The Leica Women Foto Project (LWFP) was first launched in 2019, to promote women’s perspective of the world. The competition’s motto this year is Perspective is Power: Reclamation, Resilience, Rebirth. The 2024 winners are Luvia Lazo (Mexico), Camille Farrah Lenain (USA), Stasia Schmidt (Canada) and Dola Posh (Great Britain). They offer us insight into their award-winning stories and their assessment of women in photography.
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Luvia Lazo (Mexico): In her Women from the Clouds series, Lazo portrays women with Zapotec roots, who belong among the indigenous peoples of her country.
What does this award mean to you?
The award means to me an opportunity to continue genuinely building my personal projects with the way I see the world. It means freedom. The chance to have the economic factor covered allows me to give the necessary time for my creative projects to take their own shape, without pressuring or forcing the stories I want to share. I can think about creating from honesty and without limiting or censoring the narratives I’m exploring.
Could you explain briefly what your winning series is about and why you chose this topic?
The project that I propose to continue developing and enriching, is about the monolithic perspectives that are held concerning women in native communities in Mexico, specifically Oaxaca. I seek to enrich the way we look at femininity, unravel all the adjectives that surround women and in some way limit us, until we come to see women as entirely powerful. I am deeply interested in this topic, because I personally find myself exploring my femininity in the world on a daily basis, but also this exploration has allowed me to understand my mother beyond her motherhood, with her dreams, desires and “errors”. The series of photographs seeks to make notes and explorations with women from small villages like me; women who dream and who, like me or my mother, find ourselves constantly questioning reality regardless of geographical origin. That is why it is called Women of the Clouds, because the clouds are not from anywhere, but from the world, and they change shape whenever they want.
What would you like to achieve with your series; how should the images be perceived?
I hope to generate tenderness, not only in grammatical terms, but in real terms. It may sound very dreamy, but if a girl or woman can connect with images in a small town on the other side of the world, and can feel that someone like her is also dreaming and, at the same time, both accompany each other by asking the same questions, being like her, regardless of the territory, language or age, then this project will be worth it for me. That is what encouraged me to be a photographer – to see other women in the world doing it.
In what kind of projects might it be of advantage to be a female photographer?
From my very personal experience, I would say projects that are seeking to tell other women’s stories. I believe that the advantage of being a female photographer and telling stories that involve other women, allows you to do it with care, trust and tenderness.
Why are there still so few women photographers?
It is very important to me to start by mentioning that the simple fact of being a woman in a country like mine is already a challenge for any type of work. It is a country where the number of missing women increases year by year. With a context like this, being a woman photographer could be even more challenging. It’s a type of work that requires you to follow your stories, moving around cities or spaces where your stories are happening, and this frequently on your own. There are many more factors involved in the decision taking, when covering stories or taking commissions: if you feel at risk that would be enough reason to reject an offer; and I realize that men hardly worry about this, they will take opportunities based on their availability or fee, which means more stories/projects led by men. On the other hand, I also know many women photographers, working on very personal projects, more intimate, tender, strong but, at the same time, very deep, and yet we could feel that our stories are not worth telling, and this could scare us to show our work, which may result in much less exposure.
Weaving the Life
Flor, Ita, Savi, from the Coast
Mother and Sisters
Mother and Sister
Gold maker, gold weaver, gold woman
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Camille Farrah Lenain (USA): With Made of Smokeless Fire, Lenain presents excerpts from the reality of life for the LGBTQIA+ community within Muslim societies in France.
What does this award mean to you?
Finding time to focus on a personal photography project can be difficult, and this award means that I will be able to deeply immerse in it, and that the voices featured in this series will have the opportunity to be heard. Continuing this body of work means that I will be able to bring more nuances to the representation of these identities.
Could you explain briefly what your winning series is about and why you chose this topic?
Made of Smokeless Fire is about the complex and often misunderstood identity of LGBTQIA+ Muslim people who live in France. It’s about the sense of belonging in different communities, but never quite feeling accepted, and my series aims to explore and break the stereotypes around these identities. I hope to expose the racism and queerphobia that exists in France, although it’s sometimes well hidden. It is important to define this trauma but also elevate the beauty of creating your own narrative of existence. I feel like I didn’t choose this topic, but instead it came to me. Made of Smokeless Fire started as an homage to my uncle Farid, who was gay, and grew up in an Algerian Muslim family in France. He passed away in 2013, and I had a million questions for him. However, without the ability to be together and speak, I turned towards strangers who are now dear to my heart, and explored these questions around identity through interviews and portraiture.
What would you like to achieve with your series; how should the images be perceived?
Featuring photography and personal testimonies, my project aims to create a resource for not only the LGBTQIA+ Muslim community, but also those outside of it. Being both queer and Muslim can be an extremely lonely experience, and I hope this series can help individuals feel seen, and supported. Since 2022, I have published and exhibited part of this project, and I can’t count how many people have walked up and said “thank you”, with tears in their eyes. This work has begun to not only feel like an homage to Farid, but to queered and racialized bodies – bodies in liminality. The images should be perceived as an invitation into someone’s quiet intimacy – I often photograph people in their home, in their bedroom. We usually make portraits in a bit of a rush, because we lose track of time speaking for hours before! In this moment, some closeness and trust has settled between us, a form of empathy fills the room, and this is when the photography happens. While the portraits invite you into the participants’ world, I hope they also carry an immense demand for respect and attention.
In what kind of projects might it be of advantage to be a female photographer?
For this project, I found it important to be a woman, and to be queer. As we know by now, the history of photography is male dominated and, sadly, full of extractive practices. This leaves trauma… And the people I photograph all have at a point in their life been discriminated against. I believe approaching this project as a female photographer can remove a potential fear someone can have towards men, and a fear of being taken advantage of – or again, being completely misunderstood.
Why are there still so few women photographers?
There have always been women photographers, or there have been women with a vision, but not enough women who had access to cameras. As photography is getting more accessible, we can see a change, and more opportunity; but it takes time, sometimes generations, and the photography world is still full of secrets and gate keeping. Grants like the Leica Women Photo Award represent a perfect example of providing tools for change in this field.
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Stasia Schmidt (Canada): With Ephemerality, Schmidt offers a poetic counter-proposal to the robust depiction of the male explorers of remote landscapes.
What does this award mean to you?
Winning the Leica Women Foto Project Award was a tremendous boost of reassurance that I am doing something worthwhile and meaningful, not only for myself but also for a broader audience. Ephemerality is the foundation of what I’m planning, which is a long career of thought-provoking, fine art images; this award spurs me to imagine more projects and dream bigger. It has given me confidence that there is a place for me in the world of fine art photography.
Could you explain briefly what your winning series is about and why you chose this topic?
When I started Ephemerality, I didn’t know what it would evolve into; I just knew I was drawn to this idea of an anonymous female figure in harsh, stark settings. After creating a few images and seeing the series start to coalesce, I realized it was partly about women in the wild, and how their voices and stories have long been relegated to a dusty, forgotten corner of irrelevance. I was motivated to address that imbalance and show a different perspective. The phantom embodies femininity in these spaces, but there is also an idea of impermanence. She exists in this realm and the next, reminding us of our own brevity and the delicacy of our beautiful earth. Femininity, wild spaces, and our unavoidable impermanence are very personal themes I wrestle with, and I felt they might have broader appeal beyond my personal musings.
What would you like to achieve with your series; how should the images be perceived?
The main goal with Ephemerality was to complete it; they were challenging images to create, and simply finishing it was a milestone. I think the final perception of any image is, ultimately, left up to the viewer, but my hope is that the photos of Ephemerality spark moments of feeling and inspiration within our wild world. If anyone sees this series and feels their imagination stirred, then I’ve done my job.
In what kind of projects might it be of advantage to be a female photographer?
Women photographers are uniquely positioned to speak to the female experience, but I’m not only referring to photos of women by women, as empowering as those can be. The perspective of simply existing on earth as women frames the subjects we shoot, where we place our focus, and when we release the shutter – ultimately, adding to the rich tapestry of stories being told. This is my advantage every time I pick up my camera.
Why are there still so few women photographers?
Photography helps shape our culture and how we perceive ourselves. When people see themselves represented in photography – in the images that are published and in the art that is sold, it’s a reminder that they also matter; they belong. I recently read that women comprise 80% of recent photography graduates. However, according to the data I could find, whether it’s newspaper bylines, sponsorships, or gallery contracts, professional female photographer representation ranges between 9% and 24%. That’s a huge disconnect. Whenever an industry is dominated by a particular group, it will always be a struggle for “outsiders” to break in; access, support, and mentorship are everything. Highlighting the work of female photographers, as Leica is doing with this award, is a step towards ensuring opportunities for all photographers, regardless of gender. More opportunities mean different perspectives are shared, diverse stories are told, and creativity can thrive. As a photographer, a female photographer, I want to embody that ethos and help light the way for others to do the same.
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Dola Posh (Great Britain): Posh’s Omo mi series draws attention to the emotional changes experienced by black women who have recently given birth.
What does this award mean to you?
It means everything. I was born and raised in Lagos, Nigeria, and sometimes having an artist’s dream is viewed as not being a serious person; I made a list of dreams for my career in 2020, and LWFP recipient was on the list. I applied for the Leica Women Foto project three times. Every time I got rejected I viewed it as growth, and that I needed to stay steady and keep walking on this path – just like a baby, I was still learning, learning to sit, crawl, stand and walk, and now I’m walking, and I’m beyond grateful for my little dream being a reality. Even if some days I felt like I didn’t know what I was doing and if this was the right path. But today, I am a winner of LWFP, and that validates my journey, the impact our story is making, and an opportunity to expand the work – to do more. It means everything words cannot describe; every young black girl born in Nigeria – called weird for being creative or different – will see and know there’s a place where their stories are needed. They have support to keep growing and only need to be themselves and show up.
Could you explain briefly what your winning series is about and why you chose this topic?
I didn’t choose to do this project; it chose me. I became a mom during COVID-19 and didn’t have a ‘job’ any more; all I had was myself, my camera and my child in my hands. I began documenting our life at home, and naturally, the work progressed. As I shared our story, the joys and struggles of motherhood with the online world, mothers began reaching out, and we bonded. After two years of exploring this work, I shared the post-partum depression story and my inbox flooded with Black mothers talking about the stigma they have felt, and the loneliness around motherhood and their health after childbirth; so I knew it was time to extend it to other black mothers.
What would you like to achieve with your series; how should the images be perceived?
With the series, I want the world to see a Black woman’s innate heart, and to know that our lives are beyond pain and struggles; there is purity, beauty, strength, love, softness and, above all, a community that raises and supports the child they don’t even know. I received the love of several women when my daughter Monioluwa was born, and I hope this project can show many mothers they are not alone. Eventually, we build a community that supports a mother’s mental, physical and sexual health after birth. Life for a mother begins after birth, and I hope this story brings them support and advocacy. The images will include the natural elements from the original series, e.g. light, veils, etc., and the mothers adorned in textiles and pieces that remind them of ‘home’. I hope it is perceived with love and brings joy and calmness to anyone who sees it.
In what kind of projects might it be of advantage to be a female photographer?
All kinds of projects. Being a woman is a gift, and there is no story or work a woman wants to do that she can’t execute. Women carry so much grace and heart that we extend it into whatever we choose to do. So, all kinds of projects.
Why are there still so few women photographers?
I would have agreed with this question many years ago. But in my space, I see women, and they are visible. I see and read their works and share their stories. I am a Fellow of the RSA, a member of Black Women Photographers and Women Photograph, so I see women. The question should be: why are more organisations not providing more space for women? Why is a woman’s work seen as too emotional or not worthy of a big scale? I am blessed to have my work seen, so I am grateful to Leica for providing this platform and opportunity for women worldwide and blessed it’s my time now. Thank you.
Care
Washing her Feet
Carry my Child
Mother’s Day Year 3
Emi and Adeolu
The Leica Women Foto Project Award is sponsored by Leica Camera USA in collaboration with Photoville. The award encourages women photographers to bring their perspective to the general public. The award is endowed with prize money amounting to $10,000 for each winner, as well as a Leica SL2-S with Vario-Elmarit-SL 24-70 f/2.8 Asph.
