There are countless ways to tell a story, and if a picture can paint a thousand words, imagine the impact a gallery full of photographs can have. Here are just a few places to get one’s fill of the visual medium that shapes how we see and move about in this world and bestows us with art, information and inspiration.

Photojournalism: The World Press Photo Foundation is an independent, nonprofit organization based in Amsterdam. For six decades, the foundation has organized a competition in which photographers submit the images they’ve taken in the previous year, reflecting that year’s news stories from big to small and those that go largely unheard. The winning photos across several categories from breaking news to the environment are then put on display for several months at De Nieuwe Kerk, or the New Church, in Amsterdam.

In its stated mission to connect the world to the stories that matter, the foundation also organizes exhibitions of the award-winning images across dozens of cities worldwide. In some places the photos can be viewed for free; in other venues, an entry fee is charged. Here are some places in Europe currently or soon hosting an exhibition:

Hamburg, Germany: Altonaer Museum, through Oct. 14; Copenhagen, Denmark: Pressen, through Oct. 20; Dortmund, Germany: Depot e.V., through Oct. 20; Budapest, Hungary: Biodom, through Oct. 27; Lodi, Italy: Fondazione Banca Popolare di Lodi - Sala Bipielle Arte, through Oct. 27; Vienna, Austria: WestLicht. Schauplatz für Fotografie, through Nov. 10; Turin, Italy: Palazzo Barolo, through Nov. 24; Krakow, Poland: Nowa Huta Cultural Center, Oct. 4-27; Flensburg, Germany: Robbe & Berking Museum, Oct. 11-Nov. 17; Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain: Centro Cultural Montehermoso, Oct. 17-Nov. 17; Valencia, Spain: La Fundación Chirivella Soriano, Oct. 19-Nov. 10; Sinnai, Italy: MuA - Museo e Archivio, Nov. 2-23; Barcelona, Spain: Centre de Cultura Contemporania, Nov. 7-Dec. 15; Hilversum, the Netherlands: Museum Hilversum, Nov. 9-Dec. 1; Prangins, Switzerland: Château de Prangins, Nov. 15-Jan. 5, 2005. Online: worldpressphoto.org/calendar

Photo fairs

Trieste Photo Days is an international festival dedicated to photography taken in urban settings. A busy street scene, architecturally interesting buildings, or portraits of the people who populate a town are all likely motifs to be seen in the some 200 photos on display. The festival aims to promote photography bearing witness to today’s urban realities and the social changes taking place across large metropolises and smaller towns alike. Trieste Photo Days are set for Oct. 25-27 and Nov. 2-3. The first weekend’s program highlights the work of international photographers, while the second weekend pays homage to Italy’s own photographic heritage. Entry to the exhibitions, set in venues across town, is free. Online: triestephotodays.com/en

Paris Photo, the largest international art fair dedicated to the photographic medium, is set to return to its traditional venue of the Grand Palais following completion of a major restoration project. The fair brings together some 230 exhibitors, including leading French and international galleries, and places emphasis on emerging artists and photography books. The Prismes projects spotlight large formats, photographic series, video installations and sculptures. Tickets to the fair, which runs Nov. 7-10, go for 34 euros; entry is free for children under the age of 12. Online: parisphoto.com

Photography and digital arts festival: Encontros da Imagem, held annually in Braga, Portugal, is a photography festival and exhibition featuring the works of both national and foreign photographers and visual artists. A wide range of genres, to include historical, documentary and conceptual photography, is on display. The 2024 edition takes “Legacies of Colonialism” as its theme, exploring the consequences of European colonialism as manifested today. In place of sterile exhibition space, Braga’s most splendid architectural landmarks, including the Casa dos Crivos, Castle Keep, the Biscainhos Museum and the Monastery of Tibães, serve as the backdrop. The exhibition runs through Nov. 3. Online: encontrosdaimagem.com/2024/en

Nature photography: Each year, Copenhagen’s Natural History Museum of Denmark serves as the venue for the Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition, showcasing the top 100 photos submitted by photographers from around the world as selected by an international jury. The competition is open to both amateurs and professionals aged 18 or over, and all entries must be of non-captive wild animals, plants, fungi, landscapes and/or habitats. The photos on show expose viewers to astonishing animal behavior and extraordinary species, laying bare the beauty and fragility of our natural world. The exhibition opens Nov. 22 and runs through Sept. 7, 2025. Entry costs 115 Danish Krone (about $17.15) adults and 50 DKK for students and youth ages 3-17. Online: tinyurl.com/47rmaj5k

Selfie studios: Immersive photo rooms featuring optical illusions, interactive photo sets and endless opportunities for snapping selfies are all part of the plan at Studio of Wonders, a new concept for visitors that’s set up shop in the German cities of Berlin and Munich. The Munich studio, found in the Hofstatt shopping center at Sendlinger Strasse 10, features more than 20 interactive “worlds,” many with augmented reality features or interactive highlights. Entry on weekdays for a maximum of 90 minutes costs 17.90 euros for adults and 13.90 euros for youth ages 4-17; tickets for weekend and holiday visits cost slightly more. Online: studioofwonders.com/en