Leica Women Foto Project 2024
Meet the 2024 Leica Women Foto Project Awardees
Camille Lenain
Made of Smokeless Fire
Camille Farrah Lenain, a French-Algerian documentary and portrait photographer, has crafted a remarkable body of work through her lens. Lenain delves into long-term projects that challenge societal preconceptions, exploring stereotypes, collective memory, and plural identities. Her winning project, "Made of Smokeless Fire," sheds light on the often misunderstood and overlooked LGBTQIA+ representation within Muslim culture in France. Through her lens, Lenain captures the beauty of and challenges faced by this community, contributing to a more nuanced understanding of their experiences.
Dola Posh
OMO MI
UK-based and Nigerian-born photographer Dola Posh, delves into the complexities of self-identity and postpartum depression, seamlessly blending strength and vulnerability through her lens. With an imaginative approach, Dola Posh continues to illuminate the narratives of Black women and mothers, infusing her work with unique stories of motherhood to inspire societal change. Her winning "OMO MI" series (a phrase meaning “my child”) explores the profound and transformative journey of becoming a new mother, capturing a delicate and life-changing essence that defines the experience of motherhood. Themes of self-discovery, resilience, and the renewal of feminine strength resonate throughout this evocative work.
Stasia Schmidt
Ephemerality
Stasia Schmidt is an acclaimed fine art photographer known for her keen eye for simplicity and form, as well as her meticulous attention to detail. Embracing unexpected surrealism in the natural environment, she skillfully layers subversive femininity with stark reality throughout her photographic process. Through the viewfinder, she embraces the untamed realm of imagination, using each photograph as an opportunity to deepen self-awareness and challenge perceptions. As a self-taught artist, Stasia taps into a deep well of inspiration, drawing from her love of music, dance, science fiction, and adventure. Her winning project, "Ephemerality," is a testament to her ability to confront societal norms, specifically exploring the feminine presence in traditionally male-dominated adventure realms, prompting viewers to reconsider preconceived notions about women in these spaces.
Luvia Lazo
Women from the Clouds
Luvia Lazo, a Zapotec indigenous photographer is a poignant storyteller who captures the essence of identity, generational shifts, grief, and the symbiotic relationship between human beings and spaces imbued with cultural and spiritual significance. Luvia Lazo's winning project, "Women from the Clouds," is a profound series aimed at creating a mosaic of narratives surrounding contemporary indigenous women of different ages. Through this project, she endeavors to contribute to a rich and unique understanding of the diverse experiences of indigenous women, shaping a broader and more enriched perspective on womanhood as a whole.