The Victoria and Albert Museum South Kensington in London hosted a free photography symposium on Wednesday, November 19, to celebrate the winner and shortlisted nominees of the prestigious Kraszna-Krausz 40th Anniversary 2025 Photo Book Awards. The special event brought together leading figures in photography publishing to discuss the creative processes behind award-winning photo books.
The 2025 winner, Mahmoud Khattab, attended the symposium alongside the two finalists, Linda Bournane Engelberth and editor Charlotte Flint. The gathering provided attendees with unique insights into both the joys and challenges involved in creating photography books that achieve recognition at the highest levels of the industry.
During the symposium, each author presented their respective books to the audience, offering detailed discussions about their design philosophies and editing processes. The presentations gave attendees an in-depth look at how these acclaimed photography projects evolved from concept to final publication, highlighting the creative decisions and technical considerations that shaped each work.
Following the individual presentations, the event featured a comprehensive panel discussion moderated by Hana Kaluznick, Associate Curator of Photography at the Victoria and Albert Museum South Kensington. The panel format allowed for deeper exploration of themes common to all three nominated works and provided opportunities for audience engagement.
The symposium took place at the Gorvy Lecture Theater, located within the Victoria and Albert Museum South Kensington on Cromwell Road. The Kraszna-Krausz Photography Book Awards, now celebrating their 40th anniversary, continue to recognize excellence in photography book publishing and remain one of the most respected honors in the field.
