Saltzman–Leibovitz Prize
The Saltzman-Leibovitz Photography Prize was founded in 2025 by photographer and philanthropist Lisa Saltzman, through the Saltzman Family Foundation, in collaboration with the internationally renowned photographer Annie Leibovitz. It honours the legacy of Ralph and Muriel Saltzman, both deeply committed collectors and longstanding patrons of the arts.
The 2026 Prize celebrates the next generation of female visual storytellers, in honour of Annie Leibovitz’s book Women, and is designed to spotlight emerging talent at a pivotal moment in their creative journeys. For this edition, five international nominators from across the photography field have each proposed an exceptional artist, whose work will be judged by an esteemed jury.
Nominators
Emma Bowkett (Director of Photography, FT Weekend Magazine)
Zanele Muholi (Visual Activist)
Jennifer Pastore (Global Creative Director, Vanity Fair)
Ivan Shaw (Visuals Editor, The World of Interiors and Director, Archive Strategy and Engagement)
Leslie Simitch (Executive Vice President, Trunk Archive)
Jury
Deborah Aaronson (Vice President and Group Publisher, Phaidon)
Phyllis Posnick (Contributing Editor, Vogue)
David Campany (Curator and Creative Director, International Center of Photography, New York)
Azu Nwagbogu (Curator; National Geographic Explorer at Large; Founder and Director of the African Artists’ Foundation; Founder of LagosPhoto Festival; Creator of Art Base Africa)
The 2026 nominees are:
Miranda Rae Barnes, Marisol Mendez, Cole Ndelu, Lindeka Qampi, Bettina Pittaluga.
A selection of works by the nominated artists will be exhibited at Photo London, Olympia, 13–17 May, 2026.
© Marisol Mendez, Dolorosa
© Bettina Pittaluga, Yellow bath, 2025
© Cole Ndelu, Confirmation day - Tayla with mom, 2025
© Miranda Barnes, Social Season
© Lindeka Qampi, Inyanda, 2016
2025
Winner: Zélie Hallosserie
The winner of the first edition was 21-year-old French photographer Zélie Hallosserie. Other shortlisted photographers include Elena Kalinichenko (Ukraine), Ka’Vozia Glynn (USA), Praise Hassan (Nigeria), Toma Hurduc (Romania), and Trâm Nguyễn Quang (Netherlands), whose work was exhibited at Photo London, Somerset Hose, 15–18 May 2024.
Artists were selected by a jury including Drew Sawyer (Whitney Museum), Isolde Brielmaier (curator and scholar), Kira Pollack (freelance photo editor) and Raul Martinez (Condé Nast).
"Zélie’s work stands out for its emotional sincerity and commitment to humanizing complex social issues," says Lisa Saltzman. "She exemplifies the spirit of this prize—compassionate, courageous, and deeply engaged". Hallosserie is known for her committed documentary practice examining migration and exile in northern France. Her ongoing project, The Game, focuses on the experiences of people living in and around Calais — many from Iraq, Iran, Syria, Afghanistan, Sudan, and Eritrea — who undertake the dangerous journey across the English Channel. The crossings remain perilous, with numerous lives lost in recent years.
Since 2022, Hallosserie has worked closely with a local shelter in Calais, leading photography workshops and building sustained relationships with those directly affected. This long-term engagement informs a practice grounded in trust and collaboration. Through her work, she seeks to move beyond the reductive framings often found in mainstream media, foregrounding dignity, individuality, and the complex realities of displacement.
© Zélie Hallosserie, Handshake between two Soudanese friends
© Zélie Hallosserie, Mohammed in the Saint-Pierre shelter
© Zélie Hallosserie, Soudan via Tiktok
© Zélie Hallosserie, Rayan in the Sésame shelter
Shortlisted artists 2025 Saltzman Leibovitz Photography Prize © Hubhult
© Zélie Hallosserie, Departure. Police men and a volunteer after the departure of a small boat
© Zélie Hallosserie, Life Jacket in the dunes