These PHOTOS of Dagestan won the prestigious ‘Leica Oskar Barnack Award’

Damir Faizulin/LOBA 2026
Damir Faizulin/LOBA 2026
Russian photographer Damir Faizulin won in the main category. A former wrestler, he started taking up photography less than 10 years ago.

At the age of 33, Damir Faizulin decided to leave professional wrestling and take up photography. His mentor was well-known Pskov documentary photographer Dmitry Markov. 

Seven years later, the very first competition Faizulin entered brought him a win. The ‘Leica Oskar Barnack Award’ was bestowed upon him for his series of photographs called ‘Preserving Nature as Preserving Ourselves’, all taken in the Republic of Dagestan.

Courtesy of LOBA 2026
Courtesy of LOBA 2026

The jury noted the poetic visual language that “delicately offers a multifaceted view of the issue of preserving natural landscapes”.

Take a peek at part of this incredible collection!

Damir Faizulin/LOBA 2026
Damir Faizulin/LOBA 2026
Damir Faizulin/LOBA 2026
Damir Faizulin/LOBA 2026
Damir Faizulin/LOBA 2026
Damir Faizulin/LOBA 2026
Damir Faizulin/LOBA 2026
Damir Faizulin/LOBA 2026
Damir Faizulin/LOBA 2026
Damir Faizulin/LOBA 2026
Damir Faizulin/LOBA 2026
Damir Faizulin/LOBA 2026
Damir Faizulin/LOBA 2026
Damir Faizulin/LOBA 2026
Damir Faizulin/LOBA 2026
Damir Faizulin/LOBA 2026