France's longest-running photo fair is undoubtedly the Salon de la Photo, held every year in Paris. Although photography is often considered to be the 8th art form, in the classic modernised classification, the first Salon de la Photo was only held in 2007, so it won't even be 20 years old in 2025! The first edition was a total success, with almost 50,000 visitors. The Salon de la Photo was first held at the Parc des Expositions de la Porte de Versailles in Paris, and after two cancelled editions in 2020 and 2021 due to the Covid-19 pandemic, it moved to the Grande Halle de la Villette for its 2022 edition. For its last edition at Porte de Versailles in 2019, the show attracted 60,000 visitors (over 5 days), a figure that has been steadily declining since its peak in 2013 with 85,000 visitors; the move to the Villette has halved this figure, with 30,000 visitors in 2022 and 36,000 in 2023. A further small increase in 2024, with 39,000 visitors, means that the organisers are confident in the future they have projected for their show by moving to La Villette. In fact, despite figures well below those of the first editions, they should be compared with those of other European photo shows: Photokina (biennial, Cologne, Germany) seems to have closed its doors for good, with the last editions in 2018, 2020 Covid-19 Pandemic, 2022 cancelled, show postponed indefinitely... The Birmingham Photo & Video Show (England) attracts around 30,000 visitors, while Photopia Hamburg (Germany), which takes place at the end of the summer, attracts around 20,000 visitors. With 180,000 visitors and 800 exhibitors from more than 150 countries, Photokina was THE major event in the world of photography. It's a place to be reckoned with... or not, because the advent of mobile phones as high-quality cameras, combined with the incredible development of social networks that allow photos to be distributed and consulted around the world, is a real competitor for these shows, which have to renew themselves if they hope to attract visitors.
Exhibitors offering a wide selection of products for both amateurs and professionals, such as film consumables, accessories and photo and video cameras, will be looking to showcase their products by hiring high-quality screens and giant LED walls, in order to stand out from the other stands.
Edition 2019
The 2019 Salon de la Photo will take place from 7 to 11 November 2019 at the Porte de Versailles Exhibition Centre.
The 2019 Salon de la Photo is dedicated to all photography enthusiasts – whether they are seasoned amateurs, beginners or professionals – who will come together to share tips and news, discover the latest equipment, and find out about training opportunities.
The world’s leading brands in the imaging sector – manufacturers, importers, as well as schools and professional organisations – will be present to unveil their latest innovations and original creations.
This year, for the first time, an ‘A livre ouvert’ exhibition as part of the Prix HiP will be organised to recognise French-speaking authors of published and self-published photography books, enabling both emerging and established talents to benefit from significant media exposure.
To showcase your stand and display your work, feel free to hire audiovisual and IT equipment from our partner, A-Loc Audiovisuel: LCD screens, touchscreens, PCs, touchscreen kiosks, sound systems, virtual reality headsets…
