Hasselblad is excited to announce the six category winners in the
Hasselblad Masters 2023 competition. The 2023 categories included Landscape, Architecture, Portrait, Art, Street and Project//21. The competition welcomed submissions from renowned industry professionals, emerging talents and photographers under the age of 21.
Each winner obtains the coveted title of “Hasselblad Master,” and receives their own Hasselblad 100-megapixel mirrorless medium format camera, two XCD Series lenses and an expanded creative fund of EUR 5,000. They will participate in a collaborative project with Hasselblad, and have the opportunity to be published in the commemorative Hasselblad Masters book and digitally on all Hasselblad channels.
Opening in December 2023, the biannual competition received a record-breaking 85,000 images submitted by photographers worldwide, marking a 35% increase in entries compared to the 2021 competition.
Hasselblad Masters is widely acclaimed as one of the world’s most prestigious professional photography competitions. The winners are judged on their photographic ability, creativity and technique. They are chosen through a combination of public vote and a professional grand jury composed of internationally renowned photographers and imaging experts.
Stefan Jensen, Photographer and Curator at the Hasselblad Foundation and Grand Jury Chair, commented, Being a jury member for this year's Hasselblad Masters competition has been an exciting and challenging process, as the high level of quality in submissions made selection difficult. A word that comes to mind when looking at the winning contributions is sensemaking. All but one category featured photographs in their original definition – a subject in front of the camera. They range from documentary to staged images and collages, but what they have in common is that they are a reflection of reality. This competition's photographers open doors for viewers to understand and make sense of their surroundings, demonstrating the strength of the photographic image in contemporary times.
The 2023 category winners are:
Landscape
Tibetan Landscape from the Train Window © Weimin Chu
| China
Series: Tibetan Landscape from the Train Window
The images by Weimin Chu capture traditional landscapes integrated with modern developments in China. Chu creates a frame within a frame, connecting the carriage interior with the outside landscape, inviting us to journey alongside the photographer through landscapes and time.
These landscapes with a sense of humanity send me on a trip across various locations. The color pallet is soft and refined, and intensely balanced, says Anne Farrar, Assistant Managing Editor of Photography at National Geographic and Grand Jury member.
Artist Description of Series
“This series of works was shot in the trains of the Qinghai-Tibet Railway and the Lalin Railway. Through the train windows, the traditional natural landscapes and the social landscape photography of the times are combined.
On the way to Tibet by train, I was inspired by Chinese photographer Wang Fuchun's Chinese on the Train and American photographer Lee Friedlander's America by Car, and I came up with the idea of using trains, a large-scale means of transportation in China.
At representative locations along the way, the idea of showing China's contemporary scenery through the train windows. Outside the car window, there are not only the shocking Gobi, lakes, snow-capped mountains, but also contemporary man-made landscapes such as high-voltage power towers, sand-proof walls, plateau highways, etc.
At the same time, I also took in some characters or objects in the train to present their identities and the style of the times through some indirect methods. These photos are the three most representative ones among the hundreds of thousands of train window photos I took more than 30 times in the past few years.”
- Weimin Chu
Architecture
Tiina Itkonen | Finland
Series: Home
Tiina Itkonen's series documents the traditional lives of Inuit hunters and their families, who live in small wooden houses in remote parts of East and North West Greenland. Her images exemplify resilience and ingenuity in extreme conditions.
What I love about this series is its freedom to let the building live in a space. There’s a softness to the pallet which reflects the simple architecture on a quiet landscape, says Anne Farrar, Assistant Managing Editor of Photography at National Geographic and Grand Jury member.
Since 1995 Itkonen has traveled regularly to Greenland to photograph the polar landscape and its people. She has traveled more than 1500 kilometers along the west coast of Greenland by dogsled, fishing scow, sailboat, helicopter, small plane, cargo ship and oil tanker and along the way spending time in small villages and coming to know the Greenlandic people.
Since 2017 Itkonen has been documenting the traditional life of the Inuit subsistence hunters and their families to understand how they are affected by climate change.
Portrait
Panji Indra Permana | Indonesia
Series: Bicycle Street Sellers of Jakarta
Panji Indra Permana's project, 'The Cyclist Portrait,' began in 2020, documenting Indonesia's cycling trend during the COVID-19 pandemic. Initially focused on lifestyle portraits, it evolved to highlight those who rely on bicycles for their livelihoods and those who sell them. Historically, bikes in Indonesia were a symbol of privilege, owned by officials, aristocrats and wealthy merchants. Through his work, Permana promotes a healthier lifestyle and a greener planet.
By using a backdrop and flash, the photographer plays on the historical aspects of studio photography, bringing out elements reminiscent of historical paintings, says Stefan Jensen, Curator at the Hasselblad Foundation and Grand Jury Chair.
Artist Description of Series
“Bicycles are clearly not new to Indonesians. They have been part of the archipelago since Indonesia was still called the Dutch East Indies, under Dutch colonial rule. Ownership of bicycles in the Dutch East Indies at that time was limited. Only certain groups, such as colonial officials, aristocrats, missionaries, and wealthy merchants, owned bicycles. Ownership of bicycles is a prestigious title among local people.
COVID-19 gives many of us a new hobby, cycling. Not different from the rest of the world, Indonesia also feels the same euphoric trend. We can see a lot of people buying bicycles as a means for sports or recreation. It is nice to see a lot of people dressed so nicely to ride a bike, especially on the weekend.
I have started a portrait photography project to document these phenomena, to shoot people with their bikes. It started as a lifestyle portrait project in 2020. The project is called The Cyclist Portrait (Instagram: @thecyclistportrait).
But as time passed, I see something that is usually missed by people, that is the people who make a living with bicycles as their means of transportation. Therefore, I also collect photographs of these bicycle sellers. I want to encourage people to start cycling, to promote a healthier life and a healthier planet. That’s why I use a bicycle to carry all the gear while hunting for these portraits.”
- Panji Indra Permana
Art
Jan Pypers | Belgium
Series: Diorama
Jan Pypers’ series explores humans lost bond with nature, inspired by traditional dioramas and modern representation. By blending reality with surrealism, Pypers creates images that evoke curiosity and intrigue. It urges reconnection with and respect for the natural world.
The photographer skillfully balances what looks like a documentary scene with added elements that make us question their reality, says Stefan Jensen, Curator at the Hasselblad Foundation and Grand Jury Chair.
Artist Description of Series
“The series explores our lost bond with nature, inspired by traditional dioramas and modern digital representations. It urges reconnection and respect with nature. I used Photoshop to merge several photos. Contrary to what many think, I do not use 3D or artificial intelligence, but old film techniques such as scale models and forced perspective.”
- Jan Pypers
Street
Tom Pitts | United Kingdom
Series: The Commute
Tom Pitts’ series captures the unspoken emotions of strangers in transit, photographed at bus stops in England. “I wanted to capture and share the stories and moments that take place every day during people's commutes, and the underlying beauty that passes us by, says Pitts.
The artist has captured moments that create a poignancy and narrative, essential to successful Street Photography, says Andy Saunders, Senior Vice President at Getty Images and Grand Jury member.
Artist Description of Series
“This work was taken at bus stops in my home town of Cheltenham and in London during the course of 2023. I wanted to capture and share the stories and moments that take place every day during people's commutes, and the underlying beauty that passes us by.
The apparent sorrow and loneliness of an isolated figure against the rain on the bus, the woman who is holding her head at the end of a long working day perhaps in reaction to what she has just experienced, and finally the man carrying roses with a surgical mask pulled down looking at the women who is oblivious to him at the bus stop - is that who the flowers were for? The love he lost.”
- Tom Pitts
Project // 21
Efraïm Baaijens | Netherlands
Series: Tiny Titans
Efraïm Baaijens' micro images capture the extraordinary beauty and detail of the insect world. “Let's marvel at these tiny faces and remember to respect all life forms, no matter how small. Insects are vital to our ecosystem, pollinating plants and maintaining balance in nature. You don't have to travel far to witness nature's wonders—just step outside and look closely, says Baaijens.
Beautifully executed, we’re drawn into believing these insects have character and what they might be ‘thinking, commented Andy Saunders, Senior Vice President at Getty Images and Grand Jury member.
Artist Description of Series
“Discover the magic of our world, These insect portraits may seem like they're from distant lands, but they were all taken right here, in my city. Let's marvel at these tiny faces and remember to respect all life forms, no matter how small. Insects are vital to our ecosystem, pollinating plants and maintaining balance in nature.
You don't have to travel far to witness nature's wonders—just step outside and look closely. Respect for insects enriches our connection to the world around us.”
- Efraïm Baaijens
2023 Grand Jury
Stefan Jensen (Jury Chair) - Photographer and Curator at the Hasselblad Foundation
Andy Saunders - Senior Vice President at Getty Images
Anne Farrar - Assistant Managing Editor of Photography at National Geographic
Aya Musa - Senior Curator at Foam
Jianguo Feng Professor - Academy of Arts & Design, Tsinghua University
Kirstie Johnstone - Creative Production Partner at AMV BBDO
Maria Svarbova - Hasselblad Master 2018
Marine Merindol - Global Director of Strategy and Operations at Magnum Photos
About Hasselblad Masters
Since it was established in 2001, the Hasselblad Masters competition has been dedicated to providing a platform for extraordinary photographers worldwide. The Hasselblad Masters is one of the world's most prestigious art competitions, giving professional photographers the chance to make their mark in the world of photography.
About Hasselblad
Headquartered in Sweden, renowned around the globe. Since 1941, Hasselblad cameras have inspired photographers to create classic masterpieces and capture many iconic images, including documenting the historical moment of the first humans on the Moon. For 80 years, Hasselblad has expanded the boundary of photographic storytelling with its excellent image quality, exquisite Scandinavian design, and meticulous craftsmanship, equipping customers with the ability and inspiration to create excellent images.
