Say Cheese! photo contest
Two hundreds years ago, someone captured the world and changed it forever. Now it's your turn!
Submissions open 1–30 September 2026!
Say Cheese! is a photography contest open to everyone across Australia, brought to you by the Alliance Française network to mark the Bicentenary of Photography. No theme, no rules of subject — just your eye, your light, and your story.
Whether you shoot on your camera or your phone, this is your moment to be part of a global celebration that started in a small French village two centuries ago — and hasn't stopped since.
Say Cheese! is proud to have Martine Perret, renowned French-Australian photographer, as Ambassador.
“Photography is my language for articulating ideas and creating dialogue. I see
the process as relational - built on trust, collaboration, and ensuring the people I work with have agency in how they are represented. I
believe photography can be a form of social engagement and meaningful change. The bicentenary represents an opportunity not only to
reflect on the past, but to question whose histories have been remembered and whose have been overlooked.
I encourage photographers from across the Alliance Française network in Australia to take part in this
competition. Your perspective matters, and your images will become part of the bicentenary of photography. Say Cheese!”
- Martine Perret
How to enter the contest?
1. Take a photo, or dig up a favourite you have already taken — any subject, any style
2. Give your photo a title in French language
3. Send it to your local Alliance Française by 30 September 2026
4. That's it!
The contest is free and open to everyone in Australia over the age of 16, no matter your experience. You don't need to be a
member or student of the Alliance Française to participate.
Terms
and Conditions apply.
Privacy Notice.
Prizes and Recognition
Alliance Française d'Atherton will select the winning photographs at the local level and offer prizes as follows:
First: $250; Second: $100; Third: $50
The winning photograph will then be featured on the social media channels of the Alliance Française Australia network and the French Embassy in Australia — sharing your image with thousands of francophiles across the country and beyond. A National Winner will be selected by public vote across the Alliances Françaises Network.
Key Dates
Submissions open 1 September 2026
Submissions close 30 September 2026
Winners announced Late 2026
Submission Guidelines
Photographs in JPG or PNG format
- One submission per participant
- Send your photo by using the form that will be available on this page from 1 September
- By submitting, you agree to the Contest Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy
Find your local Alliance Française → https://www.alliancefrancaise.com.au/contact-your-af/
About the Bicentenary of Photography
In 1826–1827, French inventor Nicéphore Niépce captured what is considered the world's first photograph from the window of his Burgundy estate, “Point de Vue du Gras”. That single image launched a revolution that transformed art, science, journalism, memory, and everyday life across the globe.
Point de vue du Gras – The original plate is on display at the Harry Ransom Center, University of Texas in Austin.
Two hundred years later, photography is more alive — and more democratic — than ever. Say Cheese! is the Australian francophile community's contribution to this extraordinary anniversary. To know more about the Bicentennial of photography, visit the Ministère de la Culture website.
About Martine Perret
Martine Perret is a photographic artist who was born in Paris and now lives and works in Margaret River.
She is known for her startlingly beautiful portrayal of the Western Australian landscape, often employing aerial captures and portraiture to tell important stories of our times. Her approach to artistic work is based on a career in photojournalism, which includes a decade covering UN peacekeeping missions in conflict zones such as South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Burundi, Timor-Leste, and West Africa, where she documented the Ebola crisis.
Recent projects like “Ngala Wongga (Come Talk), Cultural Significance of Languages in
the Goldfields”, exhibited across galleries in WA and in 2019 at the UNESCO International Year of Indigenous Languages at the Australian
Embassy in Paris and “Belong: Language Connecting Feeling, Culture, Country” exhibition at the WA Museum Boola Bardip in Perth highlight
the importance of First Nations’ languages.In December 2022, Martine had the honour of travelling to travel to Paris with Wardandi
Elders Vivian Brockman Webb, Mitchella Hutchins, and artist Roly Skender to launch the UNESCO International Decade of Indigenous
Languages. This included presentating of the collaborative audio-visual work Wannang Biridge (Light of the Peppermint Tree).
Her evolving audiovisual practice unfolds through interlinked installations that explore the convergence of language, identity and culture within immersive visual environments, resonant photographic imagery, and textured narrative frameworks.
Photo credit: © David Dare Parker
Questions?
Contact your local Alliance Française or contestsaycheese@gmail.com