Sunset in Amami, (Kagoshima)
Kegon Falls (in Tochigi)
Meiji Centenary Observatory (in Chiba)
From the Balcony (Shimomaruko Gas Bridge) (in Tokyo)
3．Judges and their comments on the overall Zekkei Photo Contest 2020
【Special Jury President】
Mr. Hiroto Sasaki (Asahi Shimbun Publishing Co., Ltd. / AERA dot.)
・General comments on the overall Zekkei Photo Contest
I got the impression that many of the photos were not the typical scenic views, but rather pictures of what they normally see during your travels or what caught their eyes. In fact, there were some that were the opposite of Instagrammable, and they did a great job of expressing the spectacular views that are familiar to us. Also, the overall impression I got was that the photos captured a sense of atmosphere in terms of temperature and humidity, and that the subjects were being photographed in a straightforward manner. That's what makes photography so interesting, isn't it? I feel like I was able to see the essence of what photography is all about. I appreciate the opportunity to have a lot of fun looking at photos.
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【Special Judge】
Ms. Fumiko Kato (President/CEO, WAmazing K.K.)
・General comments on the overall Zekkei Photo Contest
Since my work is in the travel and tourism industry, I believe in the great power of photography. The photos in the top rankings all conveyed a sense of travel, nostalgia, a sense of excitement, a sense of atmosphere and climate of when the shots are captured, which all made me want to experience these senses in person. It was a very enjoyable time, thank you very much.
The favorite photo of Ms. Kato
[Sea Fireflies and Milky Way in the Sado Island, (Niigata)] by Mr. Yoshiyuki Ito
It takes about 15 minutes to get to Sado Island by jetfoil. It is not rare to see the spectacular scenery of the stars shining beautifully at night in the pitch black sky. The photograph also shows that the island is rich in marine resources by shooting sea planktons that shine with simulations in specific seasons.
【Special Jury】
Ms. Kyoko Sumikawa (Co-founder / CCO of Pomalo Co., Ltd.)
・General comments on the overall Zekkei Photo Contest
With videos currently trending, it made me wonder once again what kind of power photography has. This event was a great opportunity to reaffirm the power of photography to capture a moment in time, including the powerful atmosphere of their photos, and the ability to capture the smells and winds of a place. It's hard to find fault with any of them. I'd like to give them all an award. I hope that the photographers will continue to take more and more pictures of the goodness of photography and the enjoyment of the season, the moment and the place. I have high hopes for the future. It was a fun time for me as well. Thank you very much for your time.
The favorite piece of Ms. Sumikawa
[Meoto (Husband and Wife) Fall (in Kumamoto)] by kazu.h0803
There is a contrast between this dynamic waterfall and the cool, Japanese silence, with the soft sunlight in the dimly lit nature. This made me want to simply stand right there. For this contest, I valued interesting and dynamic composition, colors that share a sense of atmosphere and convey the smells of the place, as well as the overall coloration. In terms of emotions, we also considered whether the photo had the power to capture a moment in time and whether it would motivate people to visit there. In terms of the storyline, the piece that makes you want to imagine the margin of the picture when you visit there. Finally, I selected the piece, considering it as a shot that is difficult to capture with a coincidence or rareness.
【Special Judge】
Mr. Masatoshi Mizuno (Senior Managing Director, Abilib Corporation / Secretary General, ZEKKEI Japan)
・General comments on the overall Zekkei Photo Contest
This was our first photo contest, and with your help, we were able to move forward with the contest in a meaningful way. Thank you very much. This project started from the lockdown due to Covid-19 virus. Although things have eased up little by little, there is still a sense of stagnation; especially, the tourism and travel industry. Therefore, we wanted to see what we could do for this situation. We hope to continue to hold this contest for the second and the third time in the future. We would be very grateful if you could continue to help us with this project.