Introduction
'May Diary '26' is a global online photo contest organized by cizucu, open to any creator registered on cizucu. Outstanding works are curated from the submissions, aiming to discover new talent as a platform and to support the community as a whole.
This edition’s theme was ‘May Diary’.
May is a time when the fresh greenery deepens in color, and both the wind and light grow softer. It is a period of returning to everyday life after the excitement of the long holidays, and gradually finding your own rhythm in new environments.
This time, we invited everyone to share those fleeting moments in May—ordinary days or sudden emotional shifts—through photography.
Now, let us introduce the submissions and the selected award-winning works.
Submitted Works
Photo by Yukihiro
Yukihiro
A Moment of Rest
📷 LEICA M (Typ 240)
cizucu Editorial Team
May in Kyoto is, to me, the last truly pleasant month before the heat of summer arrives. cizucu is also based in Kyoto, and it’s common to see people resting barefoot or even shirtless by the Kamo River. For Kyoto locals, it might not be difficult to guess when this photo was taken just by looking at it.
Photo by oku.jp
oku.jp
📷 FUJI PHOTO FILM CO., LTD. | SLP800
cizucu Editorial Team
May seems to be wrapped in a unique 'blueness' not found in other months. School uniforms, riverbanks, grasses, and friends imitating them—this image captures a blue May that seems to linger deep in memory.
Photo by 淞
淞
May in Seoul
📷 RICOH GR IV
cizucu Editorial Team
What a wonderful little window you found. While everyone else is absorbed in the food stalls, I can picture you wandering around with your GR, looking all around. Even if you miss out on the seasonal festivities, photography will always be on your side.
Photo by @nickydaphotography
@nickydaphotography
cizucu Editorial Team
What I love about this shot is the intense focus on the faces of the men kicking the ball. The way their 'everyday moment' is captured from a bird’s-eye view makes it feel fresh to us as viewers. The ordinary moments of May can often seem captivating when seen through someone else’s eyes.
Awarded Works
Photo by Ricky
Ricky
到世界盡頭依然跟另一半一起搞怪的日常
📷 RICOH GR IV Monochrome
cizucu Editorial Team
The caption reads, 'Even at the ends of the earth, still goofing around with my partner as always.' While the monochrome tones evoke the awe of nature, the two in the foreground are clearly having fun together. Perhaps the secret to making a perfect moment even better is to hold on to the things that never change.
Photo by 酒井聡
酒井聡
Playing at Full Throttle
📷 SONY α7C II
cizucu Editorial Team
This straightforward shot really tugged at my heart. For a child, that moment on the slide is surely the highlight of the day. The unrestrained, wholehearted smile—unfamiliar with moderation—made me regret letting May slip by so quickly.
In Closing
We hope you enjoyed this feature.
The works submitted by everyone gently captured the subtle changes and the atmosphere that can only be felt in those fleeting moments of everyday life.
Not only special events, but even the most ordinary days become irreplaceable records when carefully documented. Each photograph reminded us of this important truth.
The ‘Diary’ series will continue. We look forward to seeing your June, captured and shared as if writing a diary.