I am incredibly honoured to finally share the news that I am one of eight 2022 Hasselblad Heroines invited to be a part of such a wonderful brand family.
This next stage career highlight is along the same vein of when I was signed to be represented by National Geographic Image Collection.
It’s one of my dreams come true and beyond hard work, tenacity, and believing in my visual voice, I am extremely grateful for those who continue to say my name in rooms where others won’t.
Thank you for opening this door, Hasselblad. I am beyond proud, humbled, and honoured to be part of your family.
You can check out my full Hasselblad profile here. Below is an excerpt.
PAVING THE WAY FOR BLACK FEMALE TRAVEL PHOTOGRAPHERS
As a female of colour, Lola struggled at the beginning of her career to find a mentor that looked like her, to help her imagine the possibilities of being a travel photographer herself.
“I’ve always loved traveling and knew being a traveling storyteller was going to be in my future in some form,” she explained. “That final push into professional travel photography came when I didn’t see Black women travel photographers who looked like me experiencing various cultures and places, and reporting for high profile publications.
“That became one of my missions – to open up the space for the next generation of travel photographers.”
For Lola, equal representation in the photography industry means women getting more resources to create. “Encouraging more women into professional photography means providing us with support, resources, platforms, and respect.”
Read the official press release below.
2022 HASSELBLAD HEROINES REVEALED
Gothenburg, Sweden
In celebration of Women’s History Month and the upcoming International Women’s Day on March 8th, Hasselblad once again highlights a select group of diverse female photographers in its fourth year of Hasselblad Heroines. Since the series launch in 2019, females from across the globe have been recognized for their creativity and dedication to the craft.
This year’s talent consists of eight remarkable women with a wide range of genres, including travel, architecture, nature, product, food & beverage, wedding, conceptual fine art, and portrait photography. These dedicated visual artists have created imagery across multiple continents, that have been featured in galleries, billboards, print, and online platforms. Starting March 2nd and continuing into April, each Hasselblad Heroine will be highlighted in a weekly spotlight on Hasselblad’s channels, covering topics including their experiences, challenges, tips, and what inspires them to reach their achievements.
Here are the 2022 Hasselblad Heroines:
• Lola Akinmade Åkerström (Stockholm, Sweden) – an award-winning storyteller, travel photographer, and international bestselling author who has travelled to more than 70 countries documenting cultural and environmental portraitures;
• Stephanie Blomkamp (Cape Town, South Africa) – who specialises in surreal portrait and conceptual photography and is the founder and editor of a new publication, Oath, which celebrates African photography;
• Gigi Chung (San Francisco, USA) – a fine art photographer and winner of multiple international photography competitions, who focuses on abstraction in the built environment and choreographed juxtapositions of urban spaces;
• Lisa Devlin (Brighton, UK) – a wedding and magazine photographer, whose easygoing style gracefully captures the passion and emotion of couples on their special day;
• Aline Smithson (Los Angeles, USA) – an educator, founder & editor of the daily photography journal Lenscratch, and photographic artist who shoots solely on film, whose conceptual fine art and portraiture photography has been displayed in galleries around the world;
• Annie Spratt (New Forest National Park, UK) – a nature photographer, who manages the community and curates images at Unsplash, all while raising a family of eight children;
• Karen Thomas (London, UK) – the first featured food & beverage Hasselblad Heroine, whose salivating photos conveying the deliciousness of food and drinks have been showcased on billboards, packaging, editorial, and brand name advertising campaigns;
• Lydia Winters (Stockholm, Sweden) – a product photographer, influencer and the chief storyteller for Mojang Studios (the creators of Minecraft), who shoots luxury watches, creating an elegant view of each treasured timepiece.
“Hasselblad Heroines has been instrumental in highlighting the outstanding work of female photographers,” said Isabella Tabacchi, 2021 Hasselblad Heroine. “We have great women on our artistic world stage and every woman, with their unique photographic style, is an essential contributor in the photography industry. For me, it has been such an honour to be included and show my aesthetic sense through my landscapes.”
Visit https://www.hasselblad.com/inspiration/heroines/ to find the latest and previous Hasselblad Heroines’ stories, images, and video interviews.
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.
For more information, visit Hasselblad online: www.hasselblad.com and follow us on: Instagram: www.instagram.com/hasselblad
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Visit the Hasselblad Press Room at www.hasselblad.com/press to find this press release and more image material.