Benjamin Hancock, Homesickening (JUNIOR 2024)

Taken on 35mm with a Canon F1 at the Fujiyoshida Sengen Shrine, this image captures a hidden gem from a family trip to Japan in July this year. The rain, in fact, came as a relief after days in nearby Tokyo during a heatwave, and moreover presented the opportunity for this image. While my intention was not to exacerbate the growing quantity of Australian tourists in Japan, especially in hitherto pristine regions such as Fujiyoshida, this photograph is nonetheless exploitative in its representation of place and identity. I continue to hope that homesickness prevails so that natural beauty may be restored.

Images have been resized for web display, which may cause some loss of image quality. Note: Original high-resolution images are used for judging.