THEME #23Winners2021MAY
CHANGE
WINNERS LIST
THEME SUMMARY
From the tremendous developments in our society to the smallest mood swings, our world is full of “CHANGES”. As we adapt ourselves to the ever-shifting daily lives, we have always overcome the hardships on our paths; Photography has recorded such challenges and changes present at every step of our lives. At the same time, there are also images that are produced as we reflect on what “CHANGE” means. Visualize the evidence of change or omen, ambiguous and abstract, through photography. This may be your chance to look back at the “CHANGE” you’ve experienced and the traces of our lives.
[Submission Period] from May 11 to July 26
JUDGE
Hellen van Meene
（Photographer）
Born in 1972, Alkmaar, the Netherlands. She studied photography at the Gerrit Rietveld Academie, Amsterdam. Over the last twenty years, Hellen van Meene has produced a complex body of work, offering a contemporary take on photographic portraiture. Characterized by her exquisite use of light, formal elegance, and palpable psychological tension, her depictions of girls and boys on the cusp of adulthood demonstrate a clear aesthetic lineage to seventeenth-century Dutch painting. Van Meene captures the intimacy in the photographer/subject relationship, bringing out a sense of honesty and vulnerability from within her models and highlighting the beauty of imperfection. Her work has been exhibited internationally and is in the collections of major museums around the world, including the Guggenheim Museum, New York; Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam; Victoria and Albert Museum, London; San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. She has five monographs on her name including “Portraits” (Aperture, 2004) “Japan Series,” “New Work” and “Tout va disparaître.”
NOTE
Applicants under the age of 18 must obtain consent from a parent or guardian before applying. If an applicant is under 18, it will be assumed that consent has been obtained.
PRIZE
| Grand Prix (1 award) | Exhibition of your work at Asama International Photo Festival 2026 PHOTO MIYOTA |
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| Second Prize (2 awards) | Exhibition of your work at Asama International Photo Festival 2026 PHOTO MIYOTA |
| Third Prize (3 awards) | Exhibition of your work at Asama International Photo Festival 2026 PHOTO MIYOTA |
| Shortlist | Featured on the IMA next website. |
GUIDELINES
IMA next is a photo competition that aims to support emerging photographers to succeed in the art photography world.
| How to apply | IMA next is a photo competition that aims to support emerging photographers to succeed in the art photography world. How to apply – One entry allows you to upload 6 photos, however in that case, all your photographs in the entry will be judged as 1 series. If you would like to submit multiple series, please make another entry. There is no limit to the number of entries per theme. – Please read theTerms of Use before applying. By submitting your application, we will assume that you agree to the Terms of Use. |
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| Who can apply? | – Applicants under the age of 18 must obtain the consent of a parent or guardian before applying. If an applicant under 18 applies, it will be deemed that they have obtained such consent. – Otherwise, anyone is welcome! We have no restriction in terms of your nationality, age, gender or experience (Professional/Amateur). |
| Submission period | July 3, 2026 – July 12 |
| Image requirements | – All submissions need to be still photographs, no moving images will be accepted. All sorts of post-production processes are allowed. – DVD/Blue-Ray submissions will be rejected. – If the submitted work is deemed non-photographic, it may not be judged. – One entry can include up to six files, each up to 10 MB in size. – Any work that violates the rights of a third party (copyright, trademark right, portrait rights) cannot be submitted. If the work includes anything created by a third party (art work, films, photographs, music…etc.) and if it may concern any other rights, there is a need for you to have gotten permission from all party involved before you enter. ーAfter the winners are decided, they may be asked to submit high-resolution image data for printing large works to be exhibited at Asama International Photo Festival 2026 PHOTO MIYOTA. ーYou may submit 6 photos per entry; however, the number of works that can be exhibited may vary depending on the exhibition location. |
