March 2026 Photo Contest Theme: Metal, Metallic

The 139th edition of this contest is now open, and this month’s theme is: « Metal, Metallic».

From ore to rockets, wire to the Eiffel Tower—or in a pinch, even a self-portrait at the bottom of a spoon—the theme is broad enough that you should be able to come up with at least three ideas pretty easily! Sure, things might get tricky when it’s time to vote, but that could just be a sign of a successful contest, right?! But we’re not there yet.

Contest rules: You can post up to three photos, each in a separate message, clearly indicating their number (1, 2, or 3) along with the location where the photo was taken. Any explanations about your photos are welcome.

You’ll vote for three photos, clearly stating the name of the participant you’ve chosen, followed by the photo number. The first photo in your vote will receive three points, the second two points, and the third one point.

The winner will be the person whose photo earns the most points. In case of a tie, the winner will be the one with the most first-place votes—or, if still tied, the most second-place votes. Finally, if it’s a perfect tie, the winner will be the one who reached their score first. The winner will then have the pleasure of choosing the theme for the April 2026 contest and organizing it. Ties for any position other than first won’t be broken. Lastly, you don’t need to participate in the contest to vote. However, participants (and I hope there’ll be lots of you!) are strongly encouraged to vote!

Please only post contest photos in this thread, and starting Thursday, March 26 (00:01 Paris time), only votes.

Key dates: You can submit your photos starting today, Tuesday, March 3, 2026, until Wednesday, March 25, 2026 (23:59 Paris time). Voting will begin the minute after and end on Monday, March 30 (23:59 Paris time). Results will be announced on Tuesday, March 31, 2026 ... if all goes well!

A discussion thread for this contest is open HERE: The photorama can be found HERE

Hi!

Photo 1: the bronze, equestrian statue of Marcus Aurelius, in Capitoline Square, Rome.



Catherine

Photo 2: steel, the transporter bridge of Rochefort, France.



C.

Hi everyone,

- PHOTO No. 3 by Puma2A

The Garabit Railway Viaduct spans the Truyère Gorges in the Cantal region. (It was in May 2025, just as a shower was starting.)

...

Photo #1: gold-covered statue in Myanmar (Yangon, Shwedagon Pagoda)

Photo 3: Hellas Liberty, cargo ship in the port of Piraeus, Greece



Catherine

Photo #2: "metallic" group at the Espargos Carnival (Sal Island, Cape Verde). We’d planned to attend the Mindelo Carnival, but a last-minute domestic flight cancellation forced us to head back to Sal earlier than expected... and it wasn’t bad either 😎

Photo #3: A symbol of marine pollution in Sour (Oman); explanations are in the discussion 😉

Photo 1 : In New York, next to the Oculus, a bronze elephant on an octopus tentacle

Good evening everyone;

- Photo No. 2 by Puma2A.

A LUXAIR Boeing 737-NG on final approach to Ajaccio Airport in summer 2019.

Regards. ...

Hey everyone, I'm giving it a go!

Photo 1: Navajo Bridge spanning the Colorado River at Marble Canyon, Arizona

In the European sky. First moments of travel and vacation. Boeing

Metal structure of the Normandy Bridge. Cable-stayed.

Photo No. 3 bis (replacing photo No. 3, to be canceled) I didn’t reread the explanations about this sculpture before posting the photo (shame on me! 😊): I was convinced it was made of metal, but it’s actually made of recycled plastic 😇.

One of the doors on Santa Maria Street in Funchal (Madeira)

Good evening,

And to finish:

- Photo No. 1 by Puma2A

Back then, some rally cars were still entirely made of metal!!



Ford Escort MK I (1968–1975 model) at the Tour de Corse Historique in 2019.

Regards,

Puma2A

Photo 1: The Guggenheim Museum and its titanium façade, Bilbao

Photo 2: Recycling Made in Namibia

Photo 3: Mint tea? , Morocco

Photo 2 - Train Street, Hanoi (Vietnam).



These massive metal structures and their long train of wagons pass just inches from the noses of curious onlookers sitting at café terraces, just a stone's throw from the entrance/exit of Hanoi's central station. Between trains, the tracks are taken over by passersby, street vendors, and café terraces. As soon as a whistle blows, it's all hands on deck—everything is packed up, pedestrians are ushered into the shops, and the train passes... and everyone watches it go by through their phone screens, just like in the photo

I’ll start with a detail from a Renaissance masterpiece: the bronze sculpture of Perseus holding Medusa’s head by Benvenuto Cellini, which has been on display under the Loggia dei Lanzi in Florence since 1554. Photo 1: Perseus holding Medusa’s head

Hi Xavier 😉

My photo No. 1 takes us to Japan, in the far suburbs of Tokyo, to Kamakura, at the Kotoku temple where a gigantic (13.35 meters) bronze statue of Amitabha Buddha stands (the most beautiful Buddha I’ve seen during my many trips across Asia—and there have been plenty!)

Photo number 1

Andalusian melody

Photo number 2

The call of the open road ;)

Photo number 3

Stopover in Pondicherry

Hi,

Photo 1: Warsaw, August 2025

Photo 2, Mons, Belgium, November 11, 2024

Photo 3: Tsonjin Boldog, Mongolia July 2023 (giant statue of Genghis Khan)

Picking up on the old carcasses of Carnarvon...

Photo 2: At the Solitaire station in Namibia

It's always risky to post after Isabelle, but here I go:

If I associate Metal and Xavier in the same frame, I immediately think of this Art piece I discovered at the Museum of Modern Art in Adelaide.

Photo 1: Twin Subjecter, Adelaide, Australia.



https://www.agsa.sa.gov.au/collection-publications/collection/works/twin-subjecter/26213/

Photo #3 Old cast-iron cannon in Dubrovnik

(I forgot to number my first two photos—#1: wing of a Boeing, #2: Pont de Normandie)

Photo 3 - Endless golden Buddhas at the stunning Kek Lok Si Temple in Penang (Malaysia)

Hi,

Photo #1: The Phoenix Temple in Uji, which you can find on the 10-yen coins in Japan.

Photo 1: Solace in the Wind (The Naked Man) Statue, Wellington, New Zealand

Photo 2: Tram 28, Lisbon

Recently visited—what’s more metallic than this rattling old-time tram!

Photo 3 : Calatrava's Eye in Valencia

Reminder: You can submit your photos until Wednesday, March 25, 2026 (11:59 PM, Paris time). Voting will begin immediately after and end on Monday, March 30 (11:59 PM, Paris time).

In Thailand, brass, an alloy of copper and zinc, often covers stupas. Photo 2 Stupa in Chiang Mai

Photo 3 : Wrought-iron door in Bologna

Photo #1: Solidarity with the CGT! "When metal appears in a photograph only in an almost entirely symbolic way, which is quite the paradox in Dunkerque."

Good evening everyone,

Photo 1: shipyard, Gdańsk, Poland

Photo 2: Philharmonie, Paris

Photo 3: Philharmonie, Paris

Photo 1: by the roadside between Urbino and Montefabbri in the Montefeltro (northern Marche region ). "Il pensiero è più veloce dell'azione" ("Thought is faster than action"), Gianni Calcagnini, monumental iron sculpture.



Michel

Good evening

No more time to hesitate—you’ve got to choose from so many great photos for this month’s theme:

Photo No. 2

The exterior and interior metal of a JR (Japan Railway) train car in Japan, here in Osaka.

Photo No. 2: Noisy-le-Sec (Seine-Saint-Denis) after a night of rioting Photo taken in front of a high school in June 2023 the morning after the riots that set the Paris suburbs ablaze following the death of young Nahel.

Photo No. 3

Percussionist on gongs in a stadium in Ende (Flores, Indonesia) to accompany/keep the rhythm for a group of dancers/cheerleaders (you’ll see one—or two—photos of them in an upcoming contest with a theme related to this kind of practice: brass bands and other musical performances).

Photo #3: Tibetan Bridge, Canillo, Andorra



The Tibetan bridge in Canillo, in the center of Andorra, is a 600-meter-long metal structure, 150 meters above the void and at an altitude of 1,875 meters, with a width of just one meter—making it the second-longest pedestrian bridge in the world. Not for the faint-hearted or those afraid of heights...

Thanks to all the participants in the March contest. It’s time to vote... and to do it quickly because the vote ends on March 30 at midnight (Paris time). Don’t wait until the last minute.

The photorama is HERE

Alright, I’ll start then.

3 points – Capalest70-1, (10-yen coin, Japan) for the idea and execution 2 points – Envallis-1, (Navajo Bridge, Marble Canyon, Arizona) for the contrast 1 point – Pagaljavab-1, (Solidarity with the CGT!, Dunkirk) for the shift, theme diversion

Special mention for Poste42-1 (airplane wing) because for me too, it’s those first moments of vacation and travel... it’s also the eternal wonder (and worry) of seeing it move so easily, followed by the thought "Hope those rivets hold!"

Hello,

This photorama is amazing and really great for getting a comparative idea between the different images. Congratulations and thank you!

Just wanted to point out that the numbers indicated in the photorama for my images 3 and 1 were swapped...!! Best, Puma2A