Created in 1998, at a time when photography was making the transition to digital, the Bourse du Talent has chosen to focus on contemporary creation, and in particular to provide a reference point for young artists who have exhibited little or not at all. It owes its creation to the magazine Photographie.com, with which Picto was immediately associated. In 2007, the BnF became the new exhibition venue, hosting a selection of the best work each year for the four prizes (reportage/portrait/mode/landscape).

The Bourse du Talent relies on a network of photography professionals, experts in five significant fields in terms of market and diffusion: press, gallery, curatorial and publishing. These are the people who make up the various juries that, over the course of a year, select the winners and favorites. A professional photographer is systematically associated with each jury.

The Bourse du Talent is particularly attentive to the connection between young artists and the notions of history and heritage. A highly significant partnership has been set up with the Bibliothèque Nationale de France (BnF), which includes a print of each author in its collections.

The Bourse du Talent is one of photography's most significant prizes, focusing on emerging talent. It is illustrated by the careers of the photographers it has honored. The list of photographers is instructive and interesting, demonstrating that the Bourse du Talent has spotted talent that has subsequently been confirmed. This shows its importance and effect on photographers' careers.

In 2023, after 25 editions that have revealed and encouraged numerous photographers who are now recognized, the Bourse du Talent is evolving to better respond to the proposals and expectations of contemporary photographers. Today, the Bourse du Talent focuses on the new documentary styles used by young photographers to tell the story of our world, while taking into account the changing forms and constraints of image mediation. At a time when press photography is tending to be projected on screen rather than printed on paper, and when emerging photographers are widely combining their projects in a plurality of media and writing styles, the Bourse du Talent continues to be the voice of all these new documentary expressions.