Within the cizucu community, global online photo contests are held regularly, open to all. From contests curated by cizucu to collaborative projects with brands, the range of themes is diverse and ever-evolving. These initiatives are designed to spark individual creativity and foster rich, uninhibited expression.
Currently, four contests are underway: “Structure and Chaos,” “Shadows of Light,” “January Diary '26,” and “Traveling Away From Here.”
This feature introduces selected submissions and contest details from each ongoing open call.
Structure and Chaos
Theme: Order in Photography
Submission Deadline: Monday, January 19, 2026
Photo by つっちー
つっちー
Yurameki
📷 NIKON Z7 II
cizucu Editorial Team
The undulating patterns created by the rippling water surface exude a captivating, unrestrained beauty. The interplay of shimmering light on the clear water draws the viewer in, evoking a sense of tranquility. This image conjures harmony within chaos, sparking the imagination of all who encounter it.
Shadows of Light
Theme: Shadows
Submission Deadline: Monday, January 26, 2026
Photo by wang fong ya
wang fong ya
The softness is not posed.
It simply appears,
when the light arrives at the right distance
cizucu Editorial Team
This photograph captures a cat basking in gentle light, casting a soft shadow and radiating a sense of complete contentment. The warmth and tranquility, as if reflecting the photographer’s own emotions, are palpable. The cat’s playful gesture, with its tongue out, is endearing and brings a smile. The subject itself seems to embody the very essence of “light.”
January Diary '26
Theme: January Diary
Submission Deadline: Sunday, January 31, 2026
Photo by Lawrence Liou
Lawrence Liou
Everyday life beneath Mount Fuji, Shizuoka 2026. A quiet glimpse of ordinary moments unfolding under Japan’s most iconic mountain.
日本を象徴する山の下で、静かに流れる何気ない瞬間。
cizucu Editorial Team
Mount Fuji, cloaked in pristine snow, stands majestically against the crisp winter sky. The scene evokes a sense of renewal and clarity, as if heralding the start of a new year. The juxtaposition of the everyday cityscape in the foreground accentuates the sacredness of nature, while also reflecting the flow of our daily lives and the passage of time. This photograph records the “extraordinary” within the “ordinary,” much like a diary entry.
Traveling Away From Here
Theme: Memories from a Journey
Submission Deadline: Monday, February 9, 2026
Photo by Kai Kim
Kai Kim
📷 NIKON Df
cizucu Editorial Team
This image captures a candid moment of two people gazing at each other and holding hands. We do not know what words are exchanged, what their relationship is, or the context of the scene—yet it stirs a deep emotional response. The absence of color heightens the emotional resonance, allowing the warmth of the moment to emerge more vividly. Within the stillness of monochrome, a palpable sense of intimacy is conveyed.