A Week at Paris Photo

Every year in the first week of November, the photography world descends upon the French capital for Paris Photo, a globally celebrated fair that transforms the city into a hub of photographic excellence.

Over the course of one packed week, dealers, collectors, curators, publishers, journalists, and photographers and artists working in the medium come together from all over the world. Beyond the fair itself, a citywide constellation of events—from book fairs and gallery openings to symposiums and soirées—ensures that international visitors make the most of their time in Paris. This combination forms one of the most significant moments in the international photography calendar, offering not only opportunities for creative and commercial exchange but also useful insight into current curatorial and artistic thought.

This year, Paris Photo returned to the newly refurbished Grand Palais, an enormous glass roofed neo-classical exhibition hall, on the banks of the Seine, between the Place du Concorde and the Champs Elysée. Despite the chilly November air, the fair felt vibrant and expansive. For the first time, the entire main ground floor was devoted exclusively to gallery presentations, while the mezzanine showcased partner exhibitions by MUUS Archive, World Monuments Fund, Prix Photo Elysée, and Polaroid, amongst others. On the new top level around the main hall, visitors found solo exhibitions by emerging artists, the Aperture PhotoBook Award finalists alongside a relocated publisher section, and an exhibition of works from lead sponsor JPMorgan’s collection.

A Curated Experience

Art fairs can often feel overwhelming, but this year’s Paris Photo found a careful balance. Under the guidance of Fair Director Florence Bourgeois and Artistic Director Anna Planas, exhibitors were encouraged to adopt bold yet minimal curation, resulting in many solo presentations and thoughtfully designed booths, giving individual works room to breathe.

Highlights from the main section included Fraenkel Gallery’s solo presentation of Hiroshi Sugimoto, Tyler Mitchell’s curation for Gagosian, Avedon and Me, featuring his work in dialogue with Richard Avedon’s, and a display of Martin Parr’s Common Sense portfolio from 1999 presented by London’s Rocket Gallery.

To further ground the visitor experience, entry points into the Grand Palais faced curated sections. VIPs were met by Voices, a collection of contemporary works curated by Azu Nwagbogu, Elena Navarro, and Sonia Voss. At the main entrance was a visually striking display of August Sanders’ vast archive of portraiture, People of the Twentieth Century, presented by his great-grandson Julian Sander.

Celebrating the PhotoBook

A cornerstone of the fair for the past 12 years, the Paris Photo–Aperture PhotoBook Award celebrates the pivotal role of the photobook in the evolving nature of photography. The award recognizes first books, Photobook of the Year, and Photography Catalogue of the Year. The shortlisted entries provide visitors a chance to explore nuanced artistic and curatorial narratives at their own pace. Alongside the award, many photography publishers—from Actes Sud to Mack to Loose Joints—hosted book signings throughout the fair’s run, encouraging new purchases and offering the chance for collectors and fans to connect with photographers directly.

The Pinnacle of Photography

Paris reveres photography, and the city in the Fall is an elegant destination rich in art and culture. Visitors can immerse themselves in photography exhibitions at institutions like Maison Européenne de la Photographie, Jeu de Paume, Le Bal, and the Henri Cartier-Bresson Foundation. This year’s offerings also included an Arte Povera showcase at the Bourse de Commerce and a surrealism retrospective at the Centre Pompidou.

For those in the know, Paris Photo represents a rare opportunity: a week of deep photographic immersion in one of the most beautiful cities in the world. A visit here is not just about viewing photography, but living it. It’s hard to beat.

Words by Sophie Wright, Executive Director of Fotografiska New York