# Skateboarder wins Illume Award with 12-year-old DSLR

> German photographer Robert Christ captured pro skateboarder André Gerlich's backside air trick on a sculpture using a Nikon D750.
- Title: Skateboarder wins Illume Award with 12-year-old DSLR
- Summary: German photographer Robert Christ captured pro skateboarder André Gerlich's backside air trick on a sculpture using a Nikon D750.
- Keywords: skateboarder, andré gerlich, robert christ, illume awards, 2026, nikon d750, backside air, Digital Camera World
- Source: Digital Camera World — https://digitalcameraworld.com/photography/awards-and-competitions/after-maybe-15-or-20-takes-this-photographer-got-the-award-winning-shot-of-a-pro-skateboarder-riding-a-unique-sculpture-using-a-12-year-old-dslr
- Published: 2026-11-14T16:20:00+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: skateboarder, andré gerlich, robert christ, illume awards, 2026, nikon d750, backside air
## Photographer finds sculpture location
German skateboarder Robert Christ found a sculpture bike path in southern Germany with his friend André Gerlich.
## André performs backside air trick
Professional skateboarder André Gerlich did a stylish backside air trick on the sculpture's rough concrete.
## Winning photo for 2026 Illume Awards
Christ's photograph won the Skate category in the 2026 Illume Awards, a major outdoor photography contest.
## Challenging shot conditions
The duo faced coarse asphalt and no broom, making a makeshift broom from tree branches after 15 or 20 attempts.
## Prizes for winning photograph
Christ received a Leica D-Lux 8 camera and his photo will be published in The Illume Photobook 2026.
## Key takeaway

Robert Christ won the 2026 Illume Skate category award with a photo of André Gerlich performing a backside air on a sculpture using a Nikon D750.