Olesia Kim

Interview Carol Körting

© Olesia Kim

“How do I see photography today? As a vast universe that goes far beyond the image itself.”


─── by Josh Bright, October 2, 2025

A key voice in contemporary photography and judge of our Open Call Award, Carol Körting has helped shape the genre of visual storytelling for close to a decade and a half as Photo Editor of Leica Fotografie International (LFI) magazine.

color photo of children playing in the streets of Havana, cuba by Martina Atanassova
Havana, Cuba, 2024 © Martina Atanassova


Born in Bogotá, Colombia, Körting began her career as a freelance photographer before studying photo editing at the Ostkreuz Schule für Fotografie in Berlin, Germany. She joined Leica Fotografie International (LFI) magazine as photo editor in 2011 and has since produced and shaped countless photographic projects for the publication and its online platform.

color aerial landscape photo of rivers formed by glacial meltwater in South Iceland by Stephen King
“River Delta 23”, Iceland © Stephen King
Color studio portrait photo of woman by Zoe Yalden
“Alphonsine” © Zoe Yalden


A professional portfolio reviewer, Körting has served as part of the jury at numerous photography festivals and competitions. She has also collaborated as a photo editor at Der Freitag and Zeit-Magazin, and given talks in Mexico, Colombia, Italy, and Malaysia, as well as presentations on self-promotion tools at the VII Masterclass in Berlin.

Ahead of our annual Open Call Award (open for entries until the end of the month), for which she will serve as a judge, we spoke with Körting about her career, what she looks for in a photograph, and her advice for emerging photographers.

color photo of a tuk-tuk driver in Bangkok, Thailand by Phatsakorn Bundasak
“Bloom Ride”, Bangkok, Thailand © Phatsakorn Bundasak


When did you first become interested in photography, and what drew you to it?

CK: I have always been interested in images, especially because I’ve never been a numbers person. Since childhood, I’ve been fascinated by metal magazines, family albums, and all kinds of photographs. In Bogotá, we lived very close to two photo labs, and in the surrounding streets, my sister and I would find random photos, which we collected and grouped by theme.

Thanks to my mother’s camera and a photographer friend who taught me the basics, I began photographing people on the streets of Bogotá. Developing and enlarging my own photos was the moment I truly fell in love with photography.

Black and white photo of fishermen in Bangladesh by Bipul Ahmed
“Traditional fishing festival”, Bangladesh © Bipul Ahmed
color studio fine art portrait of a woman's back by Evgenia Rieger
“Soft Spine”, Graz, Austria, 2024 © Evgenia Rieger
color landscape photo of mountain and lake in Alberta, Canada by Collin Toews
“Autumn meets Winter”, Kananaskis, Alberta, Canada © Collin Toews


You started as a photographer before moving into editing. What led to that shift, and how did it shape the way you see photography today?

CK: Before working as a photographer, I studied web design. During one of my internships, my supervisors noticed I had a talent for selecting photos and images. At the time, I didn’t give it much thought and began working as a photographer thanks to my first job for a German magazine called DeBug.

color portrait photo of bodybuilder in Kampala, Uganda
“Tamale Safalu”, Kampala, Uganda © Marijn Fidder


CK:
I felt it would be a good idea to strengthen my knowledge of photography, so I took a one-year photo editing course at Ostkreuz Schule. That opened up an incredibly rich world: I started working with
Der Freitag, LFI, and Zeit Magazin. It wasn’t only the world of art and the many forms of photographic expression that opened up to me, but also the understanding of how to make a living from photography and move images beyond your own computer. How do I see photography today? As a vast universe that goes far beyond the image itself.

black and white portrait photo of young woman by Rick Hornick
“Lisa” © Rick Hornick
color fine art studio photo of parrot by Adam Coish
“Hues of a Feather” © Adam Coish


At Leica Fotografie International, what qualities make a photo story or photographer stand out to you, and what makes their work truly memorable?

CK: The projects that stand out are strong, cohesive series with a recognizable style where you can clearly see the artist’s signature. They deal with subjects or present images that are hard to forget, whether because of composition, theme, or technique.

It’s not only the quality of the work but also the quality of the person that makes it very memorable, a complete package of qualities.

color travel photo of Vietnamese women tending fishing nets in Vietnam by Barry Crosthwaite, interview with Carol Körting
“Feeding the Machine”, Vietnam © Barry Crosthwaite


As judge of our Open Call Award, what advice would you give to photographers hoping to make the strongest impression?

CK: Remember that judges spend every day looking at, selecting, and evaluating photography, and in our free time, we continue to consume even more images and content, so the level is high. You should definitely submit your very best work.

 

All images © their respective owners

The Independent Photographer, 2025 Open Call Award is open for entries until October 31. Submit your work here.

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