JOHAN LETELLIER | 1st PLACE

LE MONT OEIL PAR | johanletellier.book.fr

In 1995, during a trip to Lapland, Johan Letellier experienced a profound revelation upon discovering the photographic work of Henri Cartier-Bresson. While maintaining his profession as a plumber, Johan decided to enroll in a photography workshop to familiarize himself with black and white printing techniques. Over time, he started capturing various significant events through his lens, with his artistry eventually being showcased in several exhibitions. For two decades, Johan held the role of a dermatological photographer, all the while nurturing his passion and honing his skills in artistic photography..

CHIARA FELMINI | 2nd PLACE

UNTITLED | chiarafelmini.myportfolio.com

Born in Turin in 1965, she has been a photographer since the age of 8, when she received her first camera as a gift (which she still owns); since then, she has never stopped looking at the world from behind a lens with an evergrowing interest in travel and the environment. Animals have been part of her life, professionally and otherwise, for over 30 years and photographing them has been an absolutely natural path. It was only later that her love for travel led her to discover a passion for documentary and reportage photography. As a photographer, she tells stories, and engages in aesthetic and emotional research; the constant search for light, for color, for the moment, but above all for interaction with the people she meets, provides her with a great impetus for sharing and understanding human nature – an activity that has now become indispensable for her.

Much satisfaction comes from the publication of her shots in sector maga zines (National Geographic foremost, but also Dodho Magazine, AAP, The Photographer) and from recognitions in national and international competitions (National Geographic, PX3, Mifa, IPA, ND, Monovision, WWDPhC). She has exhibited her works in Turin, Reggio Emilia, Tortona and Piobesi Torinese, as well as at the Festival of Ethical Photography in Lodi and, most significantly, within the prestigious Atlas of Humanity which has been on display in Milan, Paris and recently in New York. She has also been called several times to present her works at theme nights in photographic and cultural circles

JIRI SNEIDER | 3rd PLACE

VIEW | jirisneider.com

He was born (11.12.1979) and raised in Český Krumlov, where he still resides. Photography began to fascinate him around the year 1997. He has always been drawn to black and white photography, hence this constitutes two-thirds of his work. His main focus has been on portraiture and traveller documentaries.

His photographic skill has further developed recently thanks to his travels to places such as Ukraine, Bangladesh, Armenia, Nagorno-Karabakh, Japan, among others. These destinations have provided a multitude of themes and situations involving people in their homes, at work, on the streets, and during religious rituals. His photographic work, which he considers an extension of his home, presents a unique perspective of the Czech Republic. His portraits, full of emotion, utilize both natural light and studio lighting. His wish is for viewers to pause for a moment and reflect on the facial expressions, feelings, and natural appearance of the individuals portrayed.

In terms of his professional achievements, he has received the Excellence FIAP/bronze distinction from the International Federation of Photographic Art, a globally recognized body. He is a member of the Association of Professional Photographers of the Czech Republic (APF ČR). Moreover, he has earned the title of European Qualified Photographer (QEP). His talent has also allowed him to participate in world-renowned photography competitions, such as those organized by FIAP, Monochrome Awards, and Monovision Awards.

STEVEN KRUIT | HONORABLE MENTION

UNTITLED | reportage-photography.com

Steven Kruit is originally from Amsterdam, The Netherlands but after his study International Business from the Maastricht University, he was posted for his work in South East Asia. Working as the country manager Bangladesh for a large European Fashion Retailer he knows the region around India and Bangladesh pretty well.

As he likes both travelling and photography, being posted in such an unexplored region is such an advantage. Steven says: “Most people know Bangladesh only from the stories in the newspaper, but Bangladesh has so much more to offer than that. As I have lived in Dhaka for allmost twenty years now, I understand the people, the culture, the language. This gives me every holiday and weekend the opportunity to discover the unexplored parts of the country. And I can guarantee you: the Bengali people are one of the most friendly people with so much hospitality that I have ever met. Besides that the countryfield and the small and remote villages are so beautiful: from the lush hilly tea area in the North East to the coastal regions in the South with the longest sea beach in the world. But besides the landscapes, the people are very interesting. Their lives are not always easy, but they are very strong and resilient and always encounter foreigners with curiosity and respect. And whenever most local people see a camera, they line up because they would like to have their picture taken. Combined with the vivid colors and the beautiful light, Its a photographer’s paradise! I invite everybody to come and see this hidden gem in Asia, where the stories are waiting to be told.’”

The selected picture is taken during a religious congregation called Bishwa Ijtema, the second largest muslim gathering in the world. During the special prayers on the last day, all people stop their activities and pray, even when travelling, such as the two boys in an intercity train near the venue.

FRIEKE JANSSENS | HONORABLE MENTION

NUDES BY NIGHT | frieke.com

Over the past 25 years, Frieke Janssens has acquired a reputation as a photographer of surreal staged tableaux and group portraits, often originating in a specific concept, and almost always stemming from an inexhaustible interest in human diversity.

Notable series include, among others, Smoking Kids, Your last shot, Diana’s, Animalcoholics, and recently Lightness. In the same way that an oil painter builds up a work layer by layer, she too meticulously creates each image, down to the smallest detail. In every picture we can recognise the same artistic touch, the same technical perfection, combined with a playful duality between reality and fiction. At first glance, her images attract the viewer because of their pared-down beauty. Yet once one really starts to look in earnest, one realises that there are always multiple layers of meaning. It seems as if the people portrayed are trying to tell us something. However, they are silent, and consequently have to rely on the viewers to create the story for themselves. Frieke does not adopt any particular position, but aims to convey the feeling that one is not only looking at a photograph, but at a mirror as well. As such, she leaves the viewers free in their interpretation, yet never leaves them indifferent.

She sometimes lends her pared-down style to clients with whom she has a good connection, like a cultural centre, or a campaign, or a newspaper or magazine. In recent years, Frieke Janssens has exhibited in New York, Chicago, London, Hull, Bilbao and obviously also in her own country, including in Antwerp and Knokke-Heist. Her work has appeared in The Guardian, The Atlantic, Huffington Post, Knack, De Morgen, De Tijd and NRC, among others. Her book The Sweetest Taboo won gold at the 2019 Henry Van De Velde awards. In 2022, her third book Lightness was published on the occasion of the eponymous exhibition in Foto Knokke-Heist.