Soulful People Photography at Tokyo International Foto Awards 2020

September 24, 2021

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. 

I Stay At Home - The Series - Danilo D'Auria

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. 

Proud Women of The Omo - Sarah Jenkins

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.

Arise! - Vadim Doctorov

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. 

The One Who Fell From Grace With The Sea - David Degelin

To immortalize the Yukio Mishima novel 'The Afternoon Towing,' the photographer recreated his perception of the novel with the help of model Ornella Kabalole.

Quarantine Birthday in Russia - Anna Grazhdankina

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. 

Women In The Cradle of Mankind - Marina Shacola

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. 

No Rush - Enrique Mancera

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. 

Sisterhood - Katerina Kouzmitcheva

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. 

A Painful Necessity - Gabriele Micalizzi

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. 

A Boy and His Camels - Shyamala Thilagaratnam

Striking imagery taken in Northern Kenya - a little boy becomes a mighty leader when he herds his family's camels all by himself. 

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