Teaneck, NJ—Twelve finalists made it onto the short list for the 2023 Leica Oskar Barnack Award (LOBA). Moreover, 2023 brings the 43rd edition of the international photography competition. All the shortlisted photo series are now on display here.
On October 12, 2023, the winners of the main as well as the newcomer categories will be honored during an award ceremony in Wetzlar. The LOBA is one of the most highly endowed awards in the field of photography. The winner of the LOBA receives approximately $44,500 as well as Leica camera equipment valued at more than $10,000. Moreover, the winner of the Newcomer Award receives $11,125 and a Leica Q3.
“The significance of the LOBA is ever increasing, not least in view of Artificial Intelligence (AI). The nominated series were honest, expressive and impressive reflections of today’s world. Working together, and with mutual appreciation, the jury completed the challenging task of choosing the finalists as well as winners. The result is a LOBA edition of particularly strong, diverse and moving series,” commented Karin Rehn-Kaufmann, art director and chief representative of Leica Galleries International (Austria).
2023 Leica Oskar Barnack Award
In addition, the list of the outstanding photography series was put together based on proposals submitted by around 60 respected international photography experts from more than 30 countries.
This year’s jury took the second step of determining the LOBA 2023 short list for the main and newcomer categories. The finalists for the LOBA Newcomer were considered in collaboration with photography institutions and colleges from 15 countries. The Newcomer Award is open to photographers below 30 years of age. 
What’s more, the award ceremony will mark the opening of a large exhibition of all the LOBA series, at the Ernst Leitz Museum in Wetzlar. A comprehensive catalog will also accompany the event. The LOBA 2023 showcase of finalists and winners will also travel to Leica Galleries and photo festivals around the world.
The LOBA 2023 jury is made up of the following members:
Caroline Hunter, Photo Editor, The Guardian Saturday magazine, Great Britain
Whitney Hollington Matewe, Photo Editor at TIME magazine, USA
François Hébel, Curator, France
Luca Locatelli, Photographer, Italy
Karin Rehn-Kaufmann, Art Director and Chief Representative of Leica Galleries International (Austria)
2023 Leica Oskar Barnack Award Short List
Following is an overview of the LOBA 2023 short-listed photographers (main and newcomer categories in alphabetical order).
Eric Bouvet: Elevations
Mountains, glaciers as well as, inexplicably, a nail. As a tribute to the early days of photography, this French photographer (born 1961) has worked on his series for the last three years. He uses a large-format 20×25 camera as well as a historical photographic procedure from the 19th century. Further, his view of dwindling ice zones and climatic change in the French Alpine landscapes surrounding Mont Blanc is extremely topical.
Ismail Ferdous: Sea Beach
Colorful life at the beach: Cox’s Bazar lies at the southernmost point of Bangladesh. It is a popular destination for many of the country’s population, stretching along the Bay of Bengal. It is also considered a cultural melting pot. People from every walk of life and place in society go there to search for relaxation and recreation. Though currently based in New York, Ferdous (1989) was born in Bangladesh.
Johanna-Maria Fritz: A Grave in the Garden
The Russian invasion of Ukraine began on February 24, 2022. Just two days later, the German photographer (1994) began her documentary work in the disputed areas. The pictures in the series were taken within a year, in different places. What’s more, they reveal the horrors of war and the cruel consequences for the population. Furthermore, the impressive reportage series provides a direct, unvarnished look at the daily existence of people who fight for their lives every day.
Natela Grigalashvili: The Final Days of Georgian Nomads
The Georgian photographer (1965) has been observing and exploring the village communities of Adjara, one of the outstanding mountainous regions of Georgia. Old traditions and nomadic lifestyles are still alive there. However, the difficult social and economic conditions are bringing changes to the area. People are moving away. Whole villages lie abandoned, and ancient traditions are gradually disappearing.
Jonas Kakó: The Dying River
The Colorado River used to run for more than 1,200 miles, from the Rocky Mountains to the Gulf of California. However, recent decades have seen the diversion of water for agriculture and growing cities. Consequently, the river is now running dry in places. In his series, the German photographer (1992) reveals a struggle for the water that 44 million people depend upon. Notably, the future appears grim for the indigenous Cucapá people living in the Colorado Delta. Without the river, their culture will die out.
Ziyi Le: New Comer
The Chinese photographer (1993) started his project using Weibo, a Twitter-like portal for short messages in China. There he found people interested in his sensitive portrait series. His staged photo shoots represent a reflection of his own self-doubt, as well as the feeling of alienation and growing emptiness. The outcome is a touching portrait of the “New Comer,” a generation in search of personal development and its place in society.
Edu León: Unearth the Memory
The Spanish photographer (1977) has lived in Latin America for more than 10 years. He photographed the LOBA-nominated series in regions of Colombia most affected by armed conflict. They include Buenaventura, Cacarica, La Ciénaga as well as El Salado. Together with his protagonists, he developed motifs to give visibility to the women and their experiences. There are images of pain but also of hope for a peaceful future in this violence-ridden land.
Rania Matar: Fifty Years Later
Lebanon is still suffering from the consequences of the civil war that began fifty years ago. Following brutal clashes, corrupt governments and lockdown during the Covid pandemic, the 2020 explosions in the Port of Beirut plunged the country deeper into the abyss. Born in Lebanon in 1964, the American photographer dedicates her series to the women of the country. Moreover, her images capture their presence, creativity, strength, dignity and resilience. They also are representative of the hopes, dreams and fears of a whole generation.
Gustavo Minas: Liquid Cities
People in places of transition. The pictures taken by the Brazilian photographer (1981) are characterized by feelings of isolation, alienation as well as fear. By frequently integrating reflections into his pictures, the photographer captures various levels of reality. They are defined by the diverse personal needs of different social and societal groups. This series was primarily photographed in various major cities in the Americas, but also in Europe.
Seamus Murphy: Kingdom
This Irish photographer (1959) has lived in Great Britain for 35+ years. He appreciates British politeness, coupled with anarchic eccentricity. When Brexit happened, he began to rethink his relationship to the country. He saw details, daily gestures as well as public rituals in a new light. Consequently, since 2016, he worked on this series full of bitter irony, empathy and criticism of social and societal conditions. The photographer also suggests that the sound of a quirky military band could make a fitting musical accompaniment for his shots.
Jordi Ruiz Cirera: On This Side There Are Dreams, Too
The starting point for this series is daily life for people along Mexico’s northern border. It is a region stretching more than 1,800 miles from Tijuana on the Pacific to the Gulf of Mexico. Furthermore, this region is covered most frequently by the media when they are reporting on migration conflicts. In contrast, the Spanish photographer (1984) focuses on hopes and dreams, everyday stories and the unique landscape.
Laetitia Vançon: Tribute to Odesa
This series was taken in Odesa and the region surrounding the Ukrainian city in June 2022. It is a symbolic and strategically important place for both sides of the conflict. The Russian aggression was going on for months. Moreover, the city was hit but resisted the attacks. The Munich-based, French photographer (1979) focused her reportage on quiet, simple moments of everyday life. As a result, she reveals how people cling to their daily routines in the hope of regaining a sense of normality.
“I think the LOBA is a fantastic opportunity for the winning entries to receive global exposure and recognition, which hopefully will lead to even greater opportunities in the future,” commented Caroline Hunter.
