/ 2025 / Special / Night Photography

• Prize
  Honorable Mention
• Photographer
  Naoki Toda, Japan

I captured myself reaching for the stars at a small observatory on Akiyoshidai (Karst Plateau), one of Japan's most famous natural heritage sites. Relying on starlight and using the faint light pollution of the city to reduce noise, he captured the stars as dots, overcoming the jet blackness. This photograph reflects human longing in infinite brilliance. The hand and stars were carefully repositioned under the starlight. The silhouette against the expanse of sky whispers a universal dream, connecting humanity and the eternal universe in a quiet, eternal bond.