In 1839, photography as “the medium was first made widely available to the public,” hence the name of the 1839 Photography Awards. To honor great photographers who use it as an art form, the 1839 Awards have announced the winners of this year’s competition in various categories.
So, without further ado, we invite you to explore photography through the lens of art that can manifest in breathtaking landscapes, intimate portraits, captivating minimalism, and much more.
More info:Instagram|1839awards.com
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Awards: 3rd Place, Overall Contest Winner and Silver, Nature.“A wild barn owl photographed as it focuses on its prey.”
Bored Pandareached out to Lily Fierman, Co-Founder and Director behind the 1839 Awards, and Alexandrena Parker, the 1st Place Overall Contest Winner with a photo series called “Unsupervised.”First of all, we wanted to learn more about the origins of the 1839 Photography Awards and the inspiration behind its establishment.Lily kindly answered: “The1839 Awardswere named after the year photography began to spread worldwide after its initial presentation to the public in Paris. The contest is designed to hold space for celebrating and honoring the art of photography, from fine art photography to those who get more conceptual and use photography as a starting point for their work. The 1839 Awards are one of three contests we offer. Additionally, we hold theExposure One Awardsfor black and white photography and thereFocus Awards- our very first contest - which honors photography of all kinds.”
Bored Pandareached out to Lily Fierman, Co-Founder and Director behind the 1839 Awards, and Alexandrena Parker, the 1st Place Overall Contest Winner with a photo series called “Unsupervised.”
First of all, we wanted to learn more about the origins of the 1839 Photography Awards and the inspiration behind its establishment.
Lily kindly answered: “The1839 Awardswere named after the year photography began to spread worldwide after its initial presentation to the public in Paris. The contest is designed to hold space for celebrating and honoring the art of photography, from fine art photography to those who get more conceptual and use photography as a starting point for their work. The 1839 Awards are one of three contests we offer. Additionally, we hold theExposure One Awardsfor black and white photography and thereFocus Awards- our very first contest - which honors photography of all kinds.”
Awards: Gold, Photojournalism.“Ukraine has been defending itself against Russian aggression for two years. Thousands of soldiers and civilians are paying a terrible price for their freedom. But they are still fighting.”
“The judges' decision is based on the category and within the contest’s framework. So, if the category is ‘landscapes’ in the 1839 Awards, there is a bit of creativity in the process and how they choose the landscapes that make it into the final round because the contest rewards those using photography as their medium of expression. For a contest like this that specifically looks for photographers exploring the art of the image, these definitions can become subjective in the best way possible. As for objectivity, we have judges from quite a few different backgrounds, so this provides a variety of opinions. We were very specific in who we asked, knowing that we needed different viewpoints to facilitate a contest that rewards all types of photography, subjects, and stories,” explained Lily.
Awards: Gold, Nature.
Awards: People’s Vote Award, Animals.“Creating a color contrast in nature, with the empathy and love play of two enamored horses. On the heights of the SHIRIN mountains in the Barzan region of Kurdistan, during a cold winter, the warm meeting of these two horses brought spring back to nature.”
Regarding the People’s Vote Award, we asked Lily to describe the impact of the competition and how it influences the judges' final decisions.
Lily wrote: “The People’s Vote Awards are separate from the juried competition; they have no impact on one another. It’s yet another way photographers can get their work out into the world. The PVA portion of the competition happens after the jury has chosen the winners.”
Lily also shared which images have been the most memorable or groundbreaking from this year’s competition and what made them stand out to the judges.
Awards: People’s Vote Award, Conceptual and Honorable Mention, Conceptual.“In the early 2000s, I sought solace in the Amazon’s depths, capturing its solitude and stark beauty. With an infrared camera, I unveiled hidden hues, a poetic denunciation of deforestation’s toll. These photos, echo nature’s plea for preservation.”
We were also curious to know how Lily sees the role of photography evolving in the next decade and how the 1839 Photography Awards plan to adapt to these changes.“Photography is only becoming more and more important. As the world changes, for better or worse, those documenting these changes or telling stories with their cameras allow us to understand what’s happening around us. There are so many places many of us will never get to go, and we experience them through the work of others. We can’t appreciate or love what we don’t understand, and taking a photo allows us to understand. While getting caught up in the doomsday spiral of AI and big tech is easy to do these days, photography’s power will never be diminished because it helps us bear witness or understand something complex in ways that can’t be replicated through an algorithm. The person behind the camera and what they bring to each image is as important as the final photograph; we can’t forget that!” shared Lily.
We were also curious to know how Lily sees the role of photography evolving in the next decade and how the 1839 Photography Awards plan to adapt to these changes.
“Photography is only becoming more and more important. As the world changes, for better or worse, those documenting these changes or telling stories with their cameras allow us to understand what’s happening around us. There are so many places many of us will never get to go, and we experience them through the work of others. We can’t appreciate or love what we don’t understand, and taking a photo allows us to understand. While getting caught up in the doomsday spiral of AI and big tech is easy to do these days, photography’s power will never be diminished because it helps us bear witness or understand something complex in ways that can’t be replicated through an algorithm. The person behind the camera and what they bring to each image is as important as the final photograph; we can’t forget that!” shared Lily.
Awards: Silver, Animals.“Thanks to Macrophotography we can discover and appreciate detailsthat are hidden from us. In the project that I show you “Insects thelittle strangers” I have photographed different insects giving themgreat prominence and showing their singular beauty.”
Awards: Silver, Travel.““The Horsemen of Bromo,” epitomize a rich cultural legacy amidst Mount Bromo’s breathtaking landscape. are custodians of tradition, they provide visitors an immersive journey, blending vibrant customs with deep-rooted rituals, offering rides and a profound encounter with the region’s heritage.”
Awards: Bronze, Travel.“In this image is possible to appreciate this church, Destiny Church located in New Zealand, during midnight. The sky is into Dark Sky Reserve and it’s possible to see the length of the galaxy from a complete extension. The church built in 1935 appears in Heritage New Zealand.”
Awards: Gold, Still Life.
Alexandrena’s photo series has won multiple awards besides being the Overall Winner. It has also been awarded as Gold winner in the category Storytelling, Gold winner in the category Conceptual, and Bronze winner in the category People.
Alexandrena told us more about her photos and what inspired her to capture them.
“Children at play, alone, without any adult supervision is something that is simply not seen anymore. Between 1936-1972, Life Magazine, the first ‘all photographic’ news publication, was saturated with images of children playing freely on the streets.
Throughout this body of work, I felt compelled to highlight the simplicity and importance of childhood play in a modern world that is so screen-obsessed.
Set in the streets of Broken Hill, outback NSW, the scenes explore the relationship between the landscape past and present. The ‘set-like’ shop fronts pay homage to the past, giving the children a stage to authentically play. Does this scene really exist or has it been lost forever?”
My goal was to create a series that I could proudly hang on my wall. To achieve this, I chose to photograph children not as traditional portraits but as elements of urbanscapes. I aimed for these images to evoke a sense of timelessness, reminiscent of the children featured in Life magazine from the 1920s to the 1960s, who were often depicted playing marbles, skipping, or simply hanging out on the streets unsupervised.”
Awards: Gold, Film/Analog.“This image explores the theme of duality using the window to separate the world as it is and the world that is created.Made with a Mamiya 7II and Portra 400 film.”
Awards: 2nd Place, Overall Contest Winner and Gold, Animals.“Tiger standing on a bed in Buenos Aires, Argentina. This image is part of the project " The Book of Nature” that explores the concept of ‘Nature’ as a manmade construction."
“Upon arriving in Broken Hill, I connected with a local community member who helped put out a call on Facebook for children to participate. Sheridan Davey, a stylist, flew in from Sydney to bring the styling to life, and we sourced colorful outfits from local op shops. It was important to me that the images looked curated and considered, not documentary in style, which is why I emphasized vibrant colors.Because I had never been to Broken Hill before, I didn’t have specific photo locations planned until I arrived. The number of children who turned up at each location varied, resulting in some shots having more children than others. Despite these uncertainties, the series came together beautifully over the course of two days.”
“Upon arriving in Broken Hill, I connected with a local community member who helped put out a call on Facebook for children to participate. Sheridan Davey, a stylist, flew in from Sydney to bring the styling to life, and we sourced colorful outfits from local op shops. It was important to me that the images looked curated and considered, not documentary in style, which is why I emphasized vibrant colors.
Because I had never been to Broken Hill before, I didn’t have specific photo locations planned until I arrived. The number of children who turned up at each location varied, resulting in some shots having more children than others. Despite these uncertainties, the series came together beautifully over the course of two days.”
Awards: Silver, Landscapes.“A single exposure shot from a storm in the Saguaro desert.”
Awards: 1st Place, Overall Contest Winner; Gold, Storytelling; Gold, Conceptual; Bronze, People.“The sight of children engaged in unsupervised play, left to their own devices in the streets, has become increasingly rare.Set in outback Australia, the scenes weave together the past and present, symbolising the relationship between the landscape and the timeless essence of childhood.”
We were wondering how Alexandrena approaches photography as an art form and what is her creative process when planning and capturing the shots.
1.To create work that ‘I’ would want to hang on my wall
2.To create something that is challenging, pushing me forward
3.To create something that says something about me, or comment on something that is important to me.
If I can achieve these three things when making personal work it feels like my own form of professional development.”
Awards: Gold, Travel.“Nations of the Atlantic explores the ocean as a vessel to connect cultures, and focusses on the universal experience of places that rely on the sea for their everyday lives. It shifts the attention to small island nations, often overlooked in the greater discussion of climate change.”
Alexandrena also shared what challenges she faced while capturing the winning photographs.“I had never visited the location where I captured the series (Broken Hill) before, and it was about a 9-hour drive from where I live. Not knowing anyone there, I reached out to people through Facebook community pages to find children to participate in the photographs. Fortunately, I connected with a few locals who had contacts at the local primary school. I was never certain how many children would show up at each shoot location, which is why some photos have more children than others. I had only three full days in Broken Hill to scout locations, coordinate with the children, and capture the photos. The tight timeline was challenging but also forced me to stick to deadlines and make quick decisions,” wrote Alexandrena.
Alexandrena also shared what challenges she faced while capturing the winning photographs.
“I had never visited the location where I captured the series (Broken Hill) before, and it was about a 9-hour drive from where I live. Not knowing anyone there, I reached out to people through Facebook community pages to find children to participate in the photographs. Fortunately, I connected with a few locals who had contacts at the local primary school. I was never certain how many children would show up at each shoot location, which is why some photos have more children than others. I had only three full days in Broken Hill to scout locations, coordinate with the children, and capture the photos. The tight timeline was challenging but also forced me to stick to deadlines and make quick decisions,” wrote Alexandrena.
Awards: Silver, Nature.
Awards: People’s Vote Award, Nature and Honorable Mention, Nature.“Experience the mesmerizing beauty of the Icelandic skies through ‘Icelandic Aurora Color Dance’. This series captures the Aurora Borealis in its full, vibrant glory, weaving a visual symphony of purples, greens, and reds across the Nordic heavens.”
Winning such a prestigious award must be a significant milestone in any photographer’s career. Therefore, we asked Alexandrena to share how she plans to build on this achievement, and what we can expect to see from her in the future.“Winning first place in the 1839 Awards was a tremendous honor, and I am deeply grateful to have my work recognized. My primary goal is to continue creating work that fulfills me and fuels my passion for photography. It gives me purpose, and I feel incredibly fortunate to have found such a meaningful pursuit in my life. I love producing photography that prompts people to question, think, or see things from a different perspective, and I will continue to create with this focus. Recently, I have also begun directing short films, which has significantly challenged and enhanced my storytelling abilities using this dynamic medium.”
Winning such a prestigious award must be a significant milestone in any photographer’s career. Therefore, we asked Alexandrena to share how she plans to build on this achievement, and what we can expect to see from her in the future.
“Winning first place in the 1839 Awards was a tremendous honor, and I am deeply grateful to have my work recognized. My primary goal is to continue creating work that fulfills me and fuels my passion for photography. It gives me purpose, and I feel incredibly fortunate to have found such a meaningful pursuit in my life. I love producing photography that prompts people to question, think, or see things from a different perspective, and I will continue to create with this focus. Recently, I have also begun directing short films, which has significantly challenged and enhanced my storytelling abilities using this dynamic medium.”
Awards: Gold, People.“I met him once, trying to find my wayThe solitude of the highlands was what I soughtUnbidden, he sat beside me on a log one dayAs I was caught up with some restless thought”
Awards: Bronze, Conceptual.“With a fascination for wild animals, especially big cats, and classic cars, it all came together.Tiger Motel, is a joyful scene of a tiger on top of a classic car in front of a Californian motel.”
Awards: Bronze, Travel."“Kukeri” is a portrait of Bulgaria’s ancient pagan rituals performed in the countries remote mountain regions.The annual arcane rituals intended to dispel the evil spirits which might otherwise bring ill fortune to their community."
Awards: Bronze, Landscapes.“For the first time since the war, I returned to Sarajevo. The fog was disappearing and it was bitter cold. Smoke was rising from the chimneys and the sun was hiding behind the clouds. A stunning view with many layers. The many layers that represent the soul of the city.”
Awards: Bronze, Minimalism.
Awards: Bronze, Nature.“This image is part of the interior of a rock from Indonesia that measures 1.5 inches square. The stunning natural colors and ethereal, wispy mineral formations resemble nebulae in outer space.”
Awards: Bronze, Minimalism and People’s Vote Award, Minimalism.“It looks like one canoe, but actually two; It looks like only two people, but don’t miss a small dog is also on board. Lastly, there are three birds floating on the water.”
Awards: Gold, Film/Analog.“Made with Rolleiflex 2.9F and Portra 400.”
Awards: Silver, Conceptual.“Toussaint Louverture named himself after Papa Legba, an important figure in Haitian vodou culture.Toussaint aspired to enlightenment and paved the way for the Haitian revolution. All the representations of him that exist in the world have been imagined, and this image is one of them.”
Awards: Silver, Other.“The stuff dreams are made of, they are the imaginary of the sky with its disfigured, tumultuous and scattered past, , a canvas to see more beyond a limitless horizon, and thus magic makes an eternity out of nothing, becoming the eye of the soul.”
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Awards: Silver, Conceptual.“Childhood dreams of parental letters, filled with tales of distant lands, echoed in my journey to India. Amid serene pathways, my modified camera captured dreamlike scenes, mirroring Bhagavad Gita’s illustrations. Divine encounters unfolded, blending magic with photography.”
Awards: Bronze, People.“The fishing women are sewing the net when their husband still fishing in the sea. Vinh Hy Bay, Ninh Thuan province, Vietnam.”
Awards: Bronze, Event.“A long time exposure captures the movements of the octopus carnival ride at the Central States Fair in Rapid City, South Dakota.'
Awards: Gold, Minimalism.“Glen Canyon Dam, which holds the 2nd largest reservoir in the U.S. Because of climate changes, the water level dropped to less than 40%. A worker operating on a bed of algae. Look how small a human is compared to the scale of the structure, yet observe the immense impact we made on our environment.”
Awards: Bronze, Storytelling.“Ohio-raised, New York-based photographer Susan Copich has since 2010 been making highly staged and carefully crafted self-portraits that reflect on the dark sides of contemporary American femininity and the artist’s inner psychological dramas in ways that that are both alarming and relatable.”
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Awards: Gold, Minimalism.“Leaning over the balcony of my aunt’s Miami Beach apartment I noticed a woman in red going for a swim, so I went back for my camera.”
Awards: Silver, Photojournalism and Honorable Mention, Storytelling.“A boy jumping from the bridge into the canal of El-Max Fishing village, Alexandria, Egypt. Before demolition, every fisherman had his boat and equipment parked in front of his house. Residents used to call this canal the Middle East Venice, as it resembled the beauty and vibes of Italian Venice.”
Awards: Gold, Landscapes.“In late 2020 a wildfire broke out on World Heritage listed K’gari, the world’s largest sand island. It swept through more than 87,000 hectares or almost half the island. It burned for more than 2 months. During this time I discovered an unexpected and alluring beauty amongst the devastation.”
Awards: People’s Vote Award, Architecture and Honorable Mention, Architecture.“Staircase in the Stadtcasino, Basel, Switzerland”
Awards: Silver, Nature.“Diamond dust are ice crystals that form in the air when temperatures are extremely low. As global warming advances, we are seeing less of this magical phenomenon. I hope my images can prompt people to be kinder towards the environment so that they will not be a mere record of their once brilliance.”
Awards: Silver, People.“Child Portrait.”
Awards: Silver, Storytelling.“Three girls dressed in traditional Oaxacan dress in Teotitlán del Valle.”
Awards: Silver, Conceptual.“Constructing self-portraits and documenting her environment, Laycock explores the experience of living in a human body. The artist, who lives with Multiple Sclerosis, uses visual strategies to communicate where the limitations of language fail. Reflecting experiences of transition, loss, and illness.”
Awards: People’s Vote Award, Landscapes.“Hasselblad X1d II + Carl Zeiss Tele Tessar f8/500mm”
Awards: People’s Vote Award, Storytelling.“Domestic Witch (self-portrait) from the series: Domestic Goddess.”
Awards: Gold, Architecture.
Awards: Silver, Film/Analog and People’s Vote Award, Film/Analog."‘Every year I have to renew the white paint, at some places I even have to paint twice. I am 82 years old now and have been doing this with my father since I was a child. My children have moved to the big cities and I’m afraid that no one will take care of it after I die’, says Giorgos.”
Awards: Bronze, Film/Analog.“Analog 35mm color photography.”
Awards: Silver, Still Life.“Flowers communicate in a language that humans have long forgotten. We may one day be able to understand them and learn from them.”
Awards: Gold, Other.“Digital photograms of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). Provides protection from infectious particles but not from varying psycho-emotional states over time. Light shines through PPE, a digital process allows an inverse of colour and luminosity while maintaining a likeness to medical imaging.”
Awards: Gold, AI.
Awards: People’s Vote Award, Travel.
Awards: Bronze, Architecture.“A photo out a serie about Venice, this is Calatrava’s bridge in Venice where old meets new.”
Awards: Bronze, Photojournalism.“A couple is seen bathing in the waters of the Rio Negro, to cool off, during a very hot afternoon in the Brazilian Amazon near Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil.”
Awards: Bronze, Other.“What makes us vulnerable? For me, it is showing your true self. We’re told showing vulnerability can be a sign of weakness, but I wanted to showcase that it’s a sign of strength, we constantly hide behind a mask. I shot through the glass to give this illusion, yet the model’s pose is strong.”
Awards: People’s Vote Award, People and Honorable Mention, People.“This work touches on our desire to explore and see the mysteries of the world. Not knowing where the road may take you but being open to all opportunities it may bring. (shot on media format Kodak film)”
Awards: People’s Vote Award, Other and Nominee, Other.
Awards: Gold, Storytelling.“M brings together three series that explore from the Mediterranean basin to Trump’s America, and France, contemporary masculinities and the determination to express who one really is. The challenge is of introducing into the collective imagination these singular yet shared experiences.”
Awards: Bronze, Still Life and People’s Vote Award, Still Life."‘Reflection’ is a raw and emotive visual display of life, the events, outcomes, strength, and pull post The Pandemic. Through this series, I explored my experiences and life from 2020- 2023 documenting ideas abstractly through sculptural botanical creations using new and previous techniques."
Awards: Silver, Other.“The photograph is part of the NEOW series of more than 60 photographs exploring loneliness in a large city - quiet, empty, unexplainably radiant, as if it‘s in the neon light that we have any hope of finding understanding.”
Awards: Bronze, Other.“The Nature of Being Series.”
Awards: Silver, Still Life.“French Folds is a project about accumulation. My work is about family & memory, and—here specifically—about how women fill their homes and lives with things.”
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