Event photography
Leica Awards: inspiring
photographers through events
RAMY SALAMEH OFFERS THIS EVENT SNAPSHOT FROM THE 39TH LOBA AWARDS IN BERLIN
he Leica Oskar Barnack
Awards 2019 (LOBA), now
in its 39th year, continues
to inspire generations of
photographers and is part of a series of
experiential events and workshops,
developed by the world-renowned
camera manufacturer, to engage new
audiences.
There are some photographs that
transcend age and epoch; a momentary
blink of the shutter produces an image
which continues to reverberate and
inspire viewers to this day.
Think in terms of the iconic ‘Kiss’
between a US sailor and nurse on V-J
Day in Time Square, New York (1945,
Alfred Eisenstaedt) or Thomas
Hoepker’s 1966 photograph of
Mohammad Ali glaring into the lens
with fist filling the frame, or the
heart-rending moment ‘Napalm Girl’
formed the central figure of a photo
depicting children fleeing from a Napalm
bomb during the Vietnam War (AP
photographer Nick Ut, June 8, 1972).
One thing all these images have in
common is that they were taken with a
Leica camera, a brand whose history
stretches back over 100 years.
The LOBAs took place in Berlin, a city
which this year celebrates the 30th
anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall,
a momentous event much chronicled
through photojournalism.
This year’s LOBA ceremony took
place at St Elisabeth’s Church, a
spectacular venue in the heart of Berlin
spreading events across 315sqm, with a
sister venue next door at Villa Elisabeth,
both sitting within the verdant Church
park in the district of Mitte.
A huge digital screen, fine acoustics
and a natural stage recessed below the
building’s cupola, provided the canvas
from which Leica showcased the work of
the 12 finalists to several hundred
invited guests.
A drinks reception followed at Villa
Elisabeth, a glamourous and historic
venue in its own right.
Out of the 12 finalists, sourced from
over 2,300 entrants in 99 countries, the
overall winner was Mustafah Abdulaziz,
with a series of images centred around
‘Water’ as a universal theme, which took
the photographer on an 8-year
worldwide journey. Nanna Heitmann
took home the Newcomer Award 2019
for her series titled ‘Hiding from Baba
Yaga’.
Jason Heward, Leica UK Managing
Director, says that Leica has now opened
up the possibility of curated corporate
incentives within its Akademie.
Quintessentially.com, a lifestyle luxury
concierge company with HNWI as
members, recently ran an incentive for
their workforce in the UK. They invited
Leica Akademie Ambassador Robert
Sinha to teach and experience first-hand
the craftsmanship and technology of
Leica cameras, before participants were
sent to put this education into practice on
the streets of London.
Top: LOBA 2019
ceremony St
Elisabeth’s Church
Above: Palestinian
Rights of
Return Protest
by Mustapha
Hassona,
displayed at Neue
Schule Fotogalerie
Far left:
Newcomer Winner
- Nanna Heitmann
Near left:
Neue Schule
Fotogalerie.
Mustafah
Abdulaziz’s
winning images
ISSUE 103
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CONFERENCE & MEETINGS WORLD
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79