The Leica Oskar Barnack Award, a highly esteemed and coveted international award for high quality reportage photography, has been presented since 1979, the year marking the 100th year anniversary of the birth of Oskar Barnack. This year, there were over 2,800 entries from professional photographers in 101 countries  –  a record number compared to previous years. Those given the difficult task of choosing a winner were: Bruce Gilden, Magnum photographer, Stephan Erfurt, Director of the C/O Berlin, Valérie Fougeirol, Creative Director of the Magnum Gallery in Paris, Karin Rehn-Kaufmann, Artistic Director of the Leica Galerie in Salzburg and Brigitte Schaller, Art Director of Leica Fotografie International magazine. On July 3, 2012, Leica Camera AG presented the award to US photographer Frank Hallam Day in the course of the Rencontres Internationales de la Photographie photographic festival held in Arles, France. They also awarded Polish photographer Piotr Zbierski with the Leica Oskar Barnack Newcomer Award. What follows are videos documenting the award ceremony and interviews with the photographers:

 

Frank Hallam Day, winner of the 2012 Leica Oskar Barnack Award for his portfolio “Alumascapes,” and Piotr Zbierski, winner of the 2012 Leica Oskar Barnack Newcomer Award for his portfolio “Pass by Me,” accept their awards on July 3, 2012 in Rencontres d’Arles, France.

 

Here is a video presentation of “Alumascapes,” the portfolio by Frank Hallam Day, winner of the 2012 Leica Oskar Barnack Award and of the portfolio “Pass by Me” by Piotr Zbierski, winner of the 2012 Leica Oskar Barnack Newcomer Award, along with the finalists’ work.

 

Frank Hallam Day discusses his portfolio “Alumascapes” and reveals how he came to take his winning photographs in the woods of Florida.

 

Piotr Zbierski talks about his portfolio,”Pass by Me,” how he became interested in photography and why he enjoys shooting people above any other subject.

 

-Leica Internet Team

For more information about the Leica Oskar Barnack Award, visit www.leica-oskar-barnack-award.com.