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.
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.
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.
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 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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?
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.
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.
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.
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?
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.
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 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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).
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...
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 in Japan, at Lake Kawaguchi. Photographers adore Mount Fuji with fall foliage, and Saowanee Suntararak enjoys shooting photos in this season as well.
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.
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.
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.
Each year, the Tokyo International Foto Awards jury panel receives thousands of stunning images from photographers, making the selection process harder than ever. While they weren't chosen as category winners, they are victorious in their own right: our favourite TIFA Honorable Mentions from 2020 show us unique perspectives in all the categories.
A dream-like scape, a cyclist and a famous house in Berlin, the Marie-Elisabeth-Lüders Haus. The composition of this photo is a testament to perfect geometry, a sharp-sighted discovery form the Spain-based photographer.
A photo shoot for a sustainable contemporary fashion brand, One Tribe. The main mission was to bring out the feeling of empathy from the viewers and potential customers.
A photograph, immensely powerful: the tree stands alone in the middle of the galaxy, it seems. A minimalist, surrealist way to view nature, it makes us think of deeper human emotions like loneliness and self-determination.
Wildlife photography is not for the faint-hearted: the photographer was underwater when this 3.5 metre shark forced him to retreat into the cage. He wasn't in safety, however: the shark followed him into the cage, an unexpected turn of events, leading to a chilling shot.
A celebration of patterns that repeat in nature, paired with vast colours, shadows and light, all layered on top of each other to give this special effect.
Typhoon season means the death of many ships at sea. The more our climate changes, the more we will experience weather extremities and the more ships will be in danger.
An homage to an artist lost and a photographer locked in during Covid-times. The end result is an inspired, surrealistic photo series that makes us ponder upon our very own ideas and creativity.
Glancing at these images, we often hold our breaths from excitement and anticipation as the photographers allow us glimpses into other people's stories. These event photographs from the 2020 Tokyo International Foto Awards melt our hearts at times, and keep us on the edge of our seats at others - they are the perfect blend of action and emotion.
We can almost feel the silence in the depths through this photo. Free-divers take a big breath and swim down as deep as possible with that one breath. It seems almost like a meditative state and requires serious training and physical state.
The Noto Peninsula in Japan is home to many festivals - the Abare Festival, or the Festival of Fire and Violence is an exciting time for participants, dedicated to a portable shrine that is hit against a wall by men, the culmination of the festival.
For the past almost one hundred years, the Venice Film Festival has seen the biggest stars walk on the red carpet. As an accredited photographer for the event, Matteo Chinellato TIFA 2020 winner took these candid, real photos of the biggest celebrities attending.
Even though the Covid19 restrictions caused lockdowns all over the world and Venezuela as well, this couple decided to go ahead with their wedding. Without the hundreds of participants and large music brand, the event was intimate and the couple focused on each other - a perfect reflection of their love.
An ancient tradition in Japan, Sumo wrestling is one of the most popular source of entertainment in Japan. After rigorous training, the wrestlers perform on the tatami to ensure a fruitful year for farmers.
The ritual of Mangala Snanam is a significant step before the bride and groom get married in India. It purifies the couple and ensures that they will be ready for upcoming endeavours as a wedded couple.
One performer and hundreds of people watching - we often only think of our point of views as spectators and not as the performer who is often alone on stage. How scary, exciting and adventurous it could be to bring out the best in ourselves in front of all these people!
David Gilmour (former Pink Floyd musician) had a tour named Psychedelic that the photographer covered. The extremely colorful and stunning light technology that was involved in the performance is rightfully called psychedelic, transporting viewers into an almost dream-like state.
The moment that little girls dream of, marriage: through the eyes of the bride, it is a happy but also somber occasion. She leaves her family to have a new one with her husband, ending her childhood and stepping into a new beginning.
The Neste Rally Finland Ouninpohja and the driver with immense bravery: Mads Östberg. His car flying in the air, the driver masterfully steers and goes on to race for the trophy.
Creating images that truly reflect humans as the complex beings they are is not an easy feat. These talented artists demonstrate just how soulful people photography at the Tokyo International Foto Awards 2020 can be - the jury panel was stunned by the amazing shots.
Everyone coped differently with the lockdowns during the Covid-19 pandemic... The photographer created a world of his own while observing other Italians and how they experienced the quarantine: active social media presence, fear, self-irony were emotions that he observed during this process.
Women of the Omo Valley Ethiopia: they live in extremely harsh conditions, but their beauty shines through the rough environment. To express themselves artistically, they use natural clay colour pigments, goatskin, traditional beads, cowrie shells and other body adornments.
An interesting self-portrait representing the struggles all of us go through, just like being buried under ashes. Loss, faith, love and suffering are all a part of the human experience - the photographer also wanted to demonstrate the strong will of a female personality.
To immortalize the Yukio Mishima novel 'The Afternoon Towing,' the photographer recreated his perception of the novel with the help of model Ornella Kabalole.
We all felt it: during the pandemic when we all had to stay at home, even a birthday celebration seemed like a complete vacation. The photographer aimed to convey this feeling for us through the eyes of the birthday girl.
Like a scene from another planet, the extremely dry white Turkana desert is considered to be the Cradle of Mankind: the first Homo Erectus lived there 1.6m years ago. The Turkana tribe, especially its women has survived through unimaginable hardships on this barren desert: they have to walk through the desert searching for food and water for miles. To worsen the situation, climate change is making the droughts longer and harsher.
A sunset, a Mercedes SE and Venezuelan landscapes, this couple decided to get married despite the Coronavirus lockdowns without a wedding reception or live music - an unintended elopement of sorts.
For some, it's a blood bond that cannot be unbroken, for some it's a lifelong friendship, while others lose contact and live without it: sisterhood and brotherhood are not always easy. The photographer wanted to explore the nebulous sentiments between siblings.
Another powerful image born from the pandemic. In Italy at the time the photograph was taken, 170 doctors have died due to coronavirus. The PCR test has become a painful, yet crucial step in the hospitals' everyday life.
Last year, the winners of TIFA demonstrated to our esteemed jury panel that there is no limit to their imagination and ability to execute amazing photos. There is one category, however, that allows us a peek into the creative minds the most. So, without further ado, here are some examples of the best fine art photography at Tokyo International Foto Awards 2020.
In China, fishermen used to fish with the traditional, ancient methods. In our present times, this has become increasingly difficult, many of them are shifting towards less sustainable ways to fish due to increasing demand, causing damage to the ecosystems. Unfortunately, when the remaining traditional fishermen are gone, their art of fishing will also vanish.
With the whole world stuck in quarantine in 2020, the photographer's deep-rooted desire for travel and adventure broke through this photo series. A way to explore new lands, she travelled through her imagination.
A quiet reminder: if we prepare for war in any and all aspects of our lives, we will never find peace. For our own benefit, it's better to let some things go, breathe in and out and continue with our lives.
We all have different lives and ways of living within the walls of our own space. In these places lie our frustrations, hopes and often isolation as well, leaving only us to figure out how to break away from them.
The cycle of feeding and living through the perspective of birds. When dusk falls, the bird leave the day fishing at seas and head to the trees for the night.
Taken during an expedition in Ethiopia, this photo was taken of a child belonging to the Mursi tribe. They are an African tribe from the isolated Omo valley in Southern Ethiopia near the border with Sudan.
Abstract expressionism at its best: the photographer's goal was to explore colors and formats all the while using bodies to widen the viewers' perspectives.
Each year we receive thousands of entries from talented photographers who have created complete bodies of work. Here are the most amazing photography books from Tokyo International Foto Awards 2020.
This book is a project driven by research which explores anthropogenic changes in the Australian landscape through the use of conceptual documentary photography. The Snowy Mountain brumby, is an Australian feral wild-roaming horse and can be discovered throughout the book's journey.
Hundreds of churches in Europe were left abandoned. The photographer, Francis Meslet took the challenge to discover and to immortalise these places of worship that were so full of people many years ago.
One of the oldest sports in history, Sumo has been present for 2,000 years. The fighters live according to a strict code that they follow in and out of their dojo. This books uncovers their everyday life and lets us catch a glimpse into the backstage of dojo life.
A portfolio of strange beauty - the photographer has been exploring the environment around his studio. Thanks to a special shooting technique, the photos show us abandoned tunnels, rocks and other natural elements through an even more interesting view.
Capturing a city's soul in images. The photographer, exploring Buenos Aires, shot the parts of the city she most loves: the skyline, buildings, the light and its people. The result? Beautiful, cheerful pictures that show the joyful heart of the city.
A photo essay in four chapters: "Craving", "Doppelgänger", "Lost in the K-Hole" and "Rorschach." Each of them uncovers different layers to psychological themes. It is strong, shocking and infinitely intriguing.
A photo book that is a story in itself. It is a mixture between sadness, fun and kindness and shows us these feelings in a colorful, visually appealing way.
More than a decade's worth of trips around this area, the photographer wanted to raise public awareness: if we do not stop climate change, the Earth will warm further and our maps will be redrawn leading to unforeseen consequences.
According to jury member Timothy B. Anderson, this book demonstrates a "Wonderful layout. Perfect illustration of subject matter." As one of the most beautiful photography books from Tokyo International Foto Awards 2020, this book examines the remnants of a World War II Japanese American concentration camp. It is heartbreaking and forceful at the same time.
A wholesome book dedicated to showing and preserving the natural beauty of the world we live in. It demonstrates the fact that to have live animals "perform" for photo shoots and shows is unnecessary in our modern world.
TIFA was created to support and recognize not only those whose main source of income is photography, but student and amateurs photographers as well. The awards serve as a platform for these emerging artists to showcase their immense talent and for us to appreciate it. To shine the spotlight on them, we have compiled the best student photographers of Tokyo International Foto Awards 2020.
Sometimes, we need time to find ourselves. This was the case with non-professional photographer Ta Hsiao Kuo, who found his passion for photography at the age of 51. He keeps pushing on, developing his skills and testing them in competitions.
A photography series to raise awareness for the damaging footprints humans leave on nature everywhere. The images are violently distorted to reflect the equally violent destruction of the environment.
Another photo series to draw awareness to our environment: rising sea levels can endanger coastal cities and without a solution, can cause colossal problems in the future. The image series shows us a divide between man-made buildings and nature: people are looking for a place to to go to beach, will this be embedded in the cities soon?
Lessons, love, patience and a lot of fun: siblings are the way we learn empathy and unconditional love. This photo book transports us back into our childhoods with heartfelt images.
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The law of the jungle: fight, win and live to see another day, or lose and perish. It is in these photos we see the brutal face of nature, a very well-captured moment.
Terrible conditions outside of Cairo in Egypt, these limestone mine workers are covered in dust and often get injuries that are life-threatening. They cover their eyes and mouths with scarves to protect them, but the white powder eventually gets everywhere.
Decay and entropy: a disco abandoned in Italy, this image is highly relevant in the times of Covid when places such as these had to shut down completely.
Long Hai fish market, Ba Ria - Vung Tau, Vietnam: this is the place to buy and sell seafood, especially dried scad. Thousands of trays full of fish are dried on the rooftops for one day.
What better way to travel across the world (in the middle of a worldwide lockdown), than seeing the impressive captures of the Best Architecture Photographers at TIFA? Join us on a tour that visits every corner of the Globe, peeking into ruins of buildings and modern giants.
A series of images posing the concept of eternity and temporary within the same frame. With an eye for geometry and talent for creating long exposure photos, the artist captures buildings in a powerful, ominous way.
Heartbreaking and immortal, the pianos left alone in abandoned mansions all around Europe causes us to pause and think of times past. Romain Thiery, pianist and photographer, believes the piano to be “deeply rooted in the depths of our culture” and pledged to explore the instrument from an original angle, documenting them in their current condition.
This unique photograph was taken from the sky in Budapest, Hungary. The Liberty Bridge connect the two city parts and was built between was built between 1894 and 1896. Later on, it was destroyed and rebuilt, the ruins of which can still be seen right under the bridge when the Danube is low.
Slap-bang in the middle of London is the Battersea Power Station, in the progress of building, the photographer has visited the small city-within-a-city many times. The mirroring technique adapted by the artist makes it possible to isolate certain architectural elements within the photo, making them seem like enormous spaceships floating across the sky.
Busy, chaotic and breathtaking, the buildings of Tokyo tower above its residents like giants looking at miniature figures going about their daily routines. This photo series is an homage to this world, combinations of architectural landscapes, infused with lines and colors, futuristic and surreal mixtures, slick surfaces, voluminous structures, grid graphs.
A crowded community in a beautiful, secluded place: Larung Gar is the local name for the society of Tibetan and Han Chinese students attending the Serta Larung Five Science Buddhist Academy. People living in these buildings are nuns, monks and students, making it one of the world’s largest Buddhist centers.
Playing with symmetry often leads to a loss of where we are, vantage points can disappear leaving us roaming a space with no sense of direction. The artist successfully converted architectural elements into an almost alien-like image, leaving the viewer perplexed as to where he or she stands in the space.
The Hadid Heydar Aliyev Center in Baku is a colossal building that features amazing edges and curves, making it look modern and powerful. The photographer took sections of the building and, considering shadows and light, captured images to accentuate these curves and the mighty presence of the construction. This is how the “snake” was born.
The Monument Valley Geoscience Museum can be found on the volcanic islands, Zhangzhou. Like stepping into a dream, the Monument Valley Geoscience Museum is a building with colorful exterior walls and structural geometry that is infinitely pleasing to the eye, making the photographs look like perfect paintings.
An old-school, charming swimming pool in Ontario Canada – the artist sees hotel swimming pools as a curiosity due to their unique style and historic elements and the fact that they every so often overlook the city. In this instance, the CW Tower is visible right from the water body.
Read more:
Stunning Nature Photographs at TIFA 2020 from Professional and Non-Professional EntrantsBrilliant Advertising Photographs from 2020 TIFA Winners
