Laerke
Posselt

Laerke Posselt

biography

Danish photographer born in 1984, based in Copenhagen (Denmark).

Posselt has studied Art and Documentary Photography at Fatamorgana School, and obtained a BA in Photojournalism from The Danish School of Media and Journalism.

Her work has appeared in worldwide publications such as Politiken, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Le Monde, Libération, GEO, Stern, Russian Reporter and Newsweek Japan and she has been dispatched to Estonia, Spain, Egypt and Uzbekistan among others.

In parallel of her press orders, she is pursuing personal projects and produced in 2012 “USA, Beautiful Child”, a photographic report on child beauty pageants. From Alabama, to Georgia to South Carolina, she brings us back to the reality of these pageants and portrays the daily life of Evie and Sophia, two two-years old participants.

In 2015, with “Q* Bending Gender”, she explores the “queer” issue by portraying young people who decided to break out of traditional gender category.

In 2017, she begins a photographic journal, “Yrkingar”, in the heart of the Faroe Islands. Through this long-term project, that she is still pursuing, she is interested in the landscapes, traditions and religions that rhythm the daily life of the 50,000 inhabitants of the Danish autonomous archipelago.

Laerke Posselt is the recipient of numerous awards, including the World Press Photo and Picture International of The Year (POYI) First Prize in the Portrait category in 2012, a PDN Photo Annual Award and NPPA Best of photojournalism in 2013, The Crown Prince Couple Rising Star Award in 2014, as well as two Danish Picture of the Year (2013, 2019).

Series

Yrkingar, 2017

Serie | Situated between the Norwegian Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, the Faroe Islands have always been an isolated society of approximately 450 square miles of volcano remains.

Gender Bender, 2015

Serie | Now, 100 years after women in Denmark were given the right to vote, the gender is up for negotiation.

Usa, Beautiful Child, 2012

Serie | While child beauty pageants have existed for over fifty years, pageants in the United States have seen a recent explosion in popularity.

Yrkingar, 2017

Serie | Situated between the Norwegian Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, the Faroe Islands have always been an isolated society of approximately 450 square miles of volcano remains.

Gender Bender, 2015

Serie | Now, 100 years after women in Denmark were given the right to vote, the gender is up for negotiation.

Usa, Beautiful Child, 2012

Serie | While child beauty pageants have existed for over fifty years, pageants in the United States have seen a recent explosion in popularity.

Yrkingar, 2017

Serie | Situated between the Norwegian Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, the Faroe Islands have always been an isolated society of approximately 450 square miles of volcano remains.

Gender Bender, 2015

Serie | Now, 100 years after women in Denmark were given the right to vote, the gender is up for negotiation.

Usa, Beautiful Child, 2012

Serie | While child beauty pageants have existed for over fifty years, pageants in the United States have seen a recent explosion in popularity.

Interviews

Laerke Posselt: Beautiful Child and Gender Bender
TV Esbjerg
—
2015

Photographer Laerke Posselt receives the Star Sprinkle Award
DR News
—
2014

Awards

First Prize of the Danish Picture of the Year, category “portrait”

Portrait of Greta Thunberg

2019

Winner of the Crown Prince Couple Star Award (Danemark)

The Star award honor and highlight two young Danish or Greenlandic artists who are set to make a name.

2014

Winner of PDN Photo Annual Prize, category Photojournalism and Documentary

For her work: “Beautiful Child” 


2013

Winner of the NPPA’s Best of Photojournalism Prize, category Magazine Personality Profile or Lifestyle Story

For her work: “Beautiful Child” 


2013

First Prize of the Danish Picture of the Year, category Foreign Reportage

For her work: “Beautiful Child” 


2013

First Prize of the World Press Photo, category Portrait (Netherland)

For her portrait of Mellica Merhaban, Iranian actress who grew up in Denmark.

2012

Winner of the Picture of the Year Award (POYI), category Portrait (USA)

For her portrait of Mellica Merhaban, Iranian actress who grew up in Denmark.

2012