Leica has announced the winners of its 2026 Leica Oskar Barnack Award, with photographer Damir Faizulin taking home the top prize, American photographer Laila AnnMarie Stevens winning the Newcomer Award, and Italian photographer Valentina Sinis becoming the first recipient of the Leica Oskar Barnack Women Grant.
The three photographers were honored during Leica's Celebration of Photography on October 8, held at the World of Leica in Wetzlar, Germany. Now in its 46th year, the prestigious photography competition continues to celebrate photographers who use their cameras to explore the world around them, often tackling important social, cultural, and environmental issues.
This year's winners were selected from more than 400 entries, with each project offering a distinctly different perspective on the human experience.
Damir Faizulin takes the top honor with his powerful documentary series, Preserving Nature as Preserving Ourselves, which explores the changing landscape and communities of Dagestan in Russia's North Caucasus region. Through his photography, Faizulin captures the delicate relationship between people and nature, documenting how growing tourism, modern development, and the gradual disappearance of traditional ways of life are reshaping the region.
Having first visited Dagestan in 2020, he moved there the following year to immerse himself in its culture and document these changes firsthand. “It’s important to me that a photograph does not simplify reality, but rather helps us recognise its complexity.” His achievement is particularly remarkable because, until age 33, Faizulin pursued a career as a professional wrestler and martial artist before turning to documentary photography. Even more impressively, this was his first international photography competition.
Meanwhile, American photographer Laila AnnMarie Stevens has claimed the Newcomer Award for her deeply personal black-and-white series, Clayton Sisterhood Project. Drawing inspiration from her own family history, Stevens explores the importance of female solidarity, identity, and belonging through the lives of her two sisters and four nieces, who left Queens, New York, to establish a shared home in Clayton, North Carolina.
The resulting photographs offer an intimate look at contemporary family structures, celebrating the strength and connections between generations of Black women. Stevens, who began having her photography published in The New York Times at just 20 years old, has already established herself as an exciting emerging talent. Reflecting on the recognition, she said: “Taking into account the current political climate in the United States, where so many rights relating to autonomy, care and visibility are being actively challenged, this award has given me high hopes.”
The third award marks an important milestone for Leica, with the inaugural Women Grant going to Italian photographer Valentina Sinis for her ongoing project, The Last Butterflies. Her work follows Kurdish women who have left their homes to join the armed resistance in Iraqi Kurdistan, exploring themes of sacrifice, identity, and the personal consequences of conflict. With support from the grant, Sinis will continue documenting their experiences, looking more closely at how war changes relationships with family, homeland, and the very idea of belonging. Her next chapter will combine portraits, landscapes, and photographs of abandoned places, with the completed work scheduled to be presented at next year's awards. Commenting on the project, Leica's Karin Rehn-Kaufmann said: “The Last Butterflies powerfully depicts the new role that women have been playing in war for some time now. The images show how they are joining together to fight for their country without men, in a clear and moving depiction. It’s important that Valentina Sinis is able to continue and complete this project.”
Selecting this year's winners was no small task, with a five-person jury evaluating an exceptionally diverse collection of photographic work. The main award drew nominations from more than 130 photography experts across approximately 50 countries, while the Newcomer category involved 28 institutions and universities from 18 countries.
What makes the Leica Oskar Barnack Award particularly interesting is that it doesn't simply reward technically impressive photographs, but recognizes projects that have something meaningful to say. From environmental change to family connections and the consequences of war, this year's winning series demonstrate just how powerful photography can be as a storytelling medium.
As Rehn-Kaufmann explained: “This year’s selection struck me as being particularly multi-layered and nuanced. It was less about making quick visual impact and more about encouraging long-term exploration and depth of photographic research.”
First established in 1980, the Leica Oskar Barnack Award has grown into one of the most respected and financially significant competitions in photography. Faizulin receives €40,000 alongside €10,000 worth of Leica camera equipment, while Stevens takes home €10,000 and a Leica Q3. Sinis also receives €10,000, a Leica Q3, and professional support to help bring the next stage of her project to life.
All three awards underline Leica's continued commitment to supporting photography that goes beyond simply producing beautiful images. The winning projects, alongside the wider 2026 shortlist, will be showcased at the Ernst Leitz Museum in Wetzlar, accompanied by a dedicated catalog featuring complete photographic series, interviews, and background stories.
The exhibition will subsequently travel to Leica Galleries and photography festivals, giving audiences around the world an opportunity to experience some of the most compelling photographic storytelling of the year.
For more information, visit www.leica-oskar-barnack-award.com.
