In 2020, the Leica Oskar Barnack Award (LOBA) celebrated its 40 year anniversary. It was the first time that competition participants were selected through a nomination process; and, once again, this year a group of experienced international photography experts will be the ones to choose the participants for LOBA 2021.
Over one hundred respected photography experts from 43 countries, including curators, gallery managers, art directors, and numerous photographers, select the participants for LOBA 2021.
Based upon personal expertise and experience, each member from this team of nominators may choose up to three photo series. The only requirements for a nomination are that the photographic work be of a documentary or conceptual-artistic nature and that it deals with the relationship between people and their environment. This humanistic constant has defined the LOBA competition, since its inception in 1979. In addition to the candidates for the main award, each nominator may name one additional photographer, under 30 years of age, for the LOBA Newcomer Award.

In May, the five-person jury (Sandra M. Stevenson, Ralph Gibson, Santiago Lyon, Michael Pritchard, Karin Rehn-Kaufmann) met at Leica Camera AG headquarters in Wetzlar. They have chosen the 2021 LOBA winner of the main award from a shortlist of up to twelve series, and the Newcomer Award winner from a shortlist of six. This summer, the series produced by the shortlisted candidates was presented on the LOBA website. The announcement and award ceremony celebrating the winners in both categories will take place in November.

The prize money, which was increased significantly in 2020, will remain the same in 2021: the winner of the LOBA will receive 40,000 euros and Leica camera equipment valued at 10,000 euros; the Newcomer Award winner will receive 10,000 euros and a Leica Q2. The winning series, which will first be presented in Wetzlar on the occasion of the award ceremony in November, will also become part of a touring exhibition that will be showcased in Leica Galleries and select Photo Festivals around the world. An accompanying catalog of the winners and all of the shortlisted candidates will be available.

Here are the LOBA 2021 finalists:

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Ana María Arévalo Gosen (Venezuela)
Días Eternos (Eternal Days)

Enri Canaj (Albanien)
Say Goodbye Before You Leave