cover image by Masamichi Maeda
Introduction
'I was here' is a global online photo contest hosted by cizucu, open to any creator registered with cizucu. The contest aims to curate outstanding works from the submissions, discover new talents as a platform, and support the community.
The contest themed on shared numerous works capturing the beauty, warmth, and happy accidental discoveries of moments as proof of 'I was here'.
Now, let's introduce the submitted and award-winning works.
Introduction of Submitted Works
Image by Toshiya Nagayama
Toshiya Nagayama
'#WaterPlay'
cizucu Editorial Team
A work capturing a lively moment embodying serendipity. The splashing water and frolicking children are condensed into an unexpectedly beautiful moment. This innocent and free scene reminds us of the small miracles often overlooked in daily life.
Image by ICHIHO
ICHIHO
'The mountain surface covered with rime ice, clouds flowing at the feet burn with the morning sun'
📷 PENTAX K-3 II
cizucu Editorial Team
This work capturing the gradient created by the morning sun cuts out a breathtaking beauty and a moment of serendipity. The silhouette of a person welcoming the sunrise at the mountain top seems to contrast the grandeur of nature with the smallness of humans. The silence and solemnity of this moment powerfully convey the message 'I was here'.
Award-Winning Works
Image by tenki
tenki
'Kanpai.'
📷 FUJI PHOTO FILM CO., LTD. SP-2000
cizucu Editorial Team
This work captures a simple yet powerful moment of serendipity where people gather and spend time together. The hands clinking glasses and the warm atmosphere surrounding them express the accidental beauty of friendship and bonds, emphasizing the richness of shared experiences and memories under the theme 'I was here'.
Image by fuyu
fuyu
'Warmth'
📷 FUJIFILM X-T2
cizucu Editorial Team
This work expresses a serene moment at a ryokan, responding delicately to the theme of serendipity. The clothes hanging on a hanger quietly prove that someone 'was there'. It conveys the small discoveries found during a journey and the quiet excitement they bring.
Image by Masamichi Maeda
Masamichi Maeda
'Elephant Foot Washing'
📷 NIKON D7100
cizucu Editorial Team
This work captures the beauty of unexpected interaction between humans and animals. This piece, suggesting the depth of the relationship between animals and humans, proposes a new interpretation of the theme 'I was here', conveying a message of peace and harmony through a serene scene of coexistence.
Image by littlekiss photography
littlekiss photography
'Aurora in Whitehorse, Canada
Mostly hidden by clouds, a shy one'
cizucu Editorial Team
The aurora peeking through the clouds tells a small story of the land wrapped in silence. The gaze of the person in the photo suggests awe at the vastness of the universe and gratitude for nature's subtle drama. This work conveys the message 'I was here' beyond words, speaking to the vastness and depth of the world through an experience in silence.
Image by fujikko
fujikko
'Ah, an airplane'
📷 SONY ILCE-7M3
cizucu Editorial Team
This work captures a scene with a giant Gundam, a representative of Japanese animation, and an airplane crossing the sky against a sunset background. The perfect alignment of the Gundam and the airplane creates a miraculous moment as if the Gundam is pointing at it. This scene shows the existence of fantasy blending into everyday life, bringing viewers the joy of imagination and the unique harmony of reality and fiction coexisting.
In Conclusion
How was it?
From each submitted work, you can feel the pure joy of children, warmth in quiet daily life, awe for majestic nature, and the wonderful harmony between humans and nature, present and future. Each work has its own story and responds uniquely and emotionally to the theme 'I was here'.
Through this photo contest, it has been wonderfully demonstrated how many emotions a momentary event on the canvas of daily life can evoke. The moments captured by the creators will continue to inspire many people in the future.
