The Tokyo International Foto Awards (TIFA) stands as a prestigious platform that recognizes and celebrates exceptional photography from around the world. While the winners of TIFA often steal the spotlight, it is equally important to acknowledge the remarkable Honorable Mentions that have captivated the judges with their artistic prowess and visual storytelling. In this article, we delve into the mesmerizing works that have received Honorable Mentions at the Tokyo International Foto Awards, shedding light on the talented photographers who have left an indelible mark in the world of photography.
Mentawei: Keepers of The Forest - Jatenipat Ketpradit
There is one area deeper in the Siberut island rainforest in Indonesia that has not changed throughout time. Inhabitants of this woodland have been Mentawai natives for approximately a thousand years. They still honour spirits and respect nature. They are adept at using natural ink to tattoo the body. Through shaman, the Mentawais communicate with the nature spirits. The skulls will be utilised in ceremonies and hung on the house as a devil-repelling measure. With no power and a close connection to nature, these people live in a way that is reminiscent of the prehistoric era.
Kept - Tasleem Mulhall
The series looks at how different societies and civilizations portray women. Obstacles in culture, religion, and position that we, as women, must face and the perseverance it takes to go over them. Photographer Tasleem Mulhall, who was born and raised in Yemen and has an Indian mother and Yemeni father, has faced various difficulties throughout her life. She and her family immigrated to the UK in order to start a new life, adapt to a foreign setting, and maintain their cultural heritage. She believes that women will always be responsible for upholding an oppressive society because of her views and opinions.
Between Mountain - Zekai Liao
In order to depict the actual aspect of the natural terrain, Zekai Liao mostly employs black and white photographs and pure colour language. In the act of shooting, he has a heart of perception. He makes an effort to instinctively and succinctly scan, translate, and modify the scenery he views, whether it be in the forest near his hometown or on another continent. The genuine scenery has changed during this process into a projection of the heart, re-creation and non-interference, the conflict between the two, yet they are expressed collectively and shown in the work as though the "Shan Shui" and "yin and yang" are opposed, but once more coexist.
Threats to Deep Bay Mudflat Birds In Hong Kong - Catherine Kaling Leung
Huge skyscrapers, in contrast to the existing low-rise structures... Smog, massive bridges, sandboats used for construction, steel jungles, construction debris, and illegal fishing... Around 50,000 shorebirds relax and eat in the well-preserved Deep Bay Mudflat in Hong Kong each year, with the beautifully constructed structures of Shenzhen, China's opposite coast providing a striking backdrop. Could the government's recent plan to build a city there result in less food and housing space available to residents? How can we guarantee the survival of the fauna there?
No Ordinary Studio 2022 - Natasha Pszenicki
Natasha Pszenicki has a varied photographic life at her editorial studio, where she meets and takes pictures of people from many walks of life for various purposes. Shoots are usually a vibrant experience that wind their way through many storytelling arcs. To help bring out the best in her subjects and produce images that are true to their character, she constantly tries to foster a joyful and trusting environment. She does her best to convey each individual's essence and to assist them in sharing their tales with a wider audience.
Amaryllis - Kate Hrynko
When Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, 2022, Kate Hrynko's experiment with live flowers was already underway. She was unable to finish her task, and she had packed her equipment in preparation of a probable evacuation. She missed the opportunity, and the bloom was fading. Then she understood that, in light of the surroundings, it was the ideal moment to photograph. On February 28, 2022, she took a few fast pictures, unpacked her camera, and then put everything back.
Exploring Nature - Aleksandra Iarnova
Exploring nature with snails.
Aleksandra Iarnova is Latvian photographer with an education in history of arts and background in icon painting. She focuses on themes of self-identity, a person’s relationship with oneself and one’s body. She is also interested in modern still life photography. Aleksandra explores what is dire to her and creatively transforms casual things into extraordinary in her works.
Demoiselle De Mai - Psyché Ophiuchus
"Demoiselle de Mai", Broceliande (Brittany, France). Self-portrait. This series is an allusion to the European tradition of the Queen of May, symbol of Spring, of purity, of the young bride who leaves her status of girl to become mother. A reminder of our customs that are fading in our memories, and an evocation of the women who have today (and in a precarious way) the freedom to choose.
Cosmic Nature - Mariana Bertrand
The goal of the television series Cosmic Nature is to uncover hidden cycles, relationships, and patterns in the behavior of living things. The photographer examines the secrets of life itself in a variety of forms and shapes, from contemplating molecular structures to thinking about flowers, animals, satellite images, and her own body. By merging all of these aspects into a single scene, it is possible to create a surrealist setting that immerses the observer in an almost dreamlike vision of transformation, chaos, and links in the natural world.
River - Michal Konrad
The lives of many generations, who are frequently separated into several nations, is symbolised by the river. The river has always been there, but everything around it has changed as time has gone on. Although the life of the river is mostly unaffected by human presence, each individual nonetheless leaves a modest mark that is similar to the location where he lives and of which he is a temporary creator. The "River" project won a prize and was showcased at the Rybnik Festival of Photography, Praque Photo, Month of Photography in Bratislava, and Fotofestiwal in ód.
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The state of humanity is ever-changing; through good and bad times, we all have struggles to overcome. We've selected some of the most beautiful images from TIFA 2022 that depict and illuminate the narratives of individuals from all around the world in this compilation. Here are the top 10 images from 2022 in the People category of the Tokyo International Foto Awards, which was established to display authentic photographs of real people.
Ethiopia: The Ethnic Earth - Jatenipat Ketpradit
There are eight distinct tribes living along the Lower Omo River in southwest Ethiopia. They have been residing there for ages. Every tribe in this area has a distinctive culture and way of life. Almost all of the tribes have unique languages, dialects, foods, and customs that have evolved over millennia.
The Daily Life of Three Siblings With Autism - Barbara Zanon
This continuous, extensive project describes an Italian family affected by autism spectrum disorder (ASD). After years of unsuccessfully trying to conceive, Emilia and Francesco used artificial insemination (ICSI) and successfully gave birth to twins, Luisa and Riccardo. Emilia unexpectedly became pregnant with their third child, Michele, just nine months after their first two were born. Riccardo and Luisa were identified as having a severe type of ASD at the age of two and a half. Regrettably, Michele received the same diagnosis a year later.
The Cross Dressers -Alexandros Moridis
Cross-dressing is the practice of dressing in items of clothing that belong to the other sex. The word transvestism, which was frequently used by the psychiatric profession to designate a psychological condition or perversion, was replaced by the term by the transgender community in 1976. Cross-dressing has historically benefited persons looking to avoid military duty, take part in protests peacefully, and engage in religious rites. People are openly asserting their inherent right to self-expression and demanding to be accepted for who they truly are today as part of a campaign to remove antiquated social norms.
Passing Merchants - Shaoyi Zhang
Little enterprises in Shanghai are disappearing today due to urban growth, as shown in the documentary Passing Merchants. Several modest shops had to close due to demolition of older streets and expensive rent in newer areas, driving away "non-locals" to return to their hometowns or displacing residents outside of the city center.
Tokyo Girls °1 - Richard Lee
In the vibrant and quickly changing metropolis of Tokyo, Tokyo Girls examines the development of savvily sophisticated millennial girls. Tokyo Girls flourish in Neo-Tokyo, a broad, contemporary environment that fosters innovation and individual growth via a vibrant fusion of Japanese and global cultures.
Laila - Mohammad Radi
Little Laila was assisting her family in the Indian Kashmir villages, surrounded by nature. Amazing things happen when innocence and beauty combine.
Limits - Diana Rubi
“At every limit I was, pushing myself to the edge I could reach, and right at the bottom of every crag, I found the only person looking was myself!” A series called Boundaries makes references to emotional boundaries. It is a self-analysis exercise using mirror-effect self-portraits that seeks to help the observer see themselves by displaying these protective boundaries that indicate where we stop and others start. The artwork depicts "borderlines" where a single character can be seen, alluding to aspects of our identity, personal space, intimacy, and self-concept.
Date Night - Zuzana Janekova
The image was captured while photographer Zuzana Janekova was strolling across the city at night. She preferred the bright restaurant than the pitch-black street.
In The Sun - Anna Ligus
The moment when you feel like a cat basking in the spring sun.
Self-portraits have been taken by Anna Ligus since the pandemic started. She examines the body's curves and uses photography to capture the innermost feelings of the soul.
Back to You - Giandomenico Veneziani
The story of Back to You centers on our main character, who for some reason gets flung to a hostile, desolate Planet. In order for the people of Earth to benefit and use it not only as a source of energy, but also as a source of aggregation and goodwill toward others, a casket containing a source of lost energy had been sent to the planet millennia before. This is the exact objective for which he is searching. Regrettably, this energy that was provided to humans from a faraway world has not been put to use. So, it will be necessary for our protagonist to locate it.
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In this compilation, we wish to capture the delightful spirit of summer through the stunning images of the 2021 TIFA winners. The chosen images evoke feelings of enthusiasm and vibrancy, which is why they make us think of the summertime. Hopefully, they'll give you the same impression!
Dear My Family - Shinji Hasegawa
The photographer captured his son and wife with his cherished sunflower in the snap. His son's eyes were incredibly bright when he first noticed sunflowers.
Elephant Mother - Fahm Bekele
"When we were at Kenya's Masai Mara National Conservancy, we saw a lot of elephants with their young. We spent the most of the day following the herd, and we were able to get pictures of them both in the daytime and at dusk. It was particularly lovely to observe how the moms of the elephants looked after their young and kept a close watch on them."
Beach Silhouettes - Matty Karp
Aerial footage and a slideshow of soccer players and sunbathers in Tel Aviv Beaches. The eyes are drawn to the silhouettes instead of the actual persons due to the vertical capture.
Regatta At Sunset - Hsiuling Chiu
During the Dapeng Bay Marine Festival in Pingtung county, windsurfing boats competed in a regatta. A telephoto lens with a focal length of roughly 300 mm was used to take this picture.
Roisin - Hector Socorro
"The creative origin of this editorial is based on the colors of poisonous lizards. bright colors in full sun whose styling and creative idea go hand in hand with @lauro_samblas @mimiriambr. makeup @naomimakeupandphoto styling assistant @ tatiii.gg. art assistant @ andrea.balloch. model @viomartin_"
Wahat Al Karama - Judith Kuhn
In Abu Dhabi, there is a memorial to the nation's troops called Wahat al Karama across from the Sheikh Zayed Mosque. The enormous mosque is mirrored on a flat water surface that defines the central square.
Travel Freedom During The Pandemic - Julia Wimmerlin
A sense of being imprisoned and a yearning to escape. Being able to see natural life but not participate in it social ills and social responsibilities. The colors red and orange are associated with pleasure and danger, respectively. Movement and color as a representation of transient freedom. Prior to dawn, it is always the darkest.
Herbarium of Summer Memories - Maja Strgar Kurecic
The warmth of a summer day, carefreeness, and beauty of the simple things in life are all represented in these pictures. In these images, each plant evokes a distinct recollection of the summer spent by the Adriatic. Every day on his walk home from the beach, the photographer gathered them. Even though they appear to be dry and lifeless, they actually contain the seeds of fresh life. She took pictures of them immersed in water to highlight their delicate and frail structure. Intentionally, the photographs' colors have been reduced to warm (which stands for the summer sun's warmth) and cold (which is for the Adriatic Sea's hue).
End of The Summer - Onni Wiljami Kinnunen
An advertisement for Kalajoki, Finland's traditional and significant carnival, which celebrates the end of summer with a variety of light and fire performances as well as other celebrations. Kalajoki is a popular tourist destination with long, sandy beaches and sand dunes.
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Every year on April 22nd, Earth Day commemorates the 1970 start of the contemporary environmental movement. Earth Day is now generally acknowledged as the world's largest secular celebration, with over a billion people participating each year in a day of action to improve human behavior and implement global, national, and local policy reforms.
We want to celebrate and raise awareness about the need of fighting for our planet and appreciating all of its beauty. Enjoy this compilation of TIFA 2021 winners in the Nature category, which includes some of the stunning professional images submitted to the competition.
Summer Forest Fairies - Kazuaki Koseki
Himebotaru, a Japanese native firefly species, flies over the forest, blinking for a brief period of time, evoking Christmas illumination. The scene is stunning enough to make you forget about the night forest's amazement. For only 10 days in the summer, it is the radiance of life. Forests are living organisms with a diverse range of vegetation and wildlife. Each creature's lifespan is unique; time will pass through each life, and life will be repeated. They are a priceless existence that should not be jeopardized. The photographer just wishes for the preservation of this woodland and its firefly.
A Lighthouse - Henrique Murta
Furious land. There is no sun, and the light is dim. Heavy clouds are straining to stay afloat. High waves and cold water. Strong gusts are slamming onto the cliffs. Lands that are hostile and where one may not live long. There's a light to help you through it all.
Kiawe: Coastal Trees of Maui - Scott Reither
I was drawn, again and again, to the swirling thorny branches and last rooted remains of the Kiawe trees littering the coast. In every aspect of life, there is Form and there is Space. In photography, Form refers to the subjects and shapes, while Space is everything in between. Internally, Form is represented in our thoughts and emotions, while Space is the stillness that surrounds them. Finding a balance between Space and Form is an important practice both personally and artistically.
The Last Guardian - Zhikun Yang
The lonely pine tree on the snow mountain at an altitude of 4200 meters has survived years of earth movement, climatic change, and human activity. The human homeland is being guarded. Allow life to continue while protecting the environment.
Glittering Juvenile Octopus - Sayaka Ichinoseki
This is a larval stage. A colossal pacific octopus. Even the biggest pacific octopus, which can grow up to 3 meters in length as an adult, has a childhood.
A Mystic Place - Virgilijus Usinavicius
Morning fogs cover everything from holy gardens to historic burial sites in Kernav as mystic days break above the mounds. It was the medieval capital of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and the last European pagan capital, located in the famed Pajauta Valley. Various cultural, historical, and archaeological sites going back to the late Palaeolithic Period abound in the region. One may practically feel the souls of ancestors breathing behind one's shoulder on such mornings. Neo-pagan societies still congregate to kindle holy fires at spectacular stone altars atop bald hills.
Alien Sunset - Craig Bill
After setting up camp, some of the first catches were "Alien Sunset." While resting and soaking in the low sun glow, the photographer was thrilled to observe sun rays streaming from the final light.
Millennium Pine Tree and Milky Way - Ling Jyi Chao
In Taiwan's Hehuan Mountain, there is a thousand-year-old pine tree. It was captured when the Milky Way was visible. It was really stunning!
Barracuda - Yung-Sen Wu
The great barracuda (Sphyraena barracuda) is a huge, predatory ray-finned fish that may be found in subtropical waters all around the world.
Family Bonds - Lars Gesing
When things are rough, we lean on the people we care about and trust the most. When the photographer had the wonderful fortune of observing this family of bison endure a deep, early-season Colorado snowfall, he instantly thought of that. He'd been watching the herd for quite some time. Initially, these amazing creatures were dispersed, each going about its own thing. But then something wonderful occurred. Individual family members within the herd began to congregate near each other as the snow began to fall more forcefully, in a spectacular show of the power of family relationships.
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The Tokyo International Foto Awards committee gets hundreds of outstanding images each year, making the selection process more difficult than ever. Our favorite TIFA Honorable Mentions from 2021 offer us fresh viewpoints in all of the categories, despite the fact that they weren't picked as category winners.
Baikal Blues - Arthur Bauer
Irkutsk, on the shores of Lake Baikal, was the setting for a picture project about Russia. When there isn't a pandemic, the city is bustling with activity. Social and cultural life has been reduced to a bare minimum as a result of increased incidents. The city was shrouded in a haze of tranquillity and sorrow. The sensation of being trapped in a transit zone permeated throughout the populace. This feeling, accentuated by COVID-19, accurately defines the country's current status. Many individuals are hoping for something else to happen. True growth, on the other hand, is being stymied by a system that is growing increasingly authoritarian in its repression of any kind of resistance.
Negativityness - Robert Ripps
This ongoing project began as a response to the political climate in the photographer's country over the last few years—everything seemed to be about negativity, division, what is truth (and what is unquestionably false, yet touted as truth), and how the surface of things can be 180 degrees opposite from what is beneath—but has since expanded to include the effects (and possible fantastical outcomes) of the Covid-19 pandemic. What would happen if nature took over, if greenery overtook the familiar and changed it into something oddly beautiful, yet curiously different?
Mosaic Turf - Sudeep Mehta
On April 4, 2020, two children are seen playing football on the rooftop of their apartment building in Mumbai, India, while all public spaces and parks are closed due of the worldwide COVID-19 epidemic. To limit the viral epidemic, the Indian government imposed a countrywide lockdown on March 22, 2020, which was subsequently extended to 54 days. Sudeep Mehta took the photo.
Caged - Katherine Young
Apartment block under construction. Katherine Young is a self-taught fine art photographer living in London. She began her own trip photography adventure with the goal of capturing the soul of each location she visited. She eventually concentrated her emphasis on cityscapes and architecture after being inspired by Singapore's modern surroundings. She has recently developed an interest in nature and seascapes.
Grandma - Salem McBunny
Color, dreams, and her life filled each shot with a personal touch, inspired by the magic and beauty that may emerge when merging items that were at home and the photographer's grandma as a tremendous influence for him.
80°05′ - Kouta Takahashi
A Japanese adventurer named Nobu Shirase attempted to reach the South Pole on a dogsled in 1912, but gave up around 80°05′ south latitude. From there, Masatatsu Abe, a modern-day explorer, charted a previously uncharted path with the goal of reaching the South Pole on foot. A problem that spans nearly a century. What makes people want to embark on an adventure?
The Most Beautiful Gas Station In The World - Jacob Surland
Arne Jacobsen, the world-famous famous architect, constructed this petrol station, which may be the most beautiful in the world. It is situated in the country of Denmark. To avoid shadows, the photo was shot in overcast light, and all lighting was applied as an artistic approach called Visionography - take control of the environment and visualize through controlled light management.
Morning Walk In The Bamboo Forest - André Wandrei
A traditional kimono-clad Japanese woman takes a morning stroll through a bamboo grove near Kyoto. This shot was taken just after 6:00 a.m. in the morning. During the day, a large number of people, mostly tourists, congregate here. As a result, the only time to get nice shots is early in the morning.
The Eraser - Kriss Munsya
The Eraser is a film about a person who has the capacity to erase previous traumas caused by anti-black racism. However, the erase process is imperfect, resulting in visual disorder and emotional hope.
A Sense of Place - Imprints - Charlotta Hauksdottir
These sceneries are recreations of locations from a long-forgotten motherland. Hand-cut images with fingerprint, palm, and eye patterns, as well as abstract landscapes with many photographs with different cuts put together to imitate landforms, are among them. The resultant pictures speak to the interactions between man and environment, as well as the flaws in recollection, prompting the viewer to fill in the blanks with their own experiences. Finally, the visuals relate to our own responsibility for our imprints on nature by including human biological patterns.
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This compilation includes a selection of the 2021 TIFA winners in the Nature category. Admire these wonderful works of art and see if they inspire you to enter this year.
Mysterious Encounter - Ryo Minemizu
The squid drifting in the black night is a diamond squid juvenile. The length of the mantle is 4 cm. That translucent skin is coated in a plethora of chromatophores that reflect light magnificently, giving it the appearance of a gem. The adult diamond squid dwells in the open ocean's deep depths, therefore we're unlikely to see one when scuba diving. However, juveniles and larvae spend some time in the open ocean's shallow water, and we may come across them when we move offshore.
Color Palette - Richard Li
Lake Natron is located on the Tanzania-Kenya border. The Ewaso Ng'iro River, which is supplied by hot springs rich in minerals including sodium, alkalinity, and magnesium, nourishes it. During the dry season, significant levels of evaporation lead the lake's alkalinity to reach a pH of 9 to 10.5 and the water to become as shallow as tens of millimeters, showing the lake's brilliant patterns like an odd work of nature. The lake is a haven for flamingos, who flock together to soar above it in large flocks. I happened to be at the right place at the right moment.
Elvira'S Peony - Maja Strgar Kurecic
These are images of the peony that Elvira gave me. Maja Strgar Kurecic, the photographer, enjoys photographing flowers that she received from friends and family. In doing so, she hopes to retain the memory of that joyful moment of receiving, which evokes feelings of love, respect, and intimacy with the person who presented me with the flower. She aims to capture the everlasting beauty of a flower that never fades with the manner she photographs and the lighting she uses. She shot the petals in water to show their fragile structure.
Winged Singer - Weronika Markiewicz
The Harz Canary, also known as the Winged Singer, is a bird that sings softly and beautifully. It is a magnificent breed because it can sing in a variety of tones without opening its beak, including rattling, bass, bell, and flute. The canary in the photo is from Mr. Marek iedzwiadek's kennel in Lublin (Poland).
Hippopotamus Amphibius - Dennis Wehrmann
One of these images has been on Dennis Wehrmann's thoughts for years, and he's yearned for it for a long time, but it finally came true this year at the Lower Zambezi Nationalpark. He was hoping to see a hippo standing outside the water, gazing at him straight, his eyes focused on him, his rage flaring and firing directly at him. As usual, these moments you've been looking forward to appearing out of nowhere and going in an instant, regardless of whether you comprehend what's going on in front of your eyes or if you're able to realize whatever's on your mind...
Veins - Daniel Franc
When an Icelandic glacial river reaches the sea. Daniel Franc uses drone photographs to make fine art shots of generally abstract or minimalistic landscapes, wildlife, and industrial environments. They show beauty, rhythm, weirdness, and portals to realms not seen from our vantage point.
Autumn Float - Saowanee Suntararak
Autumn in Japan, at Lake Kawaguchi. Photographers adore Mount Fuji with fall foliage, and Saowanee Suntararak enjoys shooting photos in this season as well.
A Day With The Puffins - Jacques-Andre Dupont
Jacques-André Dupont is a keen wildlife and environment photographer based in Montreal. His work has appeared in publications such as Canadian Geographic, National Geographic, Africa Geographic, Wildlife Photographic, Outdoor Photography, Paris Match, the London Telegraph, China News, and La Pravda, among others. Several of his photographs have been chosen/won in international photo contests. They've also been shown in a number of nations throughout the world. He merely wants to achieve one basic aim with his photography: to bring the beauty of nature into the light.
Below Zero - Svitlana Zarytska
A series of "Below ZERO" photos featuring ice blossoms. Before the ice melts, ice, water, and light refraction may enhance, distort, and conserve the beauty of flowers. Each image is the result of a search, an experiment with color, light, shape, and texture in order to create a one-of-a-kind work of art.
Toronto Eclipse At The Cn Tower - Prajesh Joshi
This photo was the result of weeks of preparation. The distance from the CN tower was used to do trigonometric calculations. It was used to identify the exact location of the sun during the eclipse by comparing it to the matching compass bearing! Seeing the eclipse up close and personal gave Prajesh Joshi a tremendous therapeutic feeling. As he observed the rising light with wonderful friends who had joined him so early in the morning, there was a sense of quiet in the air.
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