cizucu Presents 'Perfectly Imperfect' Award Announcement | Challenge #226

'Perfectly Imperfect' is a global online photo contest hosted by cizucu, open to all creators registered on the platform. The contest curates outstanding submissions to discover new talents and support the community as a platform.

This time, the theme was 'Imperfect Beauty'.

Shapes slightly distorted, moments out of focus. Have you ever found yourself moved by such imperfections?

A photo that didn’t turn out as planned but somehow captivates you. A smile that spills out of the frame, feeling oddly real and endearing. Raw, unfinished, yet undeniably beautiful.

Through this contest, participants shared moments that felt beautiful precisely because they were imperfect.

Now, let’s take a look at the submissions and the winning entries.

Hayato Sato
Morning Dew

📷 NIKON Z7II

cizucu Editorial Team
Captured at close range, the morning dew sparkles like tiny beads of light, enveloping the entire photo. The out-of-focus world creates a dreamlike landscape, with shimmering droplets along the contours of the plants adding delicate beauty. This piece feels like it cleanses the soul with its serene charm.

mumei ksm

📷 FUJIFILM SP-3000

cizucu Editorial Team
A child running with a float conveys the pure excitement of heading to swim. Though monochrome, the wet ground evokes the joy of a post-rain moment. Its imperfections make it feel like a vivid memory, warm and lasting in the heart.

Rintaro
Shot with a half-frame camera, which pairs two images together. Unfortunately, the film ran out, leaving the continuation only in memory.

cizucu Editorial Team
What might have been captured in the missing photo? The fleeting moment, preserved only in the memories of the photographer and the subjects, feels all the more precious. This piece beautifully highlights the charm of imperfection unique to film photography.

Yuna
kirakira

📷 OLYMPUS E-M1 MarkII

cizucu Editorial Team
A cloudless sky, a sleeveless figure, and shimmering water droplets in the sunlight. This photo overflows with the essence of summer—laughter, the scent of sun-warmed asphalt, and the sound of splashing water. By leaving some elements unseen, it connects with the viewer’s memories and imagination, making it feel like a fragment of their own past.

sho sato
Friend

📷 FUJIFILM X10

cizucu Editorial Team
Perhaps this scene was captured just as it appeared. The desk is far from tidy, and the figure is unguardedly asleep. Yet, such unpolished moments often become the most cherished memories. This photo conveys the warmth and closeness of friendship, making it an endearing piece.

What did you think?

Each submission had its own unique charm and beauty. None of us are perfect, and perhaps that’s why photos, too, have the power to move us most in their imperfections.

Thank you for all your wonderful submissions. We look forward to seeing your work in the next photo contest!