June 17 : 2026
Shinya Itahana
Shinya's winning image encompasses something beyond the obvious spectacle overhead to find another subject on the ground; a child's pointed finger, transforming a sky full of descending parachutists into a shared moment of wonder.
by Lily Fierman
Image: "Parachutes"
Q:
Can you please tell us more about creating your winning image, “Parachutes”?
A:
“Parachute” was shot at the Miho Air Base Air Show held in Tottori Prefecture. in Japan. What initially caught my attention was not the parachutists themselves, but the relationship that formed between the sky and the people observing it from the ground. As I watched the scene unfold, I noticed a child pointing toward the descending figures above. In that instant, the photograph became less about the event and more about a shared moment of wonder. The image is a combination of two worlds—the vast space overhead and the imagination of someone looking up at it.
Q:
What drew you to this particular vantage point, and how long did you wait for the composition to arrive?
A:
I was attracted to the simplicity of the scene. The sky offered a clean, uncluttered background, allowing the parachutes to become almost graphic elements suspended in space. When I noticed the child in the foreground, I positioned myself so that the gesture of pointing would interact with the line of parachutes above.
...I see this image as a reminder that even ordinary moments can contain something poetic.
Q:
You were born in Matsue and have traveled extensively. Do you photograph Japan differently than you photograph everywhere else. Is there a distance or an intimacy that changes when you're working at home?
A:
There is no real difference. I simply capture what moves me.
Q:
You describe your work as exploring ties between spaces and the people who move through them. What does a person suspended mid-air, temporarily untethered from any ground, say about that relationship?
A:
The suspended figure represents a moment between destinations. We often think of people as belonging to specific places, but much of life is actually spent in transition. In this image, the parachutists appear detached from the ground, existing temporarily within an open space. At the same time, the child below establishes a connection to them through observation and imagination. For me, the photograph suggests that people and spaces are connected not only through physical presence, but also through attention, memory, and aspiration.
Q:
What does this image mean to you personally, beyond what it depicts?
A:
I am interested in photographs that remain open to interpretation rather than providing a fixed narrative. Personally, I see this image as a reminder that even ordinary moments can contain something poetic. It reflects the idea that photography is not only about recording what exists, but also about revealing how people experience and imagine the world around them.
Q:
What are you working on next? Do you have any dream subjects?
A:
I am continuing to explore the relationship between people and the environments they inhabit through long-term photographic projects. Rather than pursuing a specific dream subject, I am interested in discovering meaningful moments within everyday life. Going forward, I hope to continue photographing across different cultures and landscapes, looking for visual connections that reveal something universal about human experience.
ARTIST
