Photos – courtesy of Leica Camera ©
Leica Camera revealed the winners of its 5th Annual Leica Women Foto Project Award on International Women’s Day. This year’s theme, “Perspective is Power,” urged participants to present a photo essay related to themes of reclamation, resilience, or rebirth. Four winners were selected from the US, UK, Mexico, and Canada. The project aims to reshape how visual narratives are expressed and consumed, emphasizing the importance of the feminine perspective in shaping our understanding of the world.
The awardees for this year are Dola Posh from the UK, Stasia Schmidt from Canada, Luvia Lazo from Mexico, and Camille Farrah Lenain from the US. They were chosen by a panel of esteemed judges including award-winning photojournalists and photography experts. Each winner will receive a Leica SL2-S camera, a Vario-Elmarit-SL 24-70mm f/2.8 ASPH. Lens, and a cash prize of $10,000 USD.
Since its establishment in 2019, the Leica Women Foto Project has served as a platform to foster a diverse and inclusive community through photography. The initiative has promoted diversity in visual storytelling through grants and sponsorships with organizations like Women Photograph, Photoville, Las Fotos Project, and the ConnectHer Film Festival. Additionally, the project has collaborated with the Leica Society International to create the Leica Women Foto Project Grant for philanthropic endeavours. The program for this year’s award includes a three-day festival scheduled from April 12-14, 2024, at Artspace PS109 on 215 E99th Street, in partnership with Women Street Photographers.
Karin Rehn-Kaufmann, Art Director & Chief Representative Leica Galleries International, expressed, “For this year’s Leica Women Foto Project, we encouraged applicants to share visual stories of reclamation, resilience, or rebirth.” She highlighted the project’s commitment to empowering voices that capture these narratives, enriching our collective visual landscape.
The winners were selected based on the quality and sophistication of their photography projects and their dedication to the medium. Leica Women Foto Project Award recipients are determined by a panel of notable judges based on the quality of photography, sophistication of the project and dedication to the medium of photography. The 2024 panel of judges is composed of:
Karin Rehn-Kaufmann, Director, Leica Galleries Worldwide
Maggie Steber, Documentary Photographer & Guggenheim Grant Fellow
Nikki Reed, Actress, Photographer, Writer
Elizabeth Krist, Former Senior Photo Editor at National Geographic
Natalia Jimenez, Senior Picture Editor, The Washington Post
Laura Roumanous, Co-Founder, Photoville
Artemis Moshtaghian, News Editor for CNN’s National Desk, Producer for CNN International
Whitney Matewe, Photo Editor, Time Magazine
Gulnara Lyabib Samoilova, Founder, Women Street Photographers
Jennifer Pastore Hannah, Executive Photo Director at The Wall Street Journal
Jessica Dimson, Deputy Director of Photography at New York Times Magazine
Renee Mussai, Artistic Director, The Walther Collection
Sara Rumens, Features Picture Editor at The Times
Marissa Roth, Pulitzer Prize-winning Photojournalist
Each awardee has a unique perspective and style showcased through their work. Camille Farrah Lenain, a French-Algerian photographer, explores LGBTQIA+ representation within Muslim culture in France. Dola Posh, a UK-based photographer, delves into themes of self-identity and motherhood, while Luvia Lazo from Mexico captures the essence of indigenous women’s experiences. Stasia Schmidt, from Canada, challenges societal norms through her surrealistic fine art photography.
Overall, the Leica Women Foto Project continues to elevate and celebrate the diversity of voices in photography, contributing to a more inclusive and enriched visual narrative.
