Ukrainian Olena Grom with a photo titled “Alyona” won the photographer of the year award, according to L.A. Photo Curator.
This is stated on the organization’s website, Ukrinform reports.
“This powerful photograph creates a striking contrast between the subject and the scenes depicted in the background. The juxtaposition of a ruined home suggests a story of loss—perhaps due to war or a natural disaster—inviting the viewer to wonder if the person in the foreground once lived there,” the description to the photo says.
The winning image is part of Grom’s photo series titled “Stolen Spring.” The photographer said she created this series “in a historical dialogue” with the photographs by Polish photographer Michael Nash, who used decorative backdrops to mask the ruins of Warsaw during World War II in 1945-1946.
“The heroines of my photographs are women who have become victims of Russian aggression. Each photograph represents a personal tragedy, but it is also an uplifting story of survival and hope that Ukraine can rise from the ruins,” Grom said.
Olena Grom was born in the city of Donetsk. In April 2014, she was forced to flee the city due to Russian aggression in the east of the country. Since 2017, the photographer has lived in the town of Bucha, Kyiv region.
As Ukrinform reported earlier, late December 2024, The Guardian published a list of photos that defined the year, including three photos from Ukraine.
Source: Ukraine’s Olena Grom wins first prize at U.S. photo contest
