Photowalk 2025 Competition – The CC-IN2P3 in pictures

CNRS Nuclear & Particles invites photographers to discover behind the scenes of its laboratories.

The Global Physics Photowalk is an international initiative launched by the Interactions scientific collaboration. Its aim is to combine science and photography by organising visits to research laboratories around the world. These visits allow participants to go behind the scenes of scientific research, while having the opportunity to capture images of these fascinating environments.

In France, this project takes the form of photographic visits organised in six laboratories belonging to IN2P3 (National Institute of Nuclear Physics and Particle Physics). At each stage, participants are invited to explore these iconic locations and photograph elements representative of physics research. In Lyon, the visit took place at the Computing Centre on 24 April 2025.

The idea behind this project is not only to promote science, but also to use the art of photography to highlight the innovation and rigour of the work carried out in these laboratories.

Ten photographers selected to showcase the Computing Centre

Whether amateur or professional, ten photographers had the opportunity to explore the Computing Centre from a unique perspective, capturing the beauty of the computer rooms.

Over the course of half a day, they were able to soak up the atmosphere of the place and express their creativity as part of the competition. Between long exposures imposed by the low light levels of the machines and kaleidoscopic filter effects, the entries were all distinguished by their high quality.

Each photographer submitted 5 to 10 photos of their choice. In the end, three photos stood out among the 90 submitted:

‘Kaleidoscopique Vision’ by © Candice Tordjmann / “Extraction” by © Delpial / ‘Mais où est Charlie ?’ by © Candice Tordjmann.

These three photos represent France alongside other IN2P3 laboratories. They will now continue on to the international phase of the Photowalk competition, alongside photographs from research institutes around the world.

In November, the public will be invited to vote for their favourite image. The results of the public vote and the international jury’s vote will be announced in December. The winning photos will then be published in CERN Courier and Symmetry Magazine.

Thank you to Alain Kharlakian, Alexandre Deltrieux, Candice Trodjmann, Guillaume Rabuel, Jacques Fabert, Jérome Cholley, Ludo Brys, Michel Djaoui, Philippe Mazière and Lyah Art’z for participating in this competition, and we wish the finalists the best of luck!

To see photos from all of the IN2P3 laboratories, click here!