Judges' Decisions
After screening the entries in the 71st International Photographic Salon (sponsored by Asahi Shimbun and the All-Japan Association of Photographic Societies with support from Canon Inc. and Canon Marketing Japan Inc.), the Screening Committee has selected a total of 130 works, comprised of 80 from overseas and 50 from within Japan, including six special prize winners (three from overseas and three from Japan). There were 4,954 entries from 40 countries, with the greatest number from India (1,371 entries). Together with the 3,676 entries from within Japan, a total of 8,630 entries were received. The works were judged by a 12-member panel led by photographer Takeyoshi Tanuma.
Winning entrants were led by India in the overseas division with 13 works, followed by Vietnam with 9, Iran with 8, Hungary with 5, Bangladesh and Myanmar (Burma) with 4 each, and South Korea with 3.
In Japan, Saitama, Aichi, and Osaka had the highest number of winning entrants with 6 each, followed by Hyogo and Fukuoka with 4 each.
General Review and Reviews of Individual Works: Takeyoshi Tanuma, Screening Committee Chairman
Now in its 71st year, the International Photographic Salon covers artistic photographs but also allows for some composition and processing. This is why the works entered employ creativity, structure, and ideas. Every year the screening committee members look forward to discovering what kind of works they will encounter.
Among the works entered from Japan, there are more digital photographs than in previous years, and more appear to have been altered. They represented a higher level of caliber, and those that made the final selection made it difficult for us to choose the winners. The ones given the accolades were works with fresh ideas and a clearly defined sense of expression that could truly move and inspire the viewer.
The overseas artists, especially those from Europe, were clearly accustomed to salon photography, with freedom in their inventiveness, a wealth of humor and fancy, and overall high standards. A distinct flavor was apparent for each country, with the Iranian entrants' realistic photographs and feet-on-the-ground perspective making an impression. In addition, the Lithuanian and Hungarian entrants carried on prewar photographic traditions, facing their subjects head-on. In contrast, there were some old-fashioned photographs that followed the styles of earlier works. From Asia, many entrants came from the rapidly developing economies of India, Vietnam, Bangladesh, and Iran, and we sensed vitality in their works.
We hope to see entries next year that take on unbridled photographic beauty.
水中で撮影したストレート写真に見えるが、右側の実像の女性の背景が青空、左側が水面に揺れる虚像になっている。この謎のような幻想風景は、まさに作者のアイデアである。作者の水中で撮影した3点の作品が最終選考まで残った。いずれも優れた作品であった。
This appears to be a straight photo taken in water, but we see a blue sky behind the real image of the woman on the right, while on
運良く撮影できた写真ではない。最初から落馬のシーンを撮ろうと狙って撮った作品だと思う。ロデオライダーが格好よく落馬するシーンはまるで西部劇を見るような印象を与える。モデルの目線に迫力があり、百点満点のロデオ写真といえよう。
This photograph was not merely a lucky shot. I believe it was clearly staged with the intention of capturing a person falling from a horse. Thi
赤い袋におかれたバラ2輪は、何を意味するものだろう。
「MEMENTO」とは「思い出」のこと。老夫は深い悲しみを抱いて車窓の人になっているように見える。「人の別れ」そして「悲しみ」を感じさせる、すばらしい作品である。
What is the significance of the two roses sticking out of the red bag? As the title “Memento” suggests, the elderly gentleman seems to have becom