From Digital Camera World · · 1m 40s
From wrestler to photography's top prize
Damir Faizulin wins Leica's 2026 Oskar Barnack Award after turning pro wrestling into documentary photography.
In brief
Damir Faizulin wins Leica's 2026 Oskar Barnack Award after turning pro wrestling into documentary photography. Damir Faizulin, a former professional wrestler, won Leica's 2026 Oskar Barnack Award for his series 'Preserving Nature as Preserving Ourselves' documenting Dagestan's changing communities. Originally reported…
Leica Oskar Barnack Award winners
Leica announced 2026 winners: Damir Faizulin takes top prize, Laila AnnMarie Stevens wins Newcomer Award, Valentina Sinis receives Women Grant.
Damir Faizulin's winning series
Faizulin won for 'Preserving Nature as Preserving Ourselves' exploring Dagestan's changing communities and traditional ways of life.
Faizulin's background
Faizulin was a professional wrestler until age 33 before turning to documentary photography, his first international competition win.
Laila AnnMarie Stevens
Stevens won Newcomer Award for 'Clayton Sisterhood Project' showing Black women's family connections in Clayton, North Carolina.
Valentina Sinis
Sinis received Women Grant for 'The Last Butterflies' documenting Kurdish women in Iraqi Kurdistan's armed resistance.
Award significance
The award highlights photography that addresses social, cultural, and environmental issues through meaningful storytelling.
Award details
Faizulin receives €40,000 and €10,000 in Leica equipment, Stevens gets €10,000 and a Leica Q3, Sinis receives €10,000 and a Leica Q3.
Exhibition plans
Winning projects will be shown at Ernst Leitz Museum in Wetzlar, Germany, with a catalog and international travel.
Jury selection
A five-person jury selected winners from over 400 entries, with 130 experts from 50 countries evaluating the main award.
Next steps
Sinis will continue documenting Kurdish women's experiences with support from the Women Grant for her next project phase.
In short
Damir Faizulin, a former professional wrestler, won Leica's 2026 Oskar Barnack Award for his series 'Preserving Nature as Preserving Ourselves' documenting Dagestan's changing communities.
