Grace Dodds’s ‘Traumstadt’ Wins 2025 Art & Photo Book Award

Grace Dodds's photobook, 'Traumstadt,' has clinched the 2025 Art & Photo Book Awards, presented by Booooooom and Bookmobile. Featuring 28 black-and-white images, the zine captures the essence of Berlin's street life from a unique post-documentary lens. During her two-week visit to the city, Dodds embraced an instinctive photography approach and a careful editing style. A scene from Wim Wenders’ 1987 film 'Wings of Desire' inspired her, particularly one with an elderly man looking for a train station near her hostel, which made it into her book. Dodds draws inspiration from nature, ski jumping, and her mentor Linda Rossi, alongside influences from Takashi Homma, Odette England, and Greg Mendez's music. She follows Walt Whitman’s motto, 'Make the work,' and hopes to undertake a project closer to home, with aspirations for Japan. The 2025 Photo Awards also highlight five winners, twenty shortlisted photographers, and two hundred images. Booooooom's 'Tomorrow’s Talent 5' includes over 60 artists across 276 pages, and you can find an interview with Dodds and more images from 'Traumstadt' online.