Souhayl A: Jury of FotoSlovo Award 2026
Souhayl A: Jury of FotoSlovo Award 2026
Winner of FotoSlovo Award 2024
Founder of PISPA and B&W Awards
Founder of PISPA and B&W Awards
Souhayl A, the Overall Winner of the FotoSlovo Award 2024 and Jury member of FotoSlovo AWARD. His project “Gangsta Dating Story” captivated the jury with its strong narrative and confident visual language. Following this success, Souhayl is invited in Jury panel of FotoSlovo Award 2026.
"For me, photography is fundamentally about translating emotion into images. Every photographer carries their own life experiences, and those experiences shape the way we observe the world".
— Souhayl, congratulations on becoming the Overall Winner of FotoSlovo Award 2024. How did receiving this recognition influence your professional path as a photographer?
— Thank you very much. Winning the award was truly meaningful, it was encouraging to see the project resonate with the jury and the audience. Recognition like this can validate years of dedication to a long-term project.
What I appreciated most was the opportunity for visibility and dialogue. The award helped introduce my work to a broader audience and opened conversations with curators, photographers, and art professionals.
What I appreciated most was the opportunity for visibility and dialogue. The award helped introduce my work to a broader audience and opened conversations with curators, photographers, and art professionals.
— What role do emotions play in your photography?
— For me, photography is fundamentally about translating emotion into images. Every photographer carries their own life experiences, and those experiences shape the way we observe the world.
I photograph what genuinely moves me — whether it is fascination, discomfort, tension, or empathy. A strong image should communicate something universal. Regardless of culture or background, emotions such as joy, loneliness, anger, love, or despair are shared by everyone.
A photographer’s role is to recognize these moments and reveal them through the camera.
I photograph what genuinely moves me — whether it is fascination, discomfort, tension, or empathy. A strong image should communicate something universal. Regardless of culture or background, emotions such as joy, loneliness, anger, love, or despair are shared by everyone.
A photographer’s role is to recognize these moments and reveal them through the camera.
— Many emerging photographers wonder whether they should participate in photo contests. From your experience, what are the benefits?
— Competitions can be extremely valuable, especially early in a photographer’s career. They allow you to place your work in front of experienced juries and compare your vision with other artists.
Beyond recognition, contests offer something equally important: visibility. Being shortlisted or awarded often brings your work to curators, galleries, publishers, and collectors who might otherwise never encounter it.
In many cases, awards become a platform that connects photographers with the wider art community.
Beyond recognition, contests offer something equally important: visibility. Being shortlisted or awarded often brings your work to curators, galleries, publishers, and collectors who might otherwise never encounter it.
In many cases, awards become a platform that connects photographers with the wider art community.
— After winning the FotoSlovo Award, your work was exhibited. How important are these kinds of opportunities for photographers?
— They are essential. Exhibitions allow the work to exist in a physical space where viewers can experience the images differently than online.
Attending the opening was also a wonderful opportunity to meet other photographers, collectors, and professionals from the field. These moments create connections that can lead to collaborations, publications, or future exhibitions.
Photography is often a solitary practice, so events like this help build a community around the work.
Attending the opening was also a wonderful opportunity to meet other photographers, collectors, and professionals from the field. These moments create connections that can lead to collaborations, publications, or future exhibitions.
Photography is often a solitary practice, so events like this help build a community around the work.