Introduction
‘2023’ is a global photo contest open to all creators. In cizucu’s photo contests, outstanding works are curated from the submissions, with the aim of discovering new talent as a platform and supporting the community as a whole.
This contest, held at the end of 2023, invited submissions of your best shots and memorable moments from the year—whether joyful, surprising, moving, or from personal stories to major social events, with no restrictions on theme. Now, we are pleased to present the submitted works and the award-winning photographs.
Showcase of Submissions
Image by __t.d___
t.d_
📷 Canon EOS R8
cizucu Editorial Team
2023 became the year we could finally say ‘the pandemic is over’. Cities regained their diversity, and lively nights became more frequent. This photograph captures the shifting social landscape of these times.
Image by nanako
nanako
📷 iPhone 12 back camera 4.2mm
cizucu Editorial Team
Not only did our cities become more vibrant, but reconnecting with people we hadn’t seen in a while was also a memorable part of 2023. This photograph, taken at a grandparent’s house, reminds us that nothing is more precious than experiencing human warmth with all our senses.
Image by yu
yu
📷 SONY | ILCE-7S
cizucu Editorial Team
A photograph capturing the innocent smiles of children. While every encounter brings the possibility of parting, if our loved ones and friends can spend the year in good health, that alone makes it a wonderful year.
Image by kei utsunomiya（宇都宮 慶）
kei utsunomiya（宇都宮 慶）
cizucu Editorial Team
For some, 2023 may have been the year a long-held goal was finally achieved. Many creators have dreamed of capturing a particular scene. Imagining the long journey behind a single photograph can completely change the way we see it.
Image by ek_photofeeling
ek_photofeeling
📷 Canon EOS R5
cizucu Editorial Team
A photograph of a blue summer sky, towering cumulus clouds, and a ferris wheel dotted with people. The imagery conjured by each subject overlaps, making us want to exclaim, ‘It’s summer… it’s youth…’. The imagination sparked by photography continued to delight us throughout 2023.
Awarded Works
Image by yanma222
yanma222
📷 SONY | ILCE-7M3
cizucu Editorial Team
This photograph captures ‘Hattan Falls’ in Hyogo Prefecture. In 2023, many of us were once again awed and moved by the power of nature. Reviewing the photographs submitted to cizucu daily, it’s often the overwhelming images of nature that make us exclaim in amazement. The archiving and sharing of beautiful natural scenes will continue to play a vital role in showcasing the appeal of Japan. This powerful work, which highlights the importance of such photography, has been selected as an award-winning piece.
In Closing
We hope you enjoyed this feature.
From the personal to the societal, the stories told through photography have taken us on many journeys. What will 2024 bring? The photo contest ‘New Year Resolution’, themed around your goals for the year, is open until the end of January! The submission deadline is fast approaching, but there’s still time to participate and set your intentions for the new year. We look forward to your submissions!
cover image by kei utsunomiya（宇都宮 慶）