cizucu Presents 'Stay a While' | Challenge #383

'Stay a While' is a global online photography contest presented by cizucu, open to all creators registered on cizucu. Outstanding submissions will be curated, aiming to discover new talent for the platform and foster support within the community.

This edition's theme is <Lose Track of Time>.

Moments when you realize the sun has set, or you find yourself captivated by the beauty of a fleeting instant.
There are times when we become so deeply absorbed that we forget even the ticking of the clock.

The gentle ebb and flow of waves, the sunset seen during troubled times, the memories of laughter shared with loved ones.
Perhaps these moments envelop our senses and gently lead us away from the busyness of everyday life.

We invite you to share, through photography, those moments when you truly lost track of time.
We look forward to your submissions.

kamikoji

cizucu Editorial Team
Deep within lush greenery, a single waterfall cascades down with silky smoothness, meeting a mystical emerald surface. The constant sound of water and the cool air brushing the skin seem almost captured within the frame. Confronted by the overwhelming beauty and power of nature, one’s thoughts come to a halt, leaving you standing in awe. This photograph captures a scene that makes you want to take a deep breath and lose track of time.

RIA
The memory of sneaking into the pool with a key borrowed from the teachers’ office during the summer of my senior year in high school is something I’ll probably never forget.

cizucu Editorial Team
The blur and soft focus seem to tell the story of this place in its unadorned authenticity. The warm atmosphere enveloping the scene conveys the photographer’s deep affection for these irreplaceable moments. Unbound by anyone, incomparable to anything else, these are special times just for us. Surely, these are the moments when you become so absorbed, you lose track of time.

saciiiko

📷 FUJIFILM X-S20

cizucu Editorial Team
On a summer night, the intense yet delicate sparkle of a handheld sparkler, carefully lit at your fingertips. This photograph captures a dense moment of quietly gazing at the sparks, so engrossed that you forget the passage of time. Its ephemeral nature leaves such a strong impression that you forget it lasted only a few minutes. A carefully composed image that preserves the gentle, cherished lights found in everyday life.

Chou
Like a coastline seen in a dream, everything blends together softly. The landscapes in my memory were always this beautifully ambiguous.

📷 SONY α7C II

cizucu Editorial Team
The blue sky and white clouds stretching out before you, the blurred outlines of the beach and sea, and the faint ridgeline of distant mountains. By intentionally leaving the image blurred and the contours indistinct, the sense of time seems to fade as you gaze. Like a memory you can’t quite recall, yet can never forget or want to forget. Perhaps this photograph captures a form that transcends time.

hamayan

cizucu Editorial Team
The stone steps of a shrine enveloped in the darkness of night, illuminated fantastically by countless fireflies. The trails of light captured with long exposure are mystical, and somehow playful. Though this is a place steeped in long history, the photograph reveals a scene the naked eye could never witness. Just gazing at it, the sense of time in daily life seems to drift away. It is precisely because photography can capture such moments that it possesses the mysterious allure to make us forget the very concept of time.

[Contest Period]
Saturday, July 4, 2026 – Monday, August 3, 2026

[Award Announcement]
Around Saturday, August 15, 2026

[Reward]
Free participation ticket for the cizucu 'photo poster project' (2 recipients)

[How to Submit]
・Select the contest 'Stay a While'
・Tap 'Agree to Submission Guidelines and Post'
・Choose your content and submit your work

[Selection Criteria]
(1) Thematic Relevance: Does the submission align with the stated mission?
(2) Subject Matter: Is the photographer’s intent clearly conveyed?
(3) Expressiveness: Does the work demonstrate expressive power in perspective, composition, balance, focus, color, etc.?
(4) Moment: Has the photographer captured the decisive moment or timing of the subject?
(5) Originality: Does the work show unique ingenuity in location, subject, or approach?