New Year Message from BIFA Founder and President, Hossein Farmani:
 
As Founder and President of Farmani Group, it has always been a core part of my life's mission to support worthy causes and those in need. In 1987 I set up the Focus On AIDS foundation, a volunteer-based non-profit organization dedicated to AIDS research, care, and education.
A few years later I started the Asha Karina hospital for children in Mysore India, and since then, my organization has continued its unceasing efforts to support charity organizations and foundations all over the world.
In 2020, as the world faced unprecedented challenges, Farmani Group stepped up in a big way. The International Design Awards gave $15,000 in grants to designers, challenging them to find ways to solve crucial problems related to the Covid-19 Pandemic. We also committed to match all cash prizes given to winners of our photography awards with donations to local charities selected by the winning photographers, in their local communities.
Through these avenues, over $80,000 has been donated in 2020 to organisations and people in need all over the world.
As we say goodbye to 2020 and greet a new year, I know we all hope that in 2021, with the COVID vaccine on its way, we will have a better and happier year ahead of us. But whatever the future brings, Farmani Group is committed to doing our part in bringing awareness to global challenges and helping those in need in whatever way we can.
And we encourage you to take a moment and consider how you, too, can contribute to improve the lives of those in need in your community.
 
We wish each of you a Happy New year!
Hossein Farmani

Charities that received over $ 6,800 through TIFA: 

Read more: 

Tokyo International Foto Awards 

Announces Winners of 2020 Competition

Selection of 2019 TIFA Winners

Selection of 2020 TIFA Winners (from top to bottom and left to right): Fresh Meat by Sh Sadler, Where is Adam? by Cheraine Collette, Requiem Pour Pianos by Romain Thiery, A Sheep by Claudia Guido, Butterflies in the Stomach by Carlos Gamez de Fransisco, Fishermen of the Mangroves by Les Sharp, Garbage in the Cloud by Piotr Zwarycz.

Los Angeles, February 3rd, 2020 – The Tokyo International Foto Awards is delighted to announce the category winners and finalists in its 2020 Photography Competition for the professional and non professional/student categories.

A stellar international jury of renowned photography experts judged a the entries
from more than 100 countries around the world to finally select these outstanding category winners.

 

Sebastian Copeland was chosen Photographer of the Year for his truly humbling photography book, Antarctica – The Walking Giant, showing us the least explored continent and the danger it faces due to climate change. The book was made under a collaboration with Leonardo DiCaprio to spread awareness of the crisis of global warming.

Antractica – The Walking Giant by Sebastian Copeland

The Discovery of the Year award was given to Diana Cheren Nygren for her work When The Trees Are Gone. Her work explores the concept of city folk searching for a moment of peace in the urban jungle, where nature has been taken over by by human-made buildings.

 

In order to support and honour the outstanding work of both professional and amateur photographers around the world during the COVID-19 crisis, International Photo Awards will match the cash prizes that are awarded this year to the Category Winners with an equal cash donation to the charity of the winning photographer’s choice in their community.

When The Trees Are Gone by Diana Cheren Nygren

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Tokyo International Foto Awards 

Professional Category Winners of 2020

ADVERTISING – Fresh Meat by Sh Sadler

ARCHITECTURE – Requiem Pour Pianos by Romain Thiery

BOOK – Antarctica – The Walking Giant by Sebastian Copeland

EDITORIAL – Women Protesting Over Abortion Ban in Poland by Bartosz Mateńko

EVENTS – Beneath the Surface of Competitive Seadiving by Kohei Ueno

FINE ART – Fishermen of the Mangroves by Les Sharp

NATURE – A Sheep by Claudia Guido

PEOPLE – A Painful Necessity by Gabriele Micalizzi

PORTFOLIO – Butterflies in the Stomach by Carlos Gamez de Fransisco

SCIENCE – Viveria by Ela Kurowska

I'm an image

Women Protesting Over Abortion Ban in Poland by Bartosz Mateńko

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Tokyo International Foto Awards 

Student/ Non-Professional Category Winners of 2020

I'm an image

New Faces and … In The Class, Automotive Class by Marcin Majkowski

ADVERTISING – New Faces and … In The Class, Automotive Class by Marcin Majkowski

ARCHITECTURE – Snake’S Zaha by Roberto Corinaldesi

BOOK – The Consolation of Dew by Joel Pulliam

EDITORIAL – Hong Kong Conflict by Wei Fu

EVENTS – Timoncap 2019 by Sergio Ferreira Ruiz

FINE ART – Urban Tetris by Mariyan Atanasov

NATURE – Ribbon Dance by Richard Li

PEOPLE – Promised Land by Michal Konrad

PORTFOLIO – When the Trees are Gone by Diana Cheren Nygren

SCIENCE – Pathology Atlas by Oltea Sampetrean

While colours tickle our senses in a more intensive way, monochrome images have a certain powerful presence to them. Last year, we received a large number of black and white photos at the Tokyo International Foto Awards - we chose our ten favourite works. 

Balenciaga Summer 2019 Campaign by Robert Yager - Gold in Advertising/Fashion, 1st Place winner in Advertising

Inspired by Yager's black and white gang series from the 1990's, Balenciaga asked the photographer to shoot their fashions in the same gritty way, with models in Upstate New York, for their Summer 2019 worldwide campaign. It was November and a snow storm occurred. Balenciaga agreed to have snow in the background at this time of Climate Change.

M.I.T by Louis-Philippe Provost - Silver in Architecture/Buildings

This photograph captures the stark facade of the The Ray and Maria Stata Center otherwise called Building 32, an academic complex designed by Pritzker Prize winner Frank Gehry for the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Silent Kingdom, A World Beneath The Waves. by Christian Vizl - Gold in Book/Nature, 1st Place winner in Book

This truly stunning book was compiled by award-winning photographer Christian Vizl, who uses a masterful control of light and shadow to portray the creatures of the sea as they are rarely seen below the waves. Capturing a range of undersea scenes and moods—from the ferocity of sharks to the playful dance of dolphins—Vizl turns aquatic creatures and marine seascapes into visions of sublime grace and beauty suspended in time and space.

 

Ewa by Patrizia Burra - Bronze in Advertising/Fashion

This experimental shot was fuelled by the photographer's vision to not only capture a reproduced image of the world, but to create art with a factor of restlessness and commemorate it. 

Mud People Festival by Jophel Botero Ybiosa - Gold in Events/Other, 2nd Place winner in Events

The huge crowd in this image shows the Mud People Festival in Nueva Ecija, Philippines. Devotees wear dried banana leaves and cover themselves with mud while offering prayer or paying homage to Saint John the Baptist. According to a local legend, the Japanese soldiers were about to execute the villagers of Aliaga during World War II. But in the midst of downpour, Japanese soldiers suddenly changed their minds. Afterwards, to celebrate, the villagers celebrated by rolling around in the mud. 

Different Kinkahuji Temple by Hsiaohsin Chen - Bronze in Architecture/Buildings

Built in 1397, the Kinkahuji temple is a very important cultural symbol of Kyoto, Japan. It is not only a world cultural heritage but is also represented in the literary work of the Golden Pavilion by Yukio Mishima, the literary giant of Japan. It is an important attraction for visitors at the same time. 

 
 

The Damned of The Earth by Julien De Wilde - Gold in People/Portrait, 1st Place winner in People

This powerful photo series introduces us to the workers who spend their days in the rice fields. Under a burning sun and feet in the mud, for hours, with their faces and bodies covered, it almost seems like they have no identity. It begs the questions: who are they? How old? According to the photographer, it is important to be thankful to them for their sacrifice so that other may have rice on their plate. 

Pacifica by Susanna Patras - Gold in Fine Art/Landscape

The artist's goal was to explore the ideas of solitude, time, natural beauty and grandeur in these images, through nature. The rocky structures around the US Pacific coast, called monoliths, stretch from the US border with Mexico into Canada. Generated by volcanic activity, the monoliths are oftentimes surrounded by fog, in a mysterious, dramatic and otherworldly atmosphere.

 

Taekwondo North Korea Style by Alain Schroeder - Gold in Editorial/sports

Capturing such perfect coordination is truly an accomplishment: Korea’s national martial art Taekwondo ("way of kick and fist") is taught in every school as a part of the daily sports and health routine. After 50 years of existence, the art of kicks has 60 million practitioners in more than 120 countries and Taekwondo became a medal sport at the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games.

 

Fine art can be anything we want it to be - from dreamlike landscapes to mysterious still life and surrealistic portraits, it shows us the inside workings of the photographer's imagination. No wonder it is a beloved category at the Tokyo International Foto Awards! Let us guide you through the maze of the 2019 TIFA photographers' creativity.

Who Stole My Head by Hardijanto Budiman - Second Place in Fine Art 

This striking series of photographs represent an experiment for the artist: how to demonstrate a girl who has been frustrated and feels like she lost her head.

Rainbow Wedding Dress by Chiyen Chien - Bronze in Fine Art / Special Effects

An ambitious project: the wedding dress is handmade from 1800 napkins. For the veil, the photographer used smoke to create a dreamy feeling. 

Poem For Autumn by Sungdong Choi - Bronze in Fine Art / Landscape

A landscape of oriental ink painting style on a foggy, calm morning, shot by the photographer in South Korea. 

 

Waiting For The Tide to Turn by Gary Sheridan - Bronze in Fine Art / Other

The ongoing photo series explores a large scale of emotions. The images allude to a spectrum of thoughts and feelings from apathy and subservience to enlightenment and rebellion. The series envisages the realization that individualism is the weakness and only as a collective can they begin to turn the tide. 

Shadows by Samuel Feron - Silver in Fine Art / Landscape

In this misty and ominous series of outstanding shots, the photographer shows us his personal feelings of the Yellow Mountain in China.

The Light Within by Tom Jacobi - Gold in Fine Art/Nudes

Tom Jacobi's works are an homage to nature and planet Earth and the evolvement of the human soul. Ass we can see, vivid colours are mostly excluded from his work, but he finds countless nuances within the spectra of grey, white and bronze to form a cosmos, which he himself describes as an "achromatic colour world". 

Accelerated Intimacy. by Sarah Choo Jing - Silver in Fine Art / Moving Images

Accelerated Intimacy considers questions about sight, memory and staging in relation to time. A parallel to her previous methods of compositing and reconstructing documented images; Choo re-presents fragments through time, reconstructing a potential narrative surrounding each character. There is no resolution offered to these stories, they are kept to be ongoing. 

In Harmony-Sparkle- by Keiichiro Muramatsu - Silver in Fine Art / Other

For the artist, arranging flowers is a relationship with nature and an act of creating harmony. The aim is to project a person’s appearance and trace onto the flowers. 

A Seat At The Table by Justin Dingwall - Silver in Fine Art/Portrait

These images' protagonist, who has vitiligo Moostapha Saidi, and the photographer aim to start conversations about preconceived ideas and perceptions based on appearance and how what we see affects what we think. As in previous bodies of work, the artist hopes to highlight beauty in difference. 

Heartbreak by Felix Hernandez Rodriguez - Silver in Fine Art/Special Effects

In this touching shot, the photographer depicts the heartbreak he feels for what he is leaving behind for his son. Nature is beautiful, it's amazing, and we all are part of it... But with our actions we are destroying it. The diorama was built (rocks, mountains, trees, grass, etc.) using scale model figures. 

The deadline of the Tokyo International Foto Awards has been extended to October 31st, 2020 - submit your works now!

The Tokyo International Foto Awards has always been proud to receive the trust of up and coming photographers, who have the courage to share the way they see the world. The following compilation of photos hold a special place in our hearts. 

Strawberry and Peach Dessert by Leka Huie - Gold in Advertising / Food

The Hong Kong native photographer finished Photography school in Canada, ever since then, beautiful images have been the main protagonists in his works. This photo was a result of studio work combining strawberry and peach, captured with One Flash Light and honeycomb grid.

Pray by Lawrence Cheung - Silver in Architecture / Interiors

This photo was taken in a mesmerising temple. The photographer decided to study the way the light and shapes move, resulting in this almost supernatural picture.

 
 

 

The Truths by Peng Zhou - Gold in Fine Art / Abstract

The series symbolizes the existing dilemma in all our lives: is the Truth what we hear from others?  People receive many stories from the outside, from daily hassles to the most important events. The answers to the stories hold diversified opinions, and there is much to be said on both sides. However, have we thought about whether these differing opinions can reflect upon universal truths? Who can offer us a firm answer? Do we actually even need an answer? 

Deena Lean by Joshua Tate - Silver in Editorial/Fashion

This photo represents a brief moment captured during a music video of the photographer's good friend. 

Fly Around by Satoshi Kawashima - Gold in Nature/Landscapes

This truly magical photo was taken in Nagano, Japan. The small green light flashes were firefly flying in front of the waterfall, making the scene look like 

 
 

Microcosmic Portraits of The Little Earthlings by Irina Petrova - Bronze in Science / Other

This series of macro portraits of insects was taken with two retro manual focus lenses, which were made in 1982, connected by a filter ring adapter. Each image was obtained by focus stacking a tens or hundreds of shots. The purpose of this project is to show usual insects from unusual angles. That is why all insects were collected within the territory of the South Urals, where it would seem there are no exotic, bright species such as, for example, in Southeast Asia or Africa.

Scarlet Crusade by Aitor Del Arco - Gold in People / Self-Portrait

Scarlet Crusade speaks of blind faith. According to the photographer, having faith in something most of the time means something positive although it also ties us to a series of beliefs that can lead us to deplorable acts. Throughout history there have been many leaders who have got people to have blind faith in them and this has triggered wars and genocides. In the series you can see Catholic religious connotations, this is because it has been the cause of numerous bloodshed both globally, in wars, and personal beliefs / dogmas / doctrines that sometimes makes us carry out unusual situations.

Flow #2 by Lawrence Cheung - Gold in Architecture / Interiors

Lawrence Cheung's inspiration was Swiss artist Paul Klee, who said, “Art does not reproduce what we see; rather, it makes us see.” This photo depicts a staircase as the subject. The photographer studied lines and curves and found movements within frames. 

Plant Mischief by Makiko Kitagawa - Gold in Fine Art / Nudes

The focus of this highly creative photographer's work is always the deep human consciousness and nature, and imagination. Her photography always uses natural light. The model's name is Mituski.

Wonder Room: Homo Artificialis by Cara Louwman - Gold in Science / Medicine

For the past thousands of years, our technologies have been aimed outward. Now, however, we have started a process of aiming our technologies inward. With new trends, technology is nesting itself within us. The way in which the new technologies are shown in this photo series is based on an anatomy cabinet, what the photographer calls a wonder room. The anatomical cabinet of Frederik Ruysch (1638-1731) is a great source of inspiration for her.

Get inspired by the beauties of nature around us! See the top 10 nature photos from the Tokayo International Foto Awards here.

The human condition is always changing - good times and hard, we all have our battles to fight. The People category in Tokyo International Foto Awards was created to show unadulterated photographs of real people - here is the 10 best from 2019. 

The Damned of the Earth by Julien De Wilde

The photo series which won First Place in the Tokyo International Foto Awards in the People category depicts the people who work in the rice fields under the burning sun and feet in the mud, for hours. Their faces and bodies are completely covered. One might think they have no identity. Who are they? How old are they, what is their story? Impossible to know who is under the hood. 

Unknown Garden by Saene Esmee Heidenrijk

A Garden full of diverse mixed cultures where more and more fall outside of traditional understandings. Do we let them bloom naturally? All girls are mixed raced children (also of mixed race parents), growing up within different cultural backgrounds. These kids feel happy to grow up within the best of different worlds. History shows that this wasn't always the case. Why did the outside world create an environment were some kids seems to battle Racial Imposter Syndrome? 

Newlyweds in Venice by Tomasz Budzynski

Magic in the first rays of sunlight: the photograph taken early in the morning on San Marco Square in Venice, during a wedding session.

 
 

Dedicating The Most Faithful Souls to Gods. by Yu Han Wei

The festival-like ritual Hakata Gion Yamakasa has been held over 770 years in Hakata, Japan. It is believed the origin of this ritual is to prevent the spread of diseases in summer. Generations after generations carry on this tradition proudly. It has become a grand festival and participants show great passion on the streets every year. Every July 15th, at 4:59 a.m., the Taiko is banged and the elaborately decorated floats(Yamakasa)start to race. The one-ton floats are symbols of the blessing from gods.

Lithium Pink by Grace June

This is a self portrait that explores what it means to be in mental health recovery as well as the experience of being a mental health patient. Stigma from others or stigma one gives themselves is often connected to whether or not one takes medication. 

Headstrong: The Women of Rural Uganda by Dan Nelken

The objective of the photographer is to combine the power of photography & give voice to the women in rural Uganda on issues that impact them & their families. These are the women who will face the new challenges to traditional customs posed by rapid population growth & unemployment over the coming decades.

Infinite Dream by Pino Coduti

Italian-born photographer Pino Coduti is a multi-awarded professional photographer specializing in wedding and portrait photography. This photo was meant to capture the wedding day, a divine light in the room, the veil of the bride: an infinite dream.

One Man-Many Style by Matej Dereck Hard

A series of staged double self-portraits. The creator born is Prague poses as six couples - fans of certain genres of music. On all portraits he acts both characters - man and women. Genres: Punk, Hip-Hop, Indie Rock, Free Techno, Reggae, Metal.

Family Portrait by Tetsuo Kurita

Taj Mahal, it is the most famous historic site in India. It is a memorial photo with all the family in front of the Taj Mahal. The family did not go to the Taj Mahal, but in the end, they will have one photo made there. 

Baby in a Bag by Jonas Borg

This is a portrait of the photographer's son. He was only two days old when he was put in the camera bag next to the window to take the picture.

Nature is the ever-changing constant in our lives that amazes at every corner. Last year's nature photography entries to the Tokyo Foto Awards left us in awe at just how beautiful the things that surround us are. We have compiled our favourite ones! 

Suk Eun Kim - Story of Tree Family

Suk Eun Kim is a Korean photographer drawing from his past experiences. His series depicts the tree family story of the sea. Modern people are too busy to meet family members. But we don't forget your family like those trees that always look at each other.

Craig Bill - Moonquest

Going on a nighttime hike in Antelope Canyon, Arizona, USA, you might be able to find the same magical scene!

Tomáš Neuwirth - Cemetery

Tomáš Neuwirth is a freelance international award-winning photographer that specializes in drone photography. His silver award winning photographs shows us a small cemetery outside of a village named Rejvíz in Jeseníky Mountains, Czech Republic.

Reiko Takahashi - Playing with the Waves

Taken at Vava'u in Tonga, this photo shows us a humpback whale at about 4 months old. A curious calf approached the photographer, flew and tapped his hand on the sea surface. 

Rémi Masson - The Garden of Eden

As diver and photographer, Rémi Masson's first intention was to photograph the leaves of the water lilies. But once he was under the surface he was surprised to discover that, for a mysterious reason, several lily pads had opened under the water, forming incredible submerged gardens. 

Sarah Alsharhan - Wild Acrobats

A leopard leaps to his safety as a tiger approaches his territory. The coexistence of these two wild cat species is inspiring to watch at Nagarahole National Park in India. 

Shirley Wung - Rolling in Clouds

This mysterious photo shows us what happens when technology is used in a different way: a slow shutter was used to shoot the flow of clouds at night, to symbolise walking in the clouds.

Serge Melesan - Bullshark Dance

The moment when nature photography becomes an extreme sport... A group of 20 bullsharks were swimming around the photographers head.

Stas Bartnikas - Eye of the Earth

One of our favourite photos from the 2019 Tokyo Internatonal Foto Awards, this aerial capture shows a small glacial lake surrounded by ice was taken from a float plane in Denali National Park, Alaska. 

Kwanghoon Oh - Underwater Tomb of King Munmu and Tomb Keeper

A popular spot to check out the sunrise, 200m away form the shore of East sea, this tomb, is King Munmu's - the 30th king of Silla(661-181). This is the first submerged burial place in the world. 

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