cizucu Presents “Autumn, Arriving” | Challenge #422

“Autumn, Arriving” is a global online photo contest hosted by cizucu and open to any creator registered on the platform. cizucu curates outstanding submissions with the aim of discovering new talent and supporting creators through the community.

This month’s theme is “The Beginning of Autumn.”

As the heat begins to ease, the air feels cooler in the mornings and evenings.
As the days grow shorter and the trees gradually begin to change color, small signs announcing autumn’s arrival are appearing all around us.

From leaves just beginning to turn, seasonal flavors, evening light, and long-sleeved clothing to any other signs of the season—landscapes, street snapshots, or moments from everyday life are all welcome. Capture in a photograph the moment you felt, “Autumn has begun.”

tk
Flowers on the way home.

📷 FUJIFILM X-E5

cizucu editorial team
Beyond the frame formed by the branches, someone walks along carrying a child. Red spider lilies blanket the ground, while the low sunlight creates a soft flare across the image. On the way home one evening, as the heat begins to fade, the red flowers signal autumn’s arrival. The photo captures the moment a familiar path takes on a special look with the changing season.

kazkaz

📷 FUJIFILM X-H2

cizucu editorial team
The sky shifts from purple to pale orange as mist drifts along the mountainside. You can almost feel the chill in the morning air. A work vehicle stands in silhouette, as if quietly waiting for the day to begin. The clear air of this newly chilly dawn makes the change of season unmistakable.

さわ
Colors of autumn

📷 NIKON Z 7 Ⅱ

cizucu editorial team
The vivid green lawn still carries a hint of summer, but a few colorful fallen leaves are scattered around the feet of two crouching children. Their yellow and orange T-shirts seem to anticipate the richer autumn colors still to come. As they peer intently at the ground, their small backs seem to reflect the joy of discovering the changing season.

Yuki
A cup to start the day.

Waking up to a chilly morning.
That’s when I want a fresh cup of pour-over coffee.

📷 NIKON D3500

cizucu editorial team
Coffee poured from the glass server glows amber in the light from the window. Just as the photographer describes, it’s the kind of chilly morning that suddenly makes you crave something warm. The beginning of autumn can be found in these small changes in everyday life, too.

阿彪
A soft haze settles over the street corner at dusk, and the fading sunlight leaves a warm golden edge.
The color of the light and the direction of the wind tell me that autumn has quietly arrived.

📷 NIKON Z f

cizucu editorial team
Evening light gently wraps the city, and the view down the street fades into a pale golden haze. The changing color of the light and the feel of the air hint at the season turning. Looking past the people in the foreground, it feels as though we’re watching the city change alongside them.

Shimakou
On the way home

📷 NIKON D810

cizucu editorial team
The low western sun bathes the tree-lined path in orange and casts long shadows from a parent and child walking hand in hand. Shorter days and the earlier arrival of evening light are signs that autumn is beginning. The people making their way home bring together the changing season and the warmth of everyday life.

Entry period
Saturday, October 10–Monday, November 9, 2026

Winners announced
Around Friday, November 20, 2026

Prize
A free entry ticket to cizucu’s “photo poster project” (for two participants)

How to enter
· Select the “Autumn, Arriving” contest
· Tap “Agree to the entry rules and post”
· Choose the content you want to post and submit your photo

Judging criteria
(1) Relevance to the theme: Does the photo follow the stated mission?
(2) Clarity of subject: Does the photo clearly communicate what the photographer wants to say and their intention behind it?
(3) Expression: Does the photo use viewpoint, composition, balance, focus, color, and other elements effectively?
(4) Timing: Has the photographer captured the subject at the right moment?
(5) Originality: Does the photo take a distinctive approach to the location, subject, or other elements?