Leica Oskar Barnack Award: Announcement of this year’s shortlist

Leica recently announced the shortlist of photographers selected for this year’s prestigious Leica Oskar Barnack Award (LOBA). A five-person jury whittled down a plethora of submissions to choose the twelve that made it to the list. The company will announce the eventual winners of LOBA 2024 in October.

Leica Camera AG is honouring outstanding finalists with the internationally renowned photography award, following an extensive selection process. This will be the 44th time the competition has been run. Twelve photographers made it onto the shortlist, from which winners of the main and newcomer awards will be chosen.

Those winners will be announced on October 10. The award ceremony will be combined with a grand celebration at Leica headquarters in Wetzlar, Germany.

An extensive selection process

The process began with 80 international photography experts from around 50 countries submitting their proposals for LOBA 2024. This was followed by the jury deliberations to decide the shortlist, including the winners in the main and newcomer categories. The LOBA Newcomer Award goes to a photographer under the age of 30. Nominees were proposed in collaboration with major international photography institutions and universities from 20 countries.

Following the award ceremony, shortlisted LOBA series will be featured in an exhibition at the Ernst Leitz Museum in Wetzlar. In due course, they will be shown at Leica Galleries and photo festivals around the world.

Leica describes LOBA 2024 as one of the most prestigious and highly endowed awards in the field of photography. The winner of the LOBA main category will receive €40,000 and Leica camera equipment valued at €10,000. The winner of the Newcomer Award receives €10,000 and a Leica Q3.

Global LOBA 24

Shortlisted photographers represent countries as far away as China to the east and Chile to the west. Each submitted a series of photographs illustrating a theme of their choosing. The themes are varied, but each reflects an aspect of life in today’s world. Many appear to deal with conflict, deprivation, exploitation and the adverse impact of technology.

Despite the morose themes, the collections nevertheless feature some striking images. Some of these are featured throughout the article.

Adriana Loureiro Fernandez

I was especially struck by the work of Adriana Loureiro Fernandez, from Venezuela, since the country is currently in the news. Protests are underway, following what is widely regarded as a rigged election. Her images reflect the hardships experienced by its long-suffering citizens.

You can read more about Leica Oskar Barnack Award here, as well as view the complete set of images.

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