Abdication

Photographer

ITSUKI SERIKAWA

Category

Fine Art Photography - Kinetic

Company

JAN STUDIO

Submission Group

Professional

Year

2026

Country / Region:

Japan

The crown does not fall. It disperses. A moment after the water stood up, the structure gives way — not by breaking, but by returning to what it was. The rim opens. The spires let go. What was briefly a form travels outward as several hundred separate things, and the path receives them back without comment. There is no failure here, and no violence. Only the end of a shape that was never meant to hold. This is the second half of a reign that lasted a few thousandths of a second. Another will begin a moment later, and end the same way, all afternoon, seen by no one. The photograph is the only place one of them stayed longer.

More Gold Winner Winners
Amateur
2026

Photographer / Company

Susan Scharenberg

Category

Nature Photography - Wildlife

Country / Region

United States

Professional
2026

Photographer / Company

Stephan Romer

Category

Nature Photography - Landscapes

Country / Region

New Zealand

Amateur
2026

Photographer / Company

S Devarajan

Category

People Photography - Street

Country / Region

India

Professional
2026

Photographer / Company

Daniel Ceng (Anadolu Agency)

Category

Editorial Photography - General News

Country / Region

Turkey