general visitors interested in photography.
The fair is divided into specialized sectors: Main, Emergence (young artists), Prismes (large formats), Digital, Voices (curated themes), and the Book Sector.
Launched in 2012, these awards honor excellence in photobook publishing, with categories for First PhotoBook, PhotoBook of the Year, and Photography Catalogue of the Year.
Elles x Paris Photo is an initiative, created in 2018, to promote women photographers and increase their representation within the fair.
The fair attracts about 60,000 visitors each year, making it one of the most attended photography events worldwide.
The 28th edition of Paris Photo will take place at the Grand Palais in Paris from November 13-16, 2025.
