ABOUT IMA next
IMA next is a photography competition open to anyone who wishes to participate. Every month, one theme and one judge from various backgrounds and practices will be announced. The winner will be awarded with a cash prize along with a feature on IMA ONLINE, IMA magazine or with possible opportunities to exhibit his/her works at other occasions organized by IMA.
This is essentially a platform that offers the chance for one of your photographs to open its wings and learn to fly away into the world of art photography.
It may be your carefully designed and thought-through photographs taken with your favourite camera or it may also be an accidental shot with your smartphone that turned out to be a great image. Anything is welcome. Our aim is to discover new talents from all over the world through IMA next.
PRIZE
Grand Prix | 100,000 JPY Cash Prize (A selection of prices opportunities below depending on the nature of your work) ・Feature on IMA magazine ・Exposure on IMA ONLINE and IMA official social media |
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Shortlist | ・Exposure on IMA ONLINE and IMA official social media |
GUIDLINES
IMA next is a photo competition that aims to support emerging photographers to succeed in the art photography world.
How? | Please chose the theme you would like to enter for and fill out the appropriate submission form. Make sure you chose the right form as it is different depending on each theme. 1~5 can be uploaded for each entry, however in that case, all your photographs in the entry will be judged as 1series. If you would like to submit multiple series, please make another entry. There is no limit to the number of entries per theme. |
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Who? | The applicant must be older than 16 years old. Otherwise, anyone is welcome! We have no restriction in terms of your nationality, age, gender or experience (Professional/Amateur). |
How long? | For each theme, there will be 2 months submission period. Once every month, a theme will be announced and the submissions will open. |
Entry | Fee 2000JPY per each entry |
Upload Regulations | ・All submissions need to be still photographs, no moving images will be accepted. All sorts of post-production process are allowed. ・DVD/Blue-Ray submissions will be rejected. ・If the submitted work is deemed non-photographic, it may not be judged. ・The submission of 1 ~ 5 images of 10MB each are possible for 1 entry. ・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. |
ENTRY THEME
In IMA next, one theme will be announced each month. Each theme will then be judged by a professional in the creative industry. 1~5 entries are allowed for each theme.
Accepting entries Until March 18th
2021JAN
THEME #19
COLOR
(c)Viviane Sassen

The first theme of the year is “COLOR” with Viviane Sassen as jury; a photographer who exquisitely employs vivid colors and composition to her images in fashion and art. Colors allow us to bring out a multitude of emotion with hopes and energy, distress and sadness through its various image contrasts or even the lack of color itself. With the beginning of this year, how will you tint your color?
Accepting entries Until March 01st
2020DEC
THEME #18
DREAM
(c)Alec Soth_2008_08zL0047

Dream; a yearning, a wish, the vision in our sleep or the reveries in daylight. This fluid illusion has repeatedly revealed itself through images and has inspired us along the way, involving senses of hope, beauty, fear, a whole assortment of emotions. With this infinite field of imagination as your stage, visualize the world of dream you see with photographs. Perhaps, you will meet another part of yourself you were never aware of.
Accepting entries Until February 01st
2020NOV
THEME #17
LIFE
(c)harumichi saito

Life, a word of countless meanings. Every existence with a soul that surrounds us or the mundane days we go through as we live. Photography that captures a single instant sometimes grants it an undying life. The passing days are thus, caught as an image, remind us of a forgotten memory or even, trap the moment of the ephemeral life. Full of hope, it encases the sincerest form of beauty. Reflect once again, on what this word represents, and challenge yourself to express your own interpretation of “life”.
INTERVIEW

Yoshinori Mizutani
The artist’s challenge to go overseas through presenting own works via social media.
