Great news: my latest portrait project with the title 'Blind Spots' has been nominated to be among the best photo projects created in 2017 and is shortlisted for the KOLGA AWARD 2018 in the conceptual photography category!!! Twelve images from this series will be on display during the KOLGA TBILISI PHOTO Festival from 5th - 11th May.
Kolga Tbilisi Photo 2018 is exceptional for the number of powerful photography projects covering a wide range of topics and taken by photographers from around the world.
Venue for the award exhibition: Art Arena, Dodo Abashidze Street 10, Tbilisi, Georgia
Opening event: Friday, 4th May 2017 from 8pm
About 'Blind Spots':
For this project the sitters are guided back into childhood memories and then photographed whilst remembering a challenging situation. In such moments children create negative opinions about themselves and the world such as 'I am worthless', life is unfair' or 'nobody loves me'. Later in life we are often unaware of the origin of such self-limiting believes; yet we hold on to them and carry them as a lifelong burden. All of us have certain blind spots, areas of endeavor or personal issues that we ignore because of the painful doubts or feelings of futility that they arouse.
The final result is aiming to shine light into our hidden viewpoints; the process of photographing the upcoming emotions created space for self-reflection.
'100 Faces of Viet Nam (2)', KOLGA Award nomination & Photo Festival, 05 - 13.05.17
I am trilled to announce the outcome of the Kolga Award in 2017: Various images of mine have been nominated to be among the best projects; they will be exhibited during the KOLGA TBILISI PHOTO Festival and celebrated at the opening event on 5th May.This year the jury went for another selection of 10 images from my documentary series '100 Faces of Viet Nam'. The images were taken from 2013 - 2016 and demonstrate scenes of life and work in the cities of Vietnam.
Another nomination went in favor of the portrait 'Mbaye' from the series 'Made in Senegal' in the category 'One Shot'. This body of work is depicting small scale food producers; it was created during my artist residency in Saint Lewis, Senegal.
Venue for the award exhibition: 14 Kostava Street, Art-space at the Hippodrome Park, Tamarashvili Str.13, Tbilisi, Georgia
Opening event: 5th May 2017 at 8pm
Professional week: 5th - 11th May 2017
For further information about the festival please click here: https://www.kolga.ge
'100 Faces of Viet Nam', KOLGA Award nomination, 12.05.16
Eight images were chosen by international jury members and they will be exhibited during the photography festival during May 2016 in Tbilisi, Capital City of Georgia.
The images have been commissioned in between 2013 - 2015 and are planned to be published as a portrait book with the title '100 Faces of Viet Nam' in 2017.
Venue for the exhibition: 14 Kostava Street, Tbilisi, Georgia
Opening event: 12 May, 2016, from 6pm
Festival duration: 12 -19 May 2016
Further information can be found here: http://kolga.ge
There will also be an overall winner for each category. Please keep your fingers crossed for me :)))
‘LensCulture Exposure Awards 2015’: Finalist Award
LensCulture received submissions from photographers in over 100 countries. Being one of the finalists is a great honor and personal accomplishment – I am very proud that my work has been chosen as one of the best of the best! Please have a look at my LensCulture portfolio.
The featured portfolio 100 Faces of Viet Nam is showing a selection of portraits across Viet Nam, representing a society, which is on the brink of change. It shows the people from a developing country caught between tradition and modernity. These photographs exist because of a commission for 3 photo books: I went out there 3 times on behalf of Michael Waibel and the Goethe Institute Hanoi. Last not least, they also exist because of my love for this country and for the wonderful people I met during this assignment. Thank you, all of you!!!
By the way, the Winners & Finalists of the 2015 Exposure Awards will be exhibited at Somerset House during Photo London — London’s Premier Photography Fair!
Venue & date: Somerset House, The Strand, London WC2R 1LA, 19 - 22 May 2016
'Social Documentary Network': Featured Photographer of the Month, January 2016
Their comment: "At a time of so much tension in the world, it is heartening to see an exhibit about a country experiencing a renaissance of human potential 40 years after fighting and winning a devastating war against the U.S. and has now come to be our friend. Schulz's photographs are heavily influenced by her theater and TV background as evidenced by the impeccable composition and lighting of each frame. She also adds intimate and important details about her subjects. Astrid's words and photos together weave an important story about the resiliency of the human spirit".
The featured portfolio 100 Faces of Viet Nam is showing a selection of portraits across Viet Nam, representing a society, which is on the brink of change. It shows the people from a developing country caught between tradition and modernity. Photographed in 5 different cities from the North to the South, these portraits allow a view into people’s homes and work places plus an insight into their lives and concerns – some of them are unexpected...
Have a look at: http://socialdocumentary.net/exhibit/Astrid_Schulz/3242
'Hà Nội CAPITAL City' Photo Book: Award for 'Best Work' 2015
Since 2008 the newspaper 'Sports & Culture' of Vietnam News Agency together with the descendants of the painter Bùi Xuân Phái awards this prestigious prize to projects, which are dedicated to increase awareness of the beauty of Hanoi.
The editor Dr. Michael Waibel is the first German to receive this prestigious award. I am proud to have been part of it.
‘Playing Cards’, KOLGA Award nomination, 01.05.15
Eight images (from a deck of 13) were chosen by international jury members for the KOLGA AWARD in the category 'Conceptual Photo Project'.
And if this in not enough, another one of my images was nominated for the category 'One Shot'. The picture was taken during my artist residency at Waaw in Saint Louis, Senegal. The chosen images will be exhibited from 1st May at the KOLGA AWARD exhibition, which takes place in Tbilisi, Georgia.
There will also be an overall winner for each category. Please keep your fingers crossed for me :)))
London Photographers Association ‘Lets Face It’ Competition
The series can be seen at:http://www.astridschulz.com/farmers/
About the images: ‘Farmers' (from ‘Made in Vietnam’) has been created during a 2month residency at New Space Art Foundation in Hue, Central Vietnam. During the residency Astrid was exploring the subject of food. The series ‘Farmers’ has been created honor of micro food production households and features people who are physically involved in growing or producing food from their homes and gardens. Astrid wishes to support the values of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), which declared the International Year of Family Farming 2014.
London Photographers Association 'Let's Face It': award winning picture
It gives me great pleasure to announce that the image ‘Cleaning Up’ has just been judged as Highly Commended by the London Photographers Association. The LPA is running its portraiture competition Let's Face It for the 9th time, and Astrid has already been honored in other LPA competitions in previous years.
All winners and finalists can be seen at the link below:
http://www.london-photographic-association.com/
About the image: ‘Cleaning Up (the economy)’ is inspired by the painting ‘American Gothic’, created in the 1930’s during the worlds last big recession. All clothing in the photograph has been created out of cleaning cloth.
London Photographic Association Awards 2007
The London Photographic Association is a creative organisation showcasing commercial and fine art photography portfolios. One of their yearly activities is to run photography competitions throughout the year, covering the various genres of the medium. In summer 2007 Astrid was highly recommended in the 'Open Summer Competition' with a series called 'Car Park'. Her 'frozen' images were taken during a trip to Spindleruv Bouda, Krkonoae, (about 1200m above see level), north of Czech Republic, on the last day of December 2005.
Car Park
Have you ever wondered - when sitting in a plane and looking out of the window - what it would be like inside a cloud, where everything is white and had no definition? Last December I found out - of course - one would see absolutely nothing and it is far from being romantic...
Image archive link: 'Car Park'
London Photographic Association Awards 2004
The London Photographic Association is a creative organisation showcasing commercial and fine art photography portfolios. One of their yearly activities is to run photography competitions throughout the year covering the various genres of the medium.
In 2004 Astrid was chosen to be the Bronze Award winner for the category 'Beauty and Form' with her series ‘Food Keeps Body & Soul Together’