In 2026, the La Focale photo club will once again be staging its Salon de la Photo, an event that has become a must for image and photography enthusiasts. Closely linked to this event, the Photographic Equipment Exchange celebrates its 36th edition. Over the years, it has established itself as the department's most important event, attracting an ever-growing and loyal audience.
La Focale is above all a long history of passion. Founded in 1909, the club is one of the oldest in France. Today, it boasts some 80 members throughout the Haut-Rhin region. Its vocation is to promote and pass on photography in all its forms. Whether landscape, portrait, macro, wildlife, sports, night photography, astro-photography, urban, architecture, events or creative and experimental techniques such as lightpainting, high-speed or drop collisions, the club has something for everyone.
The Salon de la Photo 2026 will run from Friday February 6 to Sunday February 8, 2026, at the MAB sports and festivities complex, 22b rue de la Marne, Soultz-Haut-Rhin. It will be open to the public on Friday from 2pm to 8pm, on Saturday from 10am to 8pm and on Sunday from 10am to 6pm. Admission is set at 3 euros, and is free for children under 18.
During the three days of the show, an exhibition of some 350 photographs will be on display. It brings together the fruits of a year's creative work by club members, and stands out for the diversity of the viewpoints and the quality of the images on display. The exhibition is enhanced by the work of the guest of honor, Sundgau naturalist photographer Olivier Halm, whose images offer a sensitive immersion in the animal world.
On Friday, February 6 at 8pm, Olivier Halm will offer a lecture-projection inviting the public to a close and authentic encounter with animals. Through his images and stories, he shares a simple, respectful approach to nature, imbued with patience and emotion.
On Saturday February 7 at 8pm, club members will take over with an evening of screenings. A number of previously unseen slideshows will provide an opportunity to discover other photographic universes and extend the themes addressed in the exhibition.
The photographic equipment fair, a historic pillar of the event, will be held on Saturday February 7 and Sunday February 8, from 10am to 4:30pm. It features a wide range of optical and photographic equipment, from the latest digital cameras to high-quality film cameras, as well as older collectors' items. The fair is open to buying, selling and exchanging. Exhibitors wishing to reserve a table must contact the organizers in advance on 06 23 46 29 48.
The show also welcomes the Mola Poka association, involved with a retirement home in Choglamsar, Ladakh in the Indian Himalayas. The association will be presenting an exhibition of photographs taken in the region, and selling high-quality handicrafts made by the elders of Choglamsar. Nathalie and Marc Denny, founders of the association, have been present for several editions and are fully involved in the human and supportive spirit of the event.
Throughout the show, Philippe Wozniak will be offering a black and white portrait workshop with wet collodion prints. A self-taught photographer with a passion for old-fashioned techniques, he uses both current digital photography and historical and alternative processes. In the red glow of his laboratory, he brings techniques such as cyanotype, pinhole and wet collodion back to life, with the aim of sharing and passing on his passion.
A bar and snack bar will be available throughout the show, providing a convivial setting for exchanging ideas, meeting up and extending the photographic experience.
