Photo Contest 2021 Results

International Filter Photo Contest 2021 Results

We would like to thank you all for the tremendous response to the International Filter Photo Contest 2021 (held June 1 to October 31, 2021). We received 2,56 0 entries from 4 1 countries, and after careful consideration, have selected 37 entries for prizes.

Grand Prize

Everything in motion

Christopher Slagle（USA）

Filter：ND/Light pollution cut

I took this photo in Moorpark, California during a mid-summer evening. The weather was comfortable, not too warm and not too cold. I chose to use a Neutral Density filter to shoot the light trails in the foreground and a Hoya Starscape Filter to reduce

Jury’s comment

Daisuke Kumakiri: I was attracted to this image the moment I saw it. Not only the expression of the starry sky but also the dynamic combination of the artificial objects such as the light trails of the car and the natural scenery made it possible to draw a scene that has never been seen before. Two different light sources can be expressed in a well balanced manner using an ND filter and a light pollution cut filter. The sight of this place may not be very photogenic during the daytime. Isn't it a special scenery created by the filter?

Tatsuo Hata: The large, boldly placed hairpin curves and the Milky Way flowing through the sky create a dynamic composition. It really stood out in the submitted works. Moreover, the light traces created by the car gave the image an atmospheric color. This is probably because of the effect of the light pollution cut filter. This is a work that combines shooting technic and boldness.

Jury Special PrizeDaisuke Kumakiri（Japan）

Dongdaemun History Museum

Jiang Yangxiao（China）

Filter：C-PL

It happened that the epidemic made it impossible to return to the country, and the number of tourists also decreased, so I took a photo at the Dongdaemun History and Culture Museum in Seoul.

Jury’s comment

The result is very stylish. The use of a PL filter to create an attractive texture and expression of the asphalt and the street in this photogenic space. The masked figure in such a well-designed space is mysterious and intriguing. It seems as if they are mocking the current world situation where masks are everywhere. This work has the impact and message of a high-quality advertising photograph.

Jury Special PrizeTatsuo Hata（Japan）

Flow of time and space

Kazutoshi Matsuo（Japan）

Filter：ND

I tried to cut out the flow of fallen leaves accumulated in the tributary of the valley with an ND filter. The fallen leaves that have accumulated there do not move and the sky is reflected by not using the PL filter.

Jury’s comment

It is an orthodox expression that uses an ND filter to bring out the dynamic feeling of the fallen leaves by utilizing the slight convection on the water surface, but it is good to incorporate the fallen leaves that sink in the water into the composition and incorporate the stillness into the movement. Expressed by fusing an ND filter to obtain a slow shutter. It can be said that it is a work that makes the best use of the characteristics of the filter. The composition is well balanced.

Jury Special Prize Feng Jun (China)

120 seconds

Andrea Zappia(Italy）

Filter：C-PL, ND

A long exposure of 120 seconds during an epic sunset in Sardinia, Italy. To better manage this long exposure I used a polarizing filter and a nd 64 filter and a 3 stop gnd medium filter.

Jury’s comment

The image is embellished with a lighthouse in the distance, showing the magnificent momentum, the near, middle and far scenes are all clearly visible, the warm and cool tones are used harmoniously, the use of a light reducing lens, a small aperture, long exposure, the calmness of the sea, underlining the beautiful sunset haze, is expressed to the fullest. I think it would be even better if the distance was closer and the area of the sky was larger.

Jury Special PrizeStan Moniz（USA）

Yoga and nature

Maxim Sayapin(Israel)

Filter：ND

This photo was taken on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea. I used an ND filter to lengthen the shutter speed to make the sea look more calm. I wanted to show the scale of nature, its tranquility and unity with yoga.

Jury’s comment

This contest was truly a tough one to judge. With so many amazing photos it made my task to choose the best of the best a harder one than it seemed.After countless hours of examining each photo in detail and looking for that one story that jumped out at me I landed on this black & white. In my opinion, a story with a human element placed just far enough away can allow the viewer to put them selves in their shoes. The simplicity of color and the use of a neutral density filter to smooth out the water gave the story an ethereal look to match the yoga pose demonstrated in the photo. A true balance of a relaxed soul in the surroundings around you.

Jury Special PrizeChristophe Anagnostopoulos （Greece）

Lonely challenge

Naoki Matsumoto(Japan)

Filter：ND

Taken at the Izu Velodrome, an indoor stadium with high lighting, I used a slow shutter speed of 1/4 second with an ND filter to clear the cluttered background.

Jury’s comment

"Although all submitted images were great, covering a wide variety of subjects, when I saw this image, I immediately selected it as my favorite amongst them.The reason was that I consider this a perfect example of creativity even in a common and not particularly creative genre, like sports photography.　I was very impressed with the creativity and vision of the photographer who managed to isolate his subject, the cyclist athlete, from the background making excellent use of the panning technique.In order to create this beautiful, unique and minimalistic composition, the photographer also made perfect use of an ND filter who let him achieve a slow shutter speed, separating the subject from a busy background, which in turn transformed in a colorful canvas.”

Kenko Tokina Special Prize

I wonder if Santa's here yet.

Satoshi Okada(Japan)

Filter：Cross

When I brought out the Christmas decorations and objects before Christmas, my daughter liked to look at a kind of fiber tree that had a beautiful twinkling effect. Even if I took a picture normally, that glittering feeling did not come out. So I took the liberty of attaching a cross filter. The result is a photo that expresses more sparkle than I expected.

Jury’s comment

A moment to think of Santa Claus before Christmas. This is an excellent work of cross-filtering that captures the sparkle of that moment, and the surrounding toys and other objects give a sense of everyday life. This photo shows that using filters is not only for special photos.

Excellent Works