Summary
- Leica has announced the 12 finalists for the 2026 Oskar Barnack Award
- The shortlisted series examine war, climate change and social inequality
- The winners will be announced on October 8, 2026
- The Main Prize includes €40,000 and Leica equipment worth €10,000
- The LOBA Women Grant will be awarded for the first time
The Leica Oskar Barnack Award 2026 is entering its final stage, with 12 photographers competing for the institution’s top distinctions.
The international jury has completed the selection of the finalists for the 46th edition, following a multi-stage evaluation process. At the same time, the winner of the new LOBA Women Grant has been selected for the first time, with her name to be announced at the awards ceremony.
This year’s shortlist is particularly significant, bringing together long-term photographic projects that examine war, the climate crisis, water scarcity, social inequalities, cultural identity and the lives of marginalised communities.
The 12 series on the shortlist
Palestinian photojournalist Saher Alghorra is shortlisted with the series “Witnessing Gaza”, in which he documents the war in Gaza, hunger, loss and the personal moments that often do not reach international news agencies.
New Zealand photographer Todd Antony presents the black-and-white project “Buzkashi”, dedicated to the traditional equestrian sport that is still practised in Tajikistan and has its roots in the nomadic cultures of Central Asia.
Anush Babajanyan examines, through the series “The Aral Sea and the Battered Waters of Central Asia”, the dramatic shrinking of the Aral Sea and the ways in which communities in Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan are adapting to new environmental conditions.
Damir Faizulin turns his lens to the mountains of Dagestan with “Preserving Nature as Preserving Ourselves”, documenting the delicate balance between local residents, nature, tourism development and the transformation of local cultural heritage.
William Keo presents “Extramuros”, a look at contemporary France and, more specifically, the young people of the suburbs, where social tensions coexist with creativity and political reflection.
In “Inner Distance”, Slava Lyu-fa photographs remote communities in Yakutia, in Russia’s Arctic north, capturing the impact of climate and economic changes on the daily lives of fishermen, researchers and residents.
Valery Melnikov is shortlisted with “Mariupol – Open Wounds”, an ongoing documentary project on the humanitarian consequences of the war for the residents who remained in Mariupol after the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Czech photographer Benedikt Renč documents, in “Cairo”, everyday life and the radical transformation of the Egyptian capital, attempting to photographically preserve an atmosphere that is gradually disappearing.
Elliot Ross examines, in “A Question of Balance”, unequal access to water between Navajo Nation communities and wealthier areas of Utah, at a time of severe drought in the Southwestern United States.
Annie Sakkab presents “We Used to Watch the Rivers Go By”, connecting water in Jordan with personal memory, family history, cultural identity and the search for her roots.
David Sládek is shortlisted with the black-and-white “People of Šumiac”, a long-term project about the Slovak village of the same name and the difficult coexistence between local residents and the socially excluded Roma community.
Laila AnnMarie Stevens completes the shortlist with “Clayton Sisterhood Project”, a project about contemporary forms of kinship, Black female identity and the life of a family that created its own community in North Carolina.
The selection process
The candidates were nominated by more than 130 photography experts from 48 countries. Each expert was able to nominate up to three photographic series, based on their personal experience and knowledge.
The Newcomer Award is organised in collaboration with 28 international educational institutions and universities from 18 countries.
The 2026 jury includes Jane’a Johnson, Celina Lunsford, Paolo Pellegrin, Gu Zheng and Karin Rehn-Kaufmann.
The awards and the exhibition
The winners of the Main Prize, the Newcomer Award and the LOBA Women Grant will be announced on 8 October 2026, during an event at the World of Leica in Wetzlar, Germany.
The winner of the main prize will receive 40,000 euros and Leica photographic equipment worth 10,000 euros. The winner of the Newcomer Award will receive 10,000 euros and a Leica Q3.
After the awards ceremony, the LOBA 2026 series will be presented at the Ernst Leitz Museum until 4 February 2027. The exhibition will be accompanied by a special catalogue and will later travel to Leica Galleries and photography festivals.
The new LOBA Women Grant
The LOBA Women Grant is being added to the institution’s distinctions for the first time and differs from the main categories, as it is awarded to a photographic project proposal that is still under development.
The first winner has already been selected and will receive support to continue her work. Her identity will be revealed on the evening of the ceremony, while the completed project will be presented at the following year’s edition.
What we think
The 2026 shortlist confirms that the Leica Oskar Barnack Award continues to provide space for long-form photographic stories that are not limited to recording an event, but examine in greater depth its consequences for people and communities.
Frequently Asked Questions
When will the LOBA 2026 winners be announced?
The winners will be announced on 8 October 2026 at the World of Leica in Wetzlar, Germany.
How many photographers are on the shortlist?
The Leica Oskar Barnack Award 2026 shortlist includes 12 photographers.
What is the cash prize for the Main Prize?
The winner of the Main Prize will receive 40,000 euros and Leica equipment worth 10,000 euros.
What will the winner of the Newcomer Award receive?
The winner of the Newcomer Award will receive 10,000 euros and a Leica Q3.
What is the LOBA Women Grant?
It is a new distinction that supports a photographer in the development of an ongoing photographic project, which will be presented at the next edition.
