The 12 Photographers Vying to Win the 2025 Leica Oskar Barnack Award

A collage of three images: a woman sewing leather in a workshop, a soldier in camouflage with a gun standing outdoors, and a person balancing while walking between two train cars.

Leica has revealed the shortlist for its prestigious 2025 Leica Oskar Barnack Award (LOBA), the competition’s 45th edition, and there is over $81,000 worth of cash and prizes up for grabs.

The main category winner will win a €40,000 ($46,688) cash prize and nearly $12,000 worth of Leica camera equipment, while the winner of the newcomer award will earn a €10,000 ($11,681) prize and a Leica Q3.

Each of the dozen photographers shortlisted for the award has created a striking, emotionally powerful photo series that pushes the boundaries of what photography is and what its potential impact can be.

Leica has not separated its 12-photographer shortlist into two distinct categories; therefore, each candidate is presented in alphabetical order below, along with a brief description of their selected photo series.

Lynsey Addario — ‘Mom, I Want to Live’

American photographer Lynsey Addario’s extremely powerful series, “Mom, I Want to Live,” focuses on a young Ukrainian girl who was diagnosed with a rare form of eye cancer in 2020 at just two years old. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine prevented her from accessing the essential treatment that she needed, forcing the young girl and her family to face life-threatening pediatric cancer and the horrors of war simultaneously. Addario’s emotional, intimate series recently won first place in the NPPA’s Best of Photojournalism awards.

A child in patterned pajamas lies in a hospital bed, holding an adult's hand. Medical monitoring equipment with visible vital signs is next to the bed. The child looks up, appearing thoughtful or anxious.
Sonya’s vitals are monitored at a palliative care center. Chernivitsi, Ukraine 2024. From the series “‘Mom, I Want to Live’ — A Young Girl Battles War and Cancer” | © Lynsey Addario/LOBA 2025
A woman and a young girl sit close together in the back seat of a car, touching foreheads and smiling warmly. A colorful backpack sits on the seat beside them. Light streams in through the window.
Natalia holds her daughter Sonya as they travel from a hospice center to an intensive care unit. Chernivitsi, Ukraine 2024. From the series “‘Mom, I Want to Live’ — A Young Girl Battles War and Cancer” | © Lynsey Addario/LOBA 2025
Two young girls laugh and hug while lying together on a black-and-white chevron patterned blanket outdoors, enjoying the sun. One wears a white shirt and orange shorts; the other wears a pink and gold dress.
Sonya embracing her sister Valeria (7). Chernivitsi, Ukraine 2024. From the series “‘Mom, I Want to Live’ — A Young Girl Battles War and Cancer” | © Lynsey Addario/LOBA 2025

Arlette Bashizi — ‘Beyond Numbers’

Arlette Bashizi’s series, “Beyond Numbers,” investigates the impact of ongoing conflict in her home country, the Democratic Republic of Congo. The series turns the lens toward the effects of war on regular people — over six million Congolese people have had to flee their homes since fighting broke out. Bashizi’s series examines individuals who might have otherwise been overlooked in a sea of statistics. Her neighbors are not just numbers, they are people who deserve to be seen as they face incredible challenges.

A group of men in military uniforms with guns.
Wazalendo self-defense forces (a militia coalition supporting the Congolese army) secure the Nyiragongo territory. Democratic Republic of Congo, December 9, 2023. From the series “Beyond Numbers” | © Arlette Bashizi/LOBA 2025
Five children sit and relax inside a dimly lit, worn room with concrete walls. One child drinks from a metal bowl, while others sit or lounge on yellow containers and fabrics. Sunlight enters through small windows.
Displaced people who have not yet received materials to build tents take shelter in a church. Democratic Republic of Congo, March 28, 2024. From the series “Beyond Numbers” | © Arlette Bashizi/LOBA 2025
Four people with prosthetic legs are in a rehabilitation room. One woman, guided by an instructor, is learning to walk with her prosthesis while others watch or sit nearby. Rehabilitation equipment and posters are visible in the background.
Hope Mabuya (18) during kinesiotherapy at the Shirika Center. She lost her leg in a bombing. Democratic Republic of Congo, September 11, 2024. From the series “Beyond Numbers” | © Arlette Bashizi/LOBA 2025

Alejandro Cegarra — ‘The Two Walls’

Mexico was once a safe place for asylum seekers. However, in recent years, the government has taken on more of the anti-immigration sentiment of its neighbor to the north, the U.S.. In his black-and-white photo series, “The Two Walls,” Venezuelan-born, Mexican-raised photographer Alejandro Cegarra documents the struggles of people facing the growing changes along the Mexican border.

A person walks across the gap between two BNSF freight train cars, balancing carefully. The image is in black and white, with shrubs in the foreground and a cloudy sky above.
A migrant walks on top of a parked freight train known as “The Beast” on the outskirts of Piedras Negras, Mexico 2023. From the series “The Two Walls” | © Alejandro Cegarra/LOBA 2025
Two people stand close together in a desert landscape, facing each other and smiling. One wears a patterned shirt, the other has a shirt draped over their head. Mountains and power lines are visible in the background.
Ruben Soto (right) a migrant from Venezuela, with Rosa Bello, a Honduran migrant, on top of the train known as “The Beast”. Samalayuca, Mexico 2023. From the series “The Two Walls” | © Alejandro Cegarra/LOBA 2025
A young woman clutching papers stands in front of a gate, looking concerned. A man’s hand points at her from behind the gate, while two other people stand nearby in a tense scene. The photo is in black and white.
Asylum seekers wait at the gates of the Mexican Commission for Aid to Refugees (COMAR) for an asylum hearing. Tapachula, Mexico 2019. From the series “The Two Walls” | © Alejandro Cegarra/LOBA 2025

Serghei Duve — ‘Bright Memory’

German photographer Serghei Duve’s series “Bright Memory” reflects the Russian expression of the same term, which explores how everyday life is shaped by nostalgia and social divisions. Duve, who was born in Moldova, uses his camera to explore his family’s lasting connection to the territory of Transnistria. This almost entirely unrecognized region declared its independence from Moldova in 1990 but receives international support exclusively from Russia.

A man sits on a patterned couch with a Ukrainian flag draped around his shoulders, wearing a t-shirt with an image of a person and the word "PRESIDENT." An old television and a table with a floral tablecloth are nearby.
Valera on the sofa in his living room. Tiraspol, Transnistria, Republic of Moldova 2023. From the series “Bright Memory” | © Serghei Duve/LOBA 2025
A group of people sit and stand on a covered porch around a table with bottles and glasses. Some are relaxing and talking, while one person looks outside over the railing. The porch is wooden and open to a green yard.
Family shooting with an air rifle. Tiraspol, Transnistria, Republic of Moldova 2024. From the series “Bright Memory” | © Serghei Duve/LOBA 2025
A woman waves from a doorway while standing with a young boy. Two other adults, a man and a woman, stand in the foreground near greenery, partially out of focus. The scene is set outside a house on a sunny day.
Saying goodbye before the flight back to Germany. Tiraspol, Transnistria, Republic of Moldova 2024. From the series “Bright Memory” | © Serghei Duve/LOBA 2025

Gideon Mendel — ‘Deluge’

South African photographer Gideon Mendel’s series, “Deluge,” offers a poignant perspective on the global climate crisis. Mendel has photographed people from all walks of life across 13 countries since 2007, capturing how they and their homes have been impacted by climate change. Environmental destruction affects everyone, albeit in different ways depending on their socioeconomic status.

A person wearing an orange shirt stands waist-deep in reflective water, framed by a broken ornate arch with columns, against a purple wall. Their reflection is visible in the calm water below.
Eruabai Ase in her flooded home in Otuaba, Nigeria 2022. From the series “Deluge” | © Gideon Mendel/LOBA 2025
A man stands waist-deep in floodwater inside a vividly painted green room with a pink-arched doorway and Islamic wall hangings, his reflection visible in the water.
Amjad Ali Laghari at the mosque in his village of Goth Bawal Khan in Sindh Province, Pakistan 2022. From the series “Deluge” | © Gideon Mendel/LOBA 2025
A man in waterproof overalls stands in a flooded kitchen with dirty dishes on the counter; water covers the floor, creating his clear reflection.
Jonas de Souza at his family home in Canoas, three weeks after the severe floods which devastated the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil 2024. From the series “Deluge” | © Gideon Mendel/LOBA 2025

Stanislav Ostrous — ‘Civilians. The Gray Zone’

Ukrainian photographer Stanislav Ostrous’ series, “Civilians. The Gray Zone,” delivers a monochromatic look at how Ukrainians in Donetsk, Kherson, and Kharkiv are enduring the ongoing conflict. Donetsk in particular has been living under Russian threat for over a decade, when Russia annexed Crimea and began its war in Donbass. Ostrous focuses on the harsh realities of war and how civilian victims grapple with their devastating circumstances.

A young person in a knit hat and sweatshirt stands outdoors, holding the handlebars of a bicycle on a dirt road with trees and houses in the background.
Danylo in the village Ozerne, Donetsk region, Ukraine 2023. From the series “Civilians. The Gray Zone” | © Stanislav Ostrous/LOBA 2025
A group of elderly people, mostly women wearing winter coats and headscarves, stand outdoors on a muddy path. The background features leafless trees, old buildings, and cloudy skies.
Local residents in the de-occupied Kharkiv region, Ukraine, March 2023. From the series “Civilians. The Gray Zone” | © Stanislav Ostrous/LOBA 2025
An elderly woman in a headscarf stands outdoors among a group of people, looking serious. A black cat sits on a fence nearby. The scene appears to be in a rural area on a cold day.
Local residents in the de-occupied Kharkiv region, Ukraine, March 2023. From the series “Civilians. The Gray Zone” | © Stanislav Ostrous/LOBA 2025

Xiangjie Peng — ‘The Rise of Queer Underground Party Culture in China’

Veteran Chinese photographer Xingjie Peng has been photographing the queer community across numerous Chinese cities since 2017. His series, “The Rise of Queer Underground Party Culture in China,” features portraits that document queer people and the places where they can be themselves in China. The photos document how people can be embraced and find a community in a country that still has official policies that restrict their authentic expression.

Two people in a dressing room; one in a wig and dress holds a cigarette while helping the other, who is shirtless and wearing a bald cap and dramatic makeup, tighten a corset with laces.
Drag queens attending a “Medusa Realness” event (Queer Party and Record Label), the first drag tour party after the Covid 19 lockdown. Chengdu, Sichuan, China 2023. From the series “The Rise of Queer Underground Party Culture in China” | © Xiangjie Peng/LOBA 2025
A person wearing dramatic makeup and a black leather outfit poses with a surreal mask-like sculpture partly covering their face. Mannequin heads with wigs are visible in the dimly lit background. The image is in black and white.
Drag queen Sean with self made headgear at the queer “TT Club”. Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China 2024. From the series “The Rise of Queer Underground Party Culture in China” | © Xiangjie Peng/LOBA 2025
A drag performer in a blonde wig and sparkly outfit lies dramatically on a confetti-strewn stage, surrounded by an enthusiastic crowd capturing the moment on their phones. The image is in black and white.
19. Passionate performance at “Desire and The City 12.31 Chuan-Chongqing Queer New Year’s Eve” drag party. Chengdu, Sichuan, China 2024. From the series “The Rise of Queer Underground Party Culture in China” | © Xiangjie Peng/LOBA 2025

Ivor Prickett — ‘War on the Nile – Fragmented Sudan’

Irish photographer Ivor Prickett traveled to Sudan last year on behalf of The New York Times, tasked with capturing the horrific civil war in Sudan that has received little international attention. The war, which has been ongoing for two years, has displaced over 11 million people, and around 150,000 people have already been killed. It is one of the world’s most horrific humanitarian crises, and Prickett’s powerful photos capture the extent of the tragedy and desperation.

A family rides on a wooden cart pulled by a horse through a rural landscape, with women and children sitting on bundles and a man guiding the cart.
Fatima Hassan crossed from Sudan into Chad with her husband and four children. Adré, Chad 2024. From the series “War on the Nile — Fragmented Sudan” | © Ivor Prickett/LOBA 2025
A group of people standing in a line.
Children cling to empty bowls as a man with a whip tries to control the crowd at an improvised food distribution site. Adré, Chad, 2024. From the series “War on the Nile — Fragmented Sudan” | © Ivor Prickett/LOBA 2025
A makeshift outdoor barbershop with two men seated in front of mirrors, one having his hair cut, as others watch. The area is covered by a roof of branches and tarps, with cloth and supplies scattered around.
Men have their hair cut and hang around in a barber shop in Adré refugee camp, now home to more than 200.000 people who have fled the war in Sudan. Chad 2024. From the series “War on the Nile — Fragmented Sudan” | © Ivor Prickett/LOBA 2025

Frederik Rüegger — ‘I Am a Stranger in This Country’

A mostly unrecognized consequence of Brexit in the United Kingdom has been the damage done to the Irish Travellers community, who can no longer freely and easily move throughout the European Union. Frederik Rüegger’s series, “I Am a Stranger in This Country,” examines this community as it confronts new and evolving threats to its way of life. The ethnocultural group finds fewer safe spaces in the world today amid growing nationalistic tendencies and misinformation. Rüegger’s series focuses predominantly on scenes in horse markets, one of the few places where Travellers can openly exist and celebrate their unique culture.

Two people are outdoors near a white caravan and a red truck. One stands with a stroller, wearing a jacket, while the other sits in a chair wearing a black hoodie. Food and drinks are on a table in the foreground.
Couple in front of their caravan at the annual horse fair. Appleby, UK 2024. From the series “I Am a Stranger in This Country” | © Frederik Rüegger/LOBA 2025
Two boys stand outside a house. One boy in a blue tracksuit drinks from a glass with one leg on a low wall, while the other boy in a light blue shirt talks on a phone, looking slightly to the side.
Two boys in blue. Appleby, UK 2023. From the series “I Am a Stranger in This Country” | © Frederik Rüegger/LOBA 2025
A group of people at an outdoor fair: two young girls, one holding a doll, a shirtless small boy, a baby in a stroller, and several adults near a food stall and tents, with cotton candy hanging above.
A family at the annual horse fair. Appleby, UK 2023. From the series “I Am a Stranger in This Country” | © Frederik Rüegger/LOBA 2025

Anastasia Taylor-Lind — ‘5km from the Frontline’

English photographer Anastasia Taylor-Lind has spent the past decade working alongside journalist Alisa Sopova to document the war in Ukraine, especially the Donbass region, where the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war began in 2014. The region has remained exceptionally violent and damaged as Russia’s invasion spread to other parts of Ukraine in recent years. The series examines how people have managed to survive under constant threat for years and how their lives have been shaped by prolonged conflict.

A damaged bridge with collapsed sections spans a river, surrounded by trees on both sides. Debris from the bridge lies in the water and on the roadway, making it impassable. The sky is overcast.
A destroyed bridge over the Siverskyi Donets river in Bohorodychne, Ukraine 2023. From the series “5km from the Frontline” | © Anastasia Taylor-Lind/LOBA 2025
A muscular, shirtless man in camouflage pants and boots stands outdoors on dirt ground, surrounded by green trees and bushes, with a camouflage-painted van partially visible on the left.
A medic from Pirogov First Volunteer Mobile Hospital whose “nom de guerre” is “Van Damme” (after the Hollywood actor) at a base in Sloviansk, Ukraine 2022. From the series “5km from the Frontline” | © Anastasia Taylor-Lind/LOBA 2025
A woman holds a young boy on her lap, gently touching his hand to her face. Both appear thoughtful and close, with another adult partly visible, holding the boy for support. The mood is tender and intimate.
Olga Grinik with her nephew Tymofii Tsvetkov, in Poltava region. Tymofii’s t-shirt reads “My father serves in the armed forces of Ukraine”, Ukraine 2024. From the series “5km from the Frontline” | © Anastasia Taylor-Lind/LOBA 2025

Jodi Windvogel — ‘Life Under Occupation – Cissie Gool House’

The Cissie Gool House in Cape Town, South Africa, was once a hospital. However, in 2017, it was occupied by a social movement, Reclaim the City. The movement, focused on providing affordable housing for marginalized people in Cape Town, turned the Cissie Gool House into a refuge for more than 2,000 people before a forced eviction last year. Jodi Windvogel’s series, “Life Under Occupation — Cissie Gool House,” looks at what happened, its deep roots in apartheid, and the people who have been impacted by a lack of secure housing.

A diverse group of people, including women, children, and babies in strollers, gather and interact outside a building on a sunny day, some standing and some sitting on ledges or steps.
Residents of the Cissie Gool House gather for a community film screening in the courtyard. Cape Town, South Africa 2024. From the series “Life Under Occupation — Cissie Gool House” | © Jodi Windvogel/LOBA 2025
A man in a red jumpsuit sits on a bed looking at his phone, while a young boy leans over the bed facing away. The room has a blue wall, a window with objects on the sill, and soft natural light.
Shahien Fakier (53) sits on the bed in the room that he shares with his partner and the neighbour’s child. Cape Town, South Africa 2024. From the series “Life Under Occupation — Cissie Gool House” | © Jodi Windvogel/LOBA 2025
A child runs down a dimly lit hallway toward a colorful wall with the words "Land for People not for Profit" painted on it. Light from windows illuminates the corridor.
A child runs through the hallway of Cissie Gool House. Cape Town, South Africa 2024. From the series “Life Under Occupation — Cissie Gool House” | © Jodi Windvogel/LOBA 2025

Zhan Youbing — ‘Migrant Workers in China’s Assembly Line’

Chinese photographer Zhan Youbing has documented China’s migrant workers for over three decades. Today, there are more than 300 million migrant workers in China, who serve as a vital backbone for the country’s economic growth. Many of them leave rural areas in search of new and better opportunities in China’s bustling urban centers. “Migrant Workers in China’s Assembly Line” looks at people in Dogguan, a megacity where over 70% of its people are migrant workers. Youbing, a self-taught photographer, focuses on the daily routines of migrant workers in the area.

Workers dressed in white protective suits and caps sit and crouch in a cleanroom surrounded by rows of hanging suits, with one person looking directly at the camera in a brightly lit, sterile environment.
Migrant workers resting in the changing room during a work break. Dongguan, Guangdong Province, China 2025. From the series “Migrant Workers in China’s Assembly Line” | © Zhan Youbing/LOBA 2025
Several people lie on bunk beds and sit in an overcrowded sleeper bus, some sleeping, some using their phones. Red curtains and luggage are visible in the background. The overall mood appears cramped but relaxed.
Migrant workers taking an Intercity Coach. Dongguan, Guangdong Province, China 2025. From the series “Migrant Workers in China’s Assembly Line” | © Zhan Youbing/LOBA 2025
A woman with long hair operates an old sewing machine, stitching black fabric in a busy garment factory filled with other workers and sewing machines in the background.
Zheng Ting (19) working at a handbag factory, Guangdon Province, China 2025. From the series “Migrant Workers in China’s Assembly Line” | © Zhan Youbing/LOBA 2025

Leica Oskar Barnack Award 2025

“This year’s Leica Oskar Barnack Award jury reached a decision on the back of keen attention and a deep appreciation for photography’s social impact,” says Leica’s Karin Rehn-Kaufmann, the Art Director and Chief Representative for Leica Galleries International.

The final winners will be revealed on October 9, 2025, at the Ernst Leitz Museum. Following the showcase event in Wetzlar, Germany, the 2025 LOBA exhibition will travel to all Leica Galleries worldwide, of which there are more than 20.


Image credits: Leica Oskar Barnack Award 2025, all photographers are credited in the image captions.

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