Leica Hall of Fame photographer Thomas Hoepker explored the USA in 1963 on assignment from Kristall magazine. In the middle of New York’s noisy traffic, he photographed a public bus. The expressions in the eyes of the two passengers looking out of the window, and the indigestion remedy advertisement on the vehicle, combined to produce an iconic snapshot.
This photograph has been chosen by Leica Camera AG as its Picture of the Year. The work is being offered to 25 Leica Galleries worldwide as a limited edition, giving collectors and Leica followers the chance to build up a unique collection. There are currently twelve renowned photographers who have been honoured with the Hall of Fame award.
Commenting on this year’s choice of Picture of the Year, Thomas Hoepker said, “sometimes you get lucky as a street photographer. In 1963, I was walking in New York with my Leica camera. A bus was passing by, and I saw this strange poster for Pepto-Bismol; I shot one picture and forgot about it. Weeks later, when I looked at my contact sheets, I noticed that the man and woman in the bus looked a bit as though they suffered from indigestion. I like strange and funny photographs!”
Born in 1936, Hoepker has defined German photojournalism like few others as far back as the sixties. He started as a photographer, correspondent for major magazines, and later as an art director. As an internationally renowned Magnum photographer, he is considered one of the most important representatives of engaged, empathic photojournalism, even to this day. The multi-award-winning photographer and filmmaker has been living in the USA for many years now.
PRESS RELEASE
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I still don’t get it. The press release is totally tl;dr!
How can a 59-year-old photo be the “Picture of the Year”?
Having said that, I date from 1964, and would not mind being named “photographer of the year”!
An interesting article about the phographer
https://www.blind-magazine.com/news/thomas-hoepker-looks-back-at-six-decades-of-photojournalism/
There Leica fans can see a photograph of his very first Leica camera
Oops! sincere apologies to Thomas Hoepker for the living photographer remark..that was stupid of me, I rattled that comment off before I realized what I had said. I was intending to say.. a great contemporary image taken recently IN the 2000’s perhaps, that fits the “Picture of the year 2022” title. This is in no way a criticism of the photographer in question or the image chosen which is wonderfully observed and composed. I will now go and hide with my head down for the rest of the day.
So let me get this straight… the Leica picture of the year in 2022 was taken in 1963.
Good picture but it begs the question, aren’t there any current pictures in 2022 that are “touching the world”? yes, I do understand the criteria for selection, just wondering if we couldn’t find a great image today by a living photographer. Especially when you consider the number of cameras now and everything that is happening in the world.It got me wondering if modern photographers are anywhere near on the same level as the greats when it comes to composition and capturing the moment.
The POTY is based on the photographs of the photographers of the Leica Hall of Fame so necessarily all are taken many years ago. For modern photography you need to look at the Leica Oskar Barnack Award which was announced at the same reception yesterday.
After writing this I see you came back with an amended comment.
Sorry guy in the bus in the hat.
I swear the guy in the bus in the bus is the current congressman Jerry Nadler!
Yes, I feel like that often. I have an old packet of Pepto-Bismol in the bathroom cabinet, but I’ve forgotten what it’s for. Must be indigestion.
It makes moustaches grow😆