cizucu Presents “October Diary '26” | Challenge #417

The 〈Diary〉 series is a photography contest where you post photographs taken throughout your everyday life, together with the events of the day, just as you would in a diary.

A diary is a valuable way to document your life and experiences. Looking back allows you to observe your growth and changes objectively and gain new insights. As you organise your everyday thoughts and feelings, we invite you to add your own stories.

This edition’s theme is 〈October Diary〉.

The wind blows, and when you look up for a while, the sky seems so high that your eyes begin to ache.
The air is cold and clear, and there seems to be little sign of human presence.
That slightly suspended landscape connects to the memory of someone you had forgotten.
Yet October does not look the same everywhere.

After moving to a southern island, you might think autumn can no longer be seen. And yet, the outdoor pool that stayed open late into the night throughout summer closes a little earlier in October. Even the water feels just a little colder.
When the place changes, so does the way the seasons reveal themselves. Still, amid the small changes unique to each place, you realise that October has arrived.

Perhaps that is what October is.
A landscape that made you pause, light that lingered in your heart, something that suddenly brought back a memory.
Like slipping the softened sunlight of the season into your diary alongside a bookmark of fallen leaves, tell the story of your October through photographs and words.

Lonex Lee
“I hope swimming season comes around again. I hope there’s still a little summer light left.”

📷 Apple iPhone 13 mini

cizucu editorial team
The stillness of the empty pool gently holds on to the last traces of summer. We notice the changing seasons not only in the colour of the trees, but also when people disappear from familiar places. Look for the traces of a passing season in the scenes around you.

Daichi Keaton
“A Pause — Just grass, a chair, and no plans at all”

📷 Apple iPhone 16

cizucu editorial team
A moment spent doing nothing on the grass. When there’s nowhere to be and nothing to do, the air, light and atmosphere of the day can stay with you. An unexpected pause in a busy life can also become a page in your October diary.

yuriwochi
“Hello Autumn”

📷 FUJIFILM SP-3000

cizucu editorial team
The words “Hello Autumn” appear on the window alongside a person’s silhouette. A short seasonal greeting turns an ordinary walkway into the entrance to autumn. Try finding your own glimpse of the season in words and shadows you happen to spot around the city.

oku yuuka
“An autumn room.”

📷 FUJIFILM X-T4

cizucu editorial team
The flowers, light and colours of the room bring a gentle sense of autumn. The season appears not only in outdoor landscapes, but also in the things we keep around our homes. Notice the small changes in a familiar room, and you may find an October that is entirely your own.

suguru_n
“YESTERDAY”

📷 FUJIFILM SP-3000

cizucu editorial team
The word “YESTERDAY” catches the eye on a bookshop shelf. The Beatles song somehow brings to mind the shift from autumn into winter. Even a song you listen to all the time can feel different depending on the day’s air and scenery. With music playing in the background, use photographs and words to preserve both the view in front of you and the memories it brings back.

【Entry period】
Thursday, 1 October – Saturday, 31 October 2026

【Winners announced】
Around Tuesday, 10 November 2026

【Prize】
A free entry pass to cizucu’s “photo poster project” (5 winners)

【How to enter】
・Select the “October Diary '26” contest
・Tap “Agree to the entry terms and post”
・Choose what you would like to post and submit your entry

【Judging criteria】
(1) Relevance to the theme: Does the entry follow the stated mission?
(2) Strength of subject: Does the photo clearly communicate the photographer’s intention?
(3) Expression: Does the photo make effective use of perspective, composition, balance, focus, colour and other visual elements?
(4) Timing: Has the photographer captured the right moment?
(5) Originality: Does the entry take a distinctive approach to the location, subject or other elements?