‘Miracle’ Underwater Bird Photo Wins 74th Annual Nikkor Photo Contest

Spotlight
Jeremy Gray

A split-screen image showing a gannet diving underwater with a fish in its beak on the left, and a white squirrel covering its face on a branch on the right.

Alongside the winners of the 52nd annual Nikon Small World Photomicrography competition, Nikon Japan also announced the winners of its 74th annual Nikkor Photo Contest.

The Japanese photography contest has run every year since 1953. The Nikkor Photo Contest is open to all Japanese photographers, amateur and professional alike, and includes numerous categories and some big prizes.

This year’s Grand Prix winner, Mayumi Takeuchi of Kanagawa, earned a 500,000 yen ($3,161) cash prize plus a Nikon Z8 camera body, a $4,300 camera.

A northern gannet dives underwater to catch a fish, while many other gannets fly above the surface of the ocean.
Grand Prize Winner — © Mayumi Takeuchi


Takeuchi captured this photo using a wide-angle lens, robust underwater housing, and a strobe. Takeuchi was less than a meter away from the booby underwater. The 74th Nikkor Photo Contest judges call the shot a “miracle.”

Web Category Winners

Alongside the Grand Prix winner, photographers competed across three categories, each with web and print sections. Each Gold Medal category web winner earned 300,000 yen, or nearly $1,900. Silver and Bronze winners earned 100,000 and 50,000 yen each.

Open

Tokushima-based photographer Toru Shinohara bested 6,288 other photographers in the open category for their photo of a surfer.

A surfer rides inside the barrel of a golden, sunlit wave at sunset.
Gold Prize Winner — © Toru Shinohara

Tatsuya Sato of Niigata earned the Silver Prize, while photographers Erika Iguchi, Junko Kato, and Mitsumasa Fujishita earned Bronze medals.

A child runs through shallow water toward a dog carrying a blue ring toy at sunset.
Silver Prize — © Tatsuya Sato
A young boy in a t-shirt and cap holds a net containing a dragonfly against a sunlit, grassy background.
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Bronze Prize -- © Erika Iguchi

Nature

For a fantastic photo of two owls in flight, like mirror images, photographer Koichiro Ikeda of Fukuoka earned the Gold Prize in the Nature category. Nikon adds that Ikeda shot this photo with an 800mm super-telephoto lens.

Two short-eared owls fly against a pale blue sky, one seen from the front and the other from behind.
Gold Prize — © Koichiro Ikeda

Keiko Negishi won the Silver Prize, while photographers Masato Nakata, Yasuyuki Konishi, and Akira Sato each won a Bronze Prize.

A bird flies over turbulent ocean waves crashing against rocks, with distant mountains visible under a cloudy sky.
Silver Prize — © Keiko Negishi
A dense school of dark fish swims together in deep blue water.
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Bronze Prize -- © Masato Nakata

Under 35

Younger photographer Ryo Takano of Niigata won top honors in the Under 35 Web Category for their serene nighttime glacier landscape.

A bright moon shines over a vast, snow-covered glacier nestled between dark, rugged mountain peaks under a starry night sky.
Gold Prize — © Ryo Takano

Minaho Imai won Silver, while Kumiko Takane, Go Marui, and Ryo Takase each won Bronze.

An elderly woman with gray hair smiles from the passenger seat of a black car, framed by blooming cherry blossom branches in the foreground.
Silver Prize — © Minaho Imai
Two young children stand on a sandy beach, using sticks to interact with a crab between them near the ocean surf.
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Bronze Prize -- © Kumiko Takane

Print Division Winners

In the Print Division, photographers competed in an open category, nature, and then a category just for high school and junior high school students. The Print Division winners each received 100,000 yen.

Open

Sanae Ono of Kanagawa won the open print competition, while Masaya Akamatsu got Silver.

Four children stand in silhouette on a sofa in front of a bright window, with a chandelier hanging above them.
Gold Prize — © Sanae Ono
A figure draped in a white sheet sits on a metal-framed bed in a dimly lit, empty room with large windows.
Silver Prize — © Masaya Akamatsu

Photographers Reiko Toki, Yoshiyasu Nagura, and Teruhiko Yono shared Bronze medals.

Two men ride elephants through a grassy field at sunset, with one elephant eating grass while the other walks alongside.
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Bronze Prize -- © Reiko Toki

Nature

Tokyo photographer Rui Nagumo won the Nature print competition with an adorable squirrel portrait.

A white squirrel sits on a weathered tree stump, covering its face with its front paws while snow falls around it.
Gold Prize — © Rui Nagumo

Norihiro Ikuma won Silver, and Ryo Omoto, Akira Sato, and Arihiro Saito won Bronze.

Two toads are submerged underwater, with one riding on the back of the other, surrounded by long strands of toad spawn.
Silver Prize — © Norihiro Ikuma
A snow-covered mountain peak rises above a thick layer of clouds under a vast, star-filled night sky.
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Bronze Prize -- © Ryo Omoto

Junior High and High School Students

Student Akari Ogushi from Wakayama won the Gold Medal.

A smiling man in work clothes and rubber boots sits on the tailgate of a small truck filled with harvested bamboo shoots, holding a shovel.
Gold Prize — © Akari Ogushi

Yui Kawashima from Osaka took home the Silver Prize. Meanwhile, Koto Isomura, Shiori Tanaka, and Aoi Nakano each won Bronze for their prints.

A smiling girl in a school uniform stands on a rooftop at dusk, holding a glowing smartphone that illuminates her face.
Silver Prize — © Yui Kawashima
A student with a backpack walks through an open doorway into a bright, sunlit corridor, casting a long shadow on the floor.
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Bronze Prize -- © Kota Isomura

A total of 824 students entered this year’s print competition.

Image creditsNikkor Photo Contest. Individual photographers are credited in the captions.

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