On October 11-12, a handover was held in the French city of Bayeux premiumsBayeux Calvados-Normandy Award for Military Correspondents. This year, Ukrainian photographers Konstantin and Vlada Liberova were among the laureates. Their photo series, dedicated to the war in Ukraine, received several high honors at once.
The ceremony in Baie, held since 1994 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the landing of Allied troops in Normandy, annually gathers the best military correspondents from around the world. The work of Liberov took second place in the category “Photography”, and also won the nomination “Spectator Likes”, where the winners are chosen by a wide audience.
“This is our common victory”
Konstantin Liberov said that receiving the award was a surprise for them and their joint achievement: “In fact, it is very unexpected that we received this statuette. We were submitted to the category “Photos”, where we took second place. I say “we” because everything that Vlada and I do, we do together. Although only one author's photo can be submitted for the contest, this is our collaborative work, and this is an important clarification.”
Konstantin says, given the fatigue of the world audience from the news about the Russian-Ukrainian war, the victory in the nomination “Spectator sympathies” is all the more valuable for them: “We were very much supported by both the jury and the public. In truth, in the third year of the war, it is becoming increasingly difficult to keep attention on Ukraine. And the fact that we have that recognition, especially in such strong competition, means a lot to us.”
About the selection of photos for the series
Konstantin and Vlada have been actively documenting the Russian-Ukrainian war from the first days of the invasion, working in the hottest points of the front. Their photographs reflect life on the front lines and tragedies of both military and civilian. The photos from Liberov's photo series cover the period 2023—2024 and convey the complex emotions of war. The authorities were responsible for the selection of photos for the photo series “War in Ukraine. Pain, despair and hope.” She talks about the challenges that photographers have faced:
“The most difficult thing for us is the choice of photos. We wanted to show war from different angles: not only the suffering of civilians, but also the pain of the military and their families. This war affects everyone, and everyone has their losses.”
Since the Liberovs had no experience of participating in photo contests, Vlada notes that the preparation for this prize was an important lesson for them: “Perhaps now I would have approached the selection of photos differently after the advice of the jury and colleagues. But even with the mistakes we made, getting this award is incredibly important to us.”
As a reminder, Konstantin and Vlada document the war from the first days of the Russian invasion, working directly on the front lines. Their photographs capture battles, the lives of military and civilians, as well as personal tragedies of Ukrainians. Their work is associated with a constant risk to life. In December 2023, Vlada received a shrapnel wound in the thigh while working in the Donetsk region. “It's not just about awards. This is a reminder to the world that the war continues,” Konstantin concludes.
Konstantin and Vlada Liberov— spouses of photographers from Odessa. They began their journey with creative and emotional love. In a few years, they have become one of the most recognizable photographers in the field and have moved on to active teaching activities, have thousands of grateful students around the world. At the beginning of the war in Ukraine, they changed the vector of their work, focusing on feature documentaries: their photos from hot spots in Ukraine go viral on social networks, gaining hundreds of thousands of reposts, they are published by influential media such as BBC, Welt, Vogue, Forbes, and also take to their social networks the President of Ukraine and others high-ranking persons. In Europe, two solo exhibitions of the Liberovs have already taken place, in addition, their photos have become part of many thematic exhibitions. The goal of Konstantin and Vlada is to make as many people as possible learn through the truth about the war in Ukraine. Photography for them is the meaning of life and the opportunity to multiply harmony in the world. Instagramphotographers.
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Researcher of the topic, author of the text: Vera Labych
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