Born in Fukuoka City in 1967, Kazuyuki Okajima graduated from the Tokyo School of Photography (current name: Tokyo Visual Arts). After working as a studio assistant and photographer's assistant, he became a freelance photographer. In addition to working as an advertising and magazine photographer, he travels the world shooting images imbued with a strong poetic sentiment. His many publications include the photo collection Dingle. Exhibitions of his work include "The Light and Wind of Dingle," "Shio-sai" (Tidal Tints), and "Let's Go to School."

Comment

These are images in which the photographers honestly captured what they saw and what they felt. A compact camera may not offer some of the elaborate techniques available on an SLR, but it serves as a more direct test of the powers of observation and expression of the photographer, and in this contest the photographers boldly took on the challenge of a theme which was by no means easy. In the entries, many of which came from overseas, I did not perceive any national borders to perspective and expression. The photographers are seeking out the one image that could only be shot from "my view," the one image that says something only they themselves could say. The results are well worth seeing and the selection was difficult. The thoughts of each person are faithfully embodied in the images and reverberate directly in the hearts of the viewer. It was a very exciting contest for the judges as well as the photographers.