Lessons from vienna
I just got back from Vienna, where I attended the exhibition at the Leica Gallery for the 14th Annual Street Photography Competition. Out of over 12,000 entries, 30 finalists were selected, and their entries were on display at the gallery.
I’m both humbled and honored to say that I was one of the 30 finalists. My entry, “Caught in the Grip of Art” is shown below. I really like this photograph. Some images take forever to capture, and there’s almost always something I wish I could tweak. But not this one. No AI, no cloning - just the world as I saw it.
I think the image is bold and powerful, and I like that there is a bit of a parallel going on here. The woman is examining the artwork, and, hopefully, the viewer is examining the photograph.
Caught In the Grip of Art
The competition winner was announced at the exhibition’s opening on March 6 and…
I didn’t win.
The winning photo belonged to Mingzu Liu, a brilliant young photographer from China, now living in Berlin. I absolutely love his entry. It was wonderful not just to see his work, but to see his joy when he was announced as the winner. I couldn’t be happier for him. You can take a look at his entry here: https://www.instagram.com/p/DG4Bk56I5Ez/?img_index=1
More Than a Competition
One of the best parts of this experience wasn’t just seeing the incredible photography on display—it was the people.
There’s something special about being surrounded by others who share a deep passion for photography. Mingzu Liu is one of those people. So was every single person I spoke with at the gallery—the patrons, the staff, the fellow photographers.
Moments like this are rare for me. I don’t live in New York, London, or any of the major street photography hubs (though I try to travel to them as often as I can). So having the chance to sit down, talk, and truly connect with other photographers was a gift.
Too often, social media feels like a place for drive-by appreciation—a heart emoji here, a fire emoji there. And while that’s fine, I crave more. I want to hear what aspects of an image move somebody—what resonates with them. I want to know what the photographer was striving for when they took the photo. That kind of conversation means more to me than a thousand Instagram likes.
This experience has motivated me more than I ever expected.
MOVING FORWARD
I’m challenging myself to be more intentional.
Less endless scrolling on social media.
More truly looking at the images in front of me.
More thoughtful engagement with photographers whose work resonates with me. If a photograph moves me, I want to say why. Not just with emojis, but with real words.
UNTIL NEXT TIME
To everyone I met in Vienna - thank you.
To those reading this, I’d love to hear your thoughts.
To all the photographers out there, keep capturing the world as only you see it.
And if you get a chance to go, the exhibition at the Leica Gallery in Vienna runs until the end of April, 2025.
Wishing you all the very best.
Jonathan
PS - I have included a couple of the photographs that I took on this trip below.
Waiting
Night Eats