NOMINATED BY BELL PITKIN (MANAGER, LEICA GALLERY BOSTON)
35—NEW ORLEANS, NEW YORK
French-Algerian photographer Camille Farrah Lenain’s documentary and portrait work has earned her an Arnold Newman Prize, residency at the Joan Mitchell Center, and placement in the pages of The New York Times and Rolling Stone. Next, she’s looking ahead to the release of her first monograph in spring 2026.
“I remember a slumber party with my girl-friends, playing with a camera and flash under the sheets. We must have been around 11 or 12. I held on to these photographs really tightly, as a form of memory and friendship, with a quiet awareness that it wouldn’t last forever. The camera was a shared object at the time, not defining my role as ‘the photographer,’ which is a dynamic I’m recently trying to reclaim in my practice: Here, now it’s your turn to make my portrait.
Although photographing others is central to my work, it can feel tumultuous to approach someone. I question, Why am I drawn to this person? Will they understand what I see in them? Should I explicitly share this vision, or trust the magic of the photographic encounter? Then, I search for trust, either through their eyes or body language, through words if we are taking time to speak.
I need this tacit invitation to photograph them, otherwise it feels like I’m cutting them off too soon. It may be about overcoming the fear and shyness that comes with wanting to connect. ‘Do you want to do a little portrait session?’ is my way of saying, ‘I really like you, and I want to know you better. I want you to trust me, and offer you this gift in return.’ Maybe it’s a way to communicate without words, and leave room for ephemerality and interpretation.”
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