Revealing the 2026 Banff Centre Mountain Film and Book Festival Signature Image
By
Nicky Lynch
Posted on
November 20, 2025
Jules Jimreivat’s photo of climber Mira Capicchioni in Smith Rock State Park is the Signature Image of 51st Annual Banff Centre Mountain Film and Book Festival and World Tour.
The Banff Centre Mountain Film and Book Festival signature image showcases some of the best mountain adventure photography from around the world. For the 51st annual Festival we selected a remarkable photo by Jules Jimreivat of a climber on red rock with a rising moon to represent the 2026 Festival in Banff and in over 40 countries on the 2026-2027 World Tour. Jules provided us with two similar versions of the photo so we can use both images easily in vertical and horizontal placements.
On the heels of the 50th anniversary of our Festival—which was represented by Paul Zizka’s photo of climbers under starry skies in our backyard of Banff National Park—we were drawn towards the brightness of this image, coupled with the bold red rock and the rising moon. Over the past few years we’ve seen a lot of snow and ice in our images, so the warm energy in this shot was especially compelling. And, to top it off, we realized a simple fact—that this is the first time in over 20 years (and only 4th time ever!) that our signature image was taken by a woman photographer.
This stellar photo was taken in Smith Rock State Park, Oregon where Jules has climbed extensively. “When you spend a lot of time in one place, you start noticing how it shifts with the seasons, the way the light moves through the pillars of rock and the shadows that stretch across the walls,” says Jules.
“I was there the month before, photographing a different climb, and on my hike out I noticed the moon was perfectly lined up behind Time to Power, the route you see here—so I wrote it down in my notebook to return.”
“My notebook is full of little notes, sort of a lifelong to-do list of images I want to chase,” adds Jules. And, lucky for us, she did return the next month with climber Mira Capicchioni to make the shot. When thinking about the specific photo she wanted to take, Jules says, “I had this exact frame in mind, but what I did not anticipate was how perfect the light would be.”
The month before, the moon hit that position closer to dusk, so Jules wasn’t sure how much light they would have. “To be safe, I asked my climber to wear monochrome white so she would stand out if it got darker, and to pack a headlamp which we didn’t end up needing.” The timing lined up exactly with golden hour says Jules, “It was one of those rare moments where planning meets luck and make me giddy because of how good the visuals are.”
Jules says she knew instantly that this was going to be a stellar photo. “As I got my climber into position, we could not see the moon yet, and I had that gut-deep mix of urgency and uncertainty, not sure if it would line up the way I had imagined. But the second the moon crept between the cliffs and I looked through the camera, I knew it was the best photo I had ever taken.”
When asked what she hopes people will feel when they see this photograph or her other work, Jules says, “Photography is how I take the things and feelings inside my head, the awe, the color, the energy of being out there, and put them somewhere other people might be able to feel them too. What someone chooses to do with those feelings is their choice.”
She adds, “Adventure photographers often say they want their work to inspire people to go outside. I would be honored if someone felt that way about my images, but that is not why I make them. I make art so people feel. As Frida Kahlo said, ‘I have never expected anything from my work but the satisfaction I could get from it by the very fact of painting and saying what I could not say otherwise.’ That resonates with me.”
And how does she feel to be the first woman in 21 years to have a headlining image for the Banff Centre Mountain Film and Book Festival? “I am so excited, but it also bums me out a little. My hope is that more women push to get out there with their cameras and create top-quality images, no excuses, just hard work and art. I want to be losing jobs to other women. I want to see just as many women as men in the finals of competitions like Red Bull Illume or the Mammut Photo Competition or the Banff Mountain Photo Essay Competition. Let us get out there, push our craft, and compete with the boys. No one is going to do it for you, ladies.”
About Jules Jimreivat: Jules Jimreivat is a Thai-American photographer, filmmaker, and climber based in the Pacific Northwest. Climbing has been a part of her life since she was seven, giving her a sense of belonging, and a lifelong obsession with being outside. That connection naturally grew into storytelling, where she blends photo and film to make things she likes a lot.
Jules has an obsession with what she won’t hesitate to tell you is her dream job as an artist. But her happiest place is chasing rock, dirt or snow out of her Toyota Tacoma named Stella. As a photographer, recent commercial clients include Toyota, Brooks Running, Santa Cruz Bicycles, and Ruffwear. As a filmmaker, her work has won the Female Director’s Award at the Rocky Spirit Festival, and been shortlisted for the Sony Future Filmmaker Award in Culver City. Among other things, Jules loves to elevate stories of women in non-traditional places.
See more of her work here:
julesjimreivat.com
Instagram @juliannalyle
Join us next year in Banff for the 2026 Festival from October 31 – Nov. 8.
As I got my climber into position, we could not see the moon yet, and I had that gut-deep mix of urgency and uncertainty, not sure if it would line up the way I had imagined. But the second the moon crept between the cliffs and I looked through the camera, I knew it was the best photo I had ever taken.
Jules Jimreivat
Coming Soon: Signature Image Search 2027
Our most recent signature images have been two ice climbers at night in Banff National Park (2025), two alpinists in France (2024); a highliner, also located in the Alps (2023), and over the past few years we’ve featured climbers with stunning red rock and blue sky in Australia (2022), basecamp tents in Alaska (2021) and ski mountaineering in California (2020).
We’re open to any epic mountain and adventure image from anywhere in the world!
The 2027 entry form opens in January 2026, and will once again be open to all professional photographers.
Find out more about the Signature Image Search.
Stay Updated
We are excited to share updates and news surrounding the annual Banff Centre Mountain Film and Book Festival and World Tour in the coming months as well as updates on workshops for filmmakers and authors as well as our international film, book, and photography competitions.
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