cizucu Presents “September Diary ’26” | Challenge #406

“September Diary ’26” is a global online photography contest presented by cizucu and open to all creators registered with cizucu. By curating outstanding submissions, the contest seeks to discover emerging talent through the platform and support creators as a community.

This edition’s theme is “A September Diary.”

September holds both the lingering traces of summer and the first signs of autumn: the warmth that remains during the day, skies gradually becoming clearer, cool evening breezes, and sunsets arriving earlier almost without notice. As the seasons slowly transition, subtle changes begin to emerge in everyday scenes.

A landscape that made you pause, time spent with someone, or something that moved you that day—pairing a photograph with a few words can transform an ordinary day into a page of a diary that you can revisit later.
We invite you to chronicle the September you saw through photographs and words. We look forward to receiving your submissions.

oku yuuka
Summer, greenery, and friends.

📷 FUJIFILM X-T4

cizucu Editorial Team
Beneath trees still steeped in the colors of summer, friends walk side by side. The striking contrast between the vivid greenery and the three figures positioned in the distance seems to convey both the breeze sweeping through the expansive park and the intensity of the sunlight pouring down. Their natural sense of distance invites the viewer’s imagination while evoking the ease of time spent with close friends. This work captures a bright, open afternoon poised at the threshold between summer and autumn.

sy
Searching for the summer constellations

📷 SONY a7III

cizucu Editorial Team
The silhouetted figures gazing up at the dark night sky and the intense light spilling from their raised hands create a striking impression. The shifting focus and multicolored lights scattered across the sky seem to capture the exhilaration of the moment itself. As everyone looks in the same direction, one can almost hear their voices searching for stars and their shared laughter. City lights linger in the distance. This work preserves the warmth of an irreplaceable moment spent savoring the passing summer, even as it slips away.

月うさぎ | Runa
magic hour
I will never forget this sky we all saw together one autumn evening.

📷 FUJIFILM X-T4

cizucu Editorial Team
The silhouettes of cosmos flowers emerge against the gradation of the sunset. The sky’s transition from deep blue to soft orange renders the fleeting moment with quiet clarity. The flowers possess a poised, dignified presence, as though gently announcing autumn’s arrival. Paired with the words, “I will never forget this sky we all saw together,” the tranquil landscape becomes imbued with the warmth of time shared with others, leaving a lingering resonance.

穂（スイ）
Light is fluid!

📷 FUJIFILM X-M5

cizucu Editorial Team
In the soft light filtering through a sheer curtain, the shadow of an outstretched hand appears at an enlarged scale. The contours of the fingertips overlap with the folds of the fabric, creating an uncanny sense of depth. Equally compelling is the playful perspective through which the photographer captures light changing form with the movement of the wind. This fleeting composition, discovered by chance within a room, reminds us that new revelations can lie hidden even within the most familiar aspects of everyday life.

RYOTA
When I stepped onto the balcony, I caught the gentle scent of autumn. I wonder if it will still be a while before we can hang the laundry together.

📷 SONY α7C II

cizucu Editorial Team
Beside the laundry, a pair of tiny feet steps onto the balcony, surrounded by oversized sandals. The white garments illuminated by the light and the soft texture of bare skin convey the calm atmosphere of the morning. There is already a sense of growth in this small gesture. The words, “I wonder if it will still be a while before we can hang the laundry together,” evoke the tender gaze of someone cherishing this moment. The scent of the season and time shared as a family converge within the gentle light.

【Submission Period】
Wednesday, September 2, 2026–Wednesday, September 30, 2026

【Award Announcement】
Around Saturday, October 10, 2026

【Prize】
Complimentary admission to the “photo poster project” presented by cizucu (five recipients)

【How to Submit】
・Select the “September Diary ’26” contest
・Tap “Agree to the Submission Guidelines and Post”
・Select the content of your post and submit your work

【Jury Criteria】
(1) Relevance to the theme: Does the work align with the stated mission?
(2) Clarity of subject: Does the work communicate what the photographer seeks to express and convey their intent?
(3) Expressive quality: Does the work demonstrate expressive command of perspective, composition, balance, focus, color, and other visual elements?
(4) Decisive moment: Does the work successfully capture the optimal moment and timing of its subject?
(5) Originality: Does the work demonstrate a distinctive approach to its setting, subject, or other elements?