31 Awarded Images From The Tokyo International Foto Awards

"A lone clownfish peeks through the soft and translucent tentacles of a sea anemone. The glowing tip acted like a beacon, calling the clownfish back to its home. I am Fadil, born and raised on the small island of Mauritius. Having an interest in nature, wildlife, and landscape photography. I do my best to teach and show people the beauty of our fauna and flora, in the hope that future generations are more aware of them and that they grow up to be stewards of the environment."

"Through my ongoing Envisioning Habitat series, I work to present the beauty and majesty of birds in landscapes, real and imagined. Over the last two decades, I have been photographing nature in search of a combination of images to landscapes that match my excitement about the world around me. The beauty I see in nature is an element in every image I create. I desire to share a sense of awe with the hope that once the magnificence of this planet and its amazing creatures and landscapes are seen, the desire to preserve and protect will find expression. Santa Barbara artist and nature photographer Cheryl Medow creates images that entice the viewer to enter the natural world and envision her wild birds, in imaginary and real environments. Using classical and contemporary tools, Medow layers her photographs, weaving them together to create visual narratives without the use of AI. Medow hopes that by embracing her hyper-real bird images, her audience will also create more space for birds living on our planet and be mindful of the fragility and beauty of life itself."

"After 8 days of waiting and trying with various groups of elephants things finally fell into place. Everything came together as I had envisioned it - Elephants walking through the grass in a single file, spaced out evenly, coming at me at a slight curve, a first elephant with a decent set of tusks, the lead elephant flapping its ears at the right moment, a cloudy day, no other photographers disturbing the elephants so that they come relatively close to me and a few other things... Image created in Amboseli national park in Kenya."

"Amidst the echoes of clashes, the thunder of shelling, and the roar of warplanes overhead, the peace player would strike a note on the piano, bringing a sense of calm and safety to the children. It was a poignant scene, blending both pain and hope—a testament to the resilience and unyielding determination of the people to live. For them, after more than 13 years of relentless conflict in Syria, such scenes have become almost routine, a tragic part of their everyday lives."

"Each year on Christmas Day in the Chumbivilcas province of Peru community members come together to celebrate and to fight. The event is known as Takanakuy which translates from Quechua as ‘To Hit Each Other’. The remote region in the southern Andes has very few police officers. To maintain a semblance of peace and order community members agree to refrain from quarreling and resolve their conflicts once a year on December 25th with festive fighting."

"French Polynesia will host the Olympic Surfing Games in July 2024. Teahupoo, the chosen site is not just a playground for surfers, it's a sacred place where they push the limits of the possible, in search of the biggest wave."

"There are few animals more elegant than a shark. In the crystal clear waters of French Polynesia black tip sharks patrol the lagoons swimming just below the surface."

"Qoyllur Rit’i or the Snow Star Festival as it translates from Quechua, is a syncretic religious festival that occurs yearly in the high-elevation Sinakara Valley of the Peruvian Andes. Thousands of pilgrims travel from throughout Peru and South America to dance, sing, and pray. It combines Indigenous beliefs and traditions with Spanish Catholic customs and epitomizes the syncretic nature of the two cultures as they struggle to co-exist."

"In the dark of night, lights hang suspended in the air. Their soft glow cuts through the night and falls gently upon the landscape, revealing hidden textures and subtle contours that lie invisible under the flat light of day. From icy glaciers to rugged mountain peaks, our planet is brimming with natural wonders. This series places these locations in the spotlight, transforming them into grand vistas that inspire awe and reverence. Beyond celebrating their beauty, it reminds us of the urgent need to preserve these fragile environments, for future generations to experience and cherish."

"A lone musher with his dogs drives through the vast arctic expanses of Spitsbergen. When the world of photography captured my heart more than twenty years ago, it changed the way I perceived the world. I realized that experiences in life and the emotions we feel can be captured in a moment to live on forever in a photograph. Chased by emotions and haste, I felt like a child exploring an unknown world; there was no plan of where this journey would take me. The chase led me through countless styles, an exploration of the various influences in my life, and a deep reflection of my own emotions."

"I'm trying to explore a part of my cultural identity. My mother's family emigrated from Germany in 1766. It was settled on the Tsarist crown estate of Hirschenhof in today's Latvia. More than 170 years of peaceful coexistence between Germans and Latvians ended in 1939 with the events of the Second World War. The colony was closed and the inhabitants were resettled in Poland. At the end of IIWW, my mother meets my father in Germany. The history of Hirschenhof has something universal if you want to understand today's migration flows. Analogue photographed in Latvia and Germany."

"The building showcases and reflects the magnificence of the surrounding landscape creating an interplay between the built environment and nature."

"Sea water begins to flow into the port where the tidal flats spread out. After a long wait, the seawater finally begins to reach the breakwater. Silver waves billow between the curved tidal flats. Using ND filters, this work was completed after an hour of waiting. 2022-23 Solo Exhibition at Palazzo del Duca, Senegallia, Italy 2019 Solo Exhibition at Shatto Gallery, Los Angeles, CA, USA 2019 Group Exhibition “Landscape: East Meets West,” Pesaro, Italy 2013-23 Published photos in the Asian Pacific Heritage Calendar and Cultural Guide by the City of Los Angeles, USA 2017 Solo Exhibition at Gallery Dooin, Seoul, South Korea 2016 Group Exhibition at University of Southern California, L.A. CA, USA 2015 Group Exhibition in Mexico City, Mexico 2014-2011 Group Exhibition in Tsushima, Japan and Seoul, Korea, Qingdao, China, Tianjin, China, L.A.,USA."

"The 'Pure Soul' photo series conveys the deep symbolism of loss and the resilience of the Ukrainian people amidst the Russo-Ukrainian war. Each of the ten photographs embodies the idea of souls that have preserved their purity despite the brutality and bloodshed. The girl in a white suit, with her face covered by red fabric, symbolizes those who perished at the hands of the aggressor. Her white clothing represents the purity and righteousness that remain untainted, despite the [darn] scars left by the war."

"One of the shots taken on a winter afternoon in the cemetery of Modena (Italy), where the architect Aldo Rossi left us traces of his poetics, geometrically impeccable and at the same time creating surreal atmospheres."

"For the first time, a wildlife photography book is crafted through the emotions felt by its photographers. When we encounter an animal in nature, we have a direct emotional response to it. We can feel awe, admiration, fascination and yes, sometimes love or fear as well. Marko and Amos bring you face-to-face with the biggest animals through their amazing photos. They also share their emotions getting very close to giant grizzly and polar bears, diving with great white and whale sharks, photographing roaring tigers and lions, observing up­close gorillas, leopard seals, bison, eagles, and more."

"The photographer showcases Kinshasa and Brazzaville's fashion culture: La Sape, the Society of Ambiance-Makers & Elegant People. Sapeurs work regular jobs but transform into stylish dandies, spreading joy. Brazzaville favors French suits, while Kinshasa embraces eclectic styles. True Sapologie values creativity over labels, with Congolese women joining to challenge norms. La Sape evolves as youth use fashion to navigate their nations' paths toward a hopeful, cosmopolitan future."

"These photos were taken at the Heydar Aliyev Center in Azerbaijan. The series of photographs represent more than just structures. At first glance, they may seem like mere architectural photos, but captured from different angles, they bring to life a story woven from the dialogue between the building and its environment. To capture the interplay of light and shadow, the elegance of curves, and the flow of space, I photographed this building at various times and from different viewpoints. Each shot tells its own story, and together, they create a more enriching narrative."

"When looking up onto the facade of Omnizorg in Apeldoorn, the Netherlands, I envisioned creating a column of air in between four walls. The multi-colored repetition of the shutters in different positions is duplicated on all sides, which gives the composition a pleasant visual and spiritual confirmation continuing into the sky above. In order to slightly break the diagonal symmetry and add a personal touch, I added my son and our dog looking out of one window. I am a Dutch artist who lives and works in Almere, near Amsterdam. In 1990 I graduated from the Academy of Fine Arts in Tilburg in photography, painting, and drawing. Since the development of digital photography my camera and computer have become important tools for creation. Because of my fascination with patterns, music scores, languages, and other types of structures, my work always has been inhabited by geometric shapes, lines, and rhythm. My current passion is the abstract beauty of architecture. Through my photographic work, I hope to inspire and touch people's souls with visual music."

"NEVER LET ME GO People have themselves immortalized since ancient times. Portraits are about ambitions, longing, and loss. About how people want to be remembered. These portraits are about how we want to remember them. We aim to capture the fleeing youth and innocence of a young girl, a glimpse before time unfolds. Just before she flies and this precious childhood will never come back. Leaves us with loving memories. So we can hold on to the past and always have our children close, to never let them go. After many years of experience in fashion photography, working for fashion clients and magazines in Holland and Germany, Katelijne Verbruggen - Brender a Brandis & Anna Sokolowska have come together to form an artistic duo: 'Lowska A Brandis'. With many visual stories to tell, they decided to create together and explore the world of fine art. In their fine art portraits, they're looking for contrast, to add a modern touch. Their background in fashion and love for the Old Masters shows in their use of light and selection of models, clothes and accessories."

"The oceans represent the element responsible for producing 50% of the oxygen we breathe. Today they are polluted, there are microplastics, floating islands of the same, changes in pH and temperature, associated with global warming, and there are floating islands of plastic, which directly affect habitats and human beings themselves. If nothing is done we will be on a path of no return. The series really is a reminder of these and other problems. My name is Antonio Bernardino Martins Coelho, I am from a small village in the north of Portugal, where I live. I am 43 years old, married, and father of two girls. I work as an electrical engineer. A taste for painting was evident in me early on, but it was only in 2010 after a trip to Cuba that I became interested in photography, having captured a lot of images. However, having a small digital camera, I started to acquire analog equipment and develop the photography learning activity in a self-taught way, using very old and medium format machines. My favorite camera is the Zeiss Ikon Nettar."

"Dubai is known for luxury and modern architecture towers and lively nightlife. with this series of photos I tried to show some beautiful cityscape and some famous landmarks and nice buildings of this city . 'Alireza has been passionate about photography for more than 30 years, ever since his parents gave him a Yashica MF2 as a birthday gift when he was 15 years old. Although he always wanted to receive a methodical and academic education in the art of photography, it wasn’t possible for him. He learned this art from people and from the good and unfavorable events in his life, which have served as excellent teachers for him. Since 2010, when he was able to buy his first digital SLR camera, he became even more fascinated and focused more on photography.'"

"The pilgrimage in honor of the Guadalupe Virgin is the biggest pilgrimage in Mexico. On the 11th and the 12th of December eleven million people from several parts of Mexico gathered in the Basilica of Guadalupe to pay their respects and pray in front of an image of the Virgin. Armed with my curiosity and my Canon, I wanted to portray worshipers’ passion and the emotions that make the Guadalupe Pilgrimage the most important religious pilgrimage in Latin America. Born and raised in Italy, Nicola Balestrazzi has worked as a trader in the financial sector. His love for photography and travels pushed him to undertake photography full time since 2022, dedicating more time to exploring the world and shooting what satisfies his curiosity and stimulates his sight. He favors street and documentary/social photography, and more generally everything that documents human life and the surrounding environment."

"In this series, I captured the moment and the simultaneity of the people who appeared in the spotlight. I tried to depict the fleeting moments of people's lives that would not be remembered using theatrical effects, using as a motif the people passing through the spotlight created by the light coming in through the skylight on the platform of a local train line in Madrid for only a short time. In this series, I wanted to visualize the scene from the perspective of an observer, where the monologues in each person's heart reverberate at random at the same time. I wanted to depict the loneliness Born in Japan. I am a Madrid-based amateur but everyday photographer specializing in street photography. Bachelor's degree in Science of Design(Musashino Art University) and Doctoral graduated in Art History (Nagoya University)."

"The story focuses on the community of Iranian truck drivers who work in solitude and far from their families for most of their time. The community provides an example of a part of our society that is subjected to loneliness and its side effects. Being a truck driver working in a foreign country means spending most of your time far from your loved ones which makes it quite hard to maintain mental and physical health, and address family-related issues, especially as a father of a family in a male-dominated society (Iran) where the presence of the father/husband is very much needed."

"'A Flair for Red' series was inspired by my fascination with how we are shaped by our surroundings, both physically and emotionally. I’ve always been drawn to the idea of blending into our environments—how, at times, we become reflections of the spaces we inhabit. Op-art's mesmerizing patterns and optical illusions offered the perfect visual metaphor for this. The use of red threads came from my interest in the emotional spectrum of the color, symbolizing energy, passion, and transformation. This series is about exploring identity as something fluid and interconnected with the world around us Born in Mexico City, Ileana is a professional in graphic communications and advertising and an independent visual artist and photographer. She has been featured and collaborated in some important blogs about mobile art and photography. Her work has been exhibited in Brazil, South Korea, the United States, Hungary, France, Portugal, Spain, Italy and Argentina. In 2017 she presented Fragmentos de Luz, her first solo exhibition in Mexico City."

"The Arctic: A Darker Shade of White chronicles deep, immersive expeditions in the high north. I was fortunate to walk to the North Pole on skis; I crossed the Greenland ice sheet in its length; and covered great distances across the Canadian Arctic. Throughout 20 years of challenging polar missions, I never ceased to be moved by the power and scale of the landscape. This communion I had with Nature always led to epiphanies even while that harsh environment takes no pity on human life. But from year to year, I bore witness to climate transformations that spell profound global implications. Sebastian Copeland is a photographer, polar explorer, and climate researcher. Noted as a photographer “who has produced works that are of outstanding artistic merit and communicates messages of urgent global significance,” Copeland has led numerous expeditions to document the endangered Polar regions. In 2017, Copeland was named one of the world's top 25 adventurers of the last 25 years. He is a fellow of The Explorers Club and the International Glaciology Society."

"The daily bombardment of stories about conflict and anger towards “otherness” fills me with grief and anguish. The cacophony of misinformation seems chaotic; everything is on the verge of collapse. I move myself away from this distress by creating images of refracted light. I deconstruct the color spectrum juxtaposing shapes and colors to create a collection of visual meditations that offer me a sense of calm and allow my equanimity to return. Vicky Stromee was immersed in the transformative power of the arts from an early age. Her obsession with texture, pattern, fluidity, and change became defining life themes that continue to unfold in her work. Painterly influences inform Vicky's unique eye for composition and form, light and color. Her work invites the viewer to pause, reflect, and find a visual respite."

"The Congress Palace of the Spanish city of Zaragoza is a magnificent and emblematic building built for the Expo 2008 Universal Exhibition. With more than 22 thousand m² of built surface, it was designed by the Nieto Sobejano Arquitectos firm."

"In the haunting silence of Giovanni Maria Sacco’s ‘Silent Theaters’, abandoned factories echo the dignified beauty of decay, reminding us that endings are merely transitions. Sacco’s lens captures more than ruin; it presents a metaphor for life’s impermanent stages, inviting us to find grace in what we leave behind. Kehrer Verlag 2023 Hardcover 28,8 x 24 cm 144 pages 101 duotone illustrations English ISBN 978-3-96900-124-0 Artist: Giovanni Maria Sacco Texts: Laura Cosso, Giovanni Maria Sacco Design: Kehrer Design (Laura Pecoroni)."

"Indulging in the delightful afternoon tea at the Arca in Hong Kong is not just a culinary experience; it’s a feast for the eyes. This food photography series captures the vibrant colors and exquisite presentation of the hotel’s afternoon tea offerings, bringing to life an artful fusion of flavors that celebrate the beauty of seasonal fruits. The star of the show is undoubtedly the selection of fresh fruits—strawberry, melon, and mango—carefully chosen for their brightness and flavor. These fruits not only add a splash of color but also enhance the taste profile of each item on the menu."