Yuki Hayashi
1. Congratulations on winning in the London Photography Awards! Can you share a little about yourself, what inspired you to pursue photography, and how has your journey evolved since your first shot?
Thank you! I’m a street photographer based in Japan. I originally started by photographing landscapes, but in 2024, I began shooting street scenes after realising that even in everyday life, there are stories and striking moments worth capturing.
Right now, I’m particularly focused on capturing the spontaneity of the street. I don’t use models or staged setups — I’m committed to finding and preserving the beauty of real, unplanned moments.
I seek out the artistic moments that already exist within everyday life — and capture them as photographic works.
2. Can you share the story or inspiration behind your award-winning piece? How does winning this award make you feel about your journey in photography?
My award-winning works — Silent Snow, Separate Worlds, and Spring has come? — were all taken by first finding a beautiful spot where light and shadow played perfectly, and then patiently waiting for the right subject to appear.
I created a clear image in my mind of what I wanted to capture, and from there, it was a matter of waiting with persistence for that exact moment to come together.
Receiving this award has given me confidence that the path I’ve chosen is not wrong. I’ll continue pursuing even better work, one moment at a time.
3. How do you decide which photo to submit for a competition?
As a street photographer who focuses on capturing spontaneity, I know that I can’t always create a strong image just because I set out to shoot that day.
That’s why, for this submission, I simply chose the images I felt were the best from my recent work.
4. What first made you pick up a camera?
When I was a child, I used to enjoy drawing for fun. They were nothing more than simple doodles, but I remember how much joy they brought me.
As I grew older and became busy with work and everyday life, I found myself drawn to photography, at first, as something similar to drawing.
Over time, I became more and more absorbed in it, eventually reaching the point where I now submit my work to incredible contests like this one.
5. What’s your favorite type of photography, and why do you love it?
I’m especially drawn to street photography. That’s because the street is full of scenes we all pass by every day — yet it holds unnoticed moments of beauty.
Of course, breathtaking landscapes and carefully crafted portraits, with their unique worlds, are also truly wonderful. Just looking at them can bring a sense of joy and inspiration.
But for me, I want to find and capture those small, special moments that quietly exist within the everyday — the kind of fleeting beauty that’s easy to miss, yet deeply meaningful.
6. What’s your go-to camera setup, and why does it work best for your projects? What’s your favorite feature?
I often shoot with the FUJIFILM X-E4 paired with the XF35mm F1.4 R. This camera is extremely compact, which makes it easy to carry around every day and allows me to photograph people on the street without making them feel uncomfortable or intimidated.
In street photography, you never know when a beautiful moment will appear — and that’s why I believe having a compact setup is essential.
7. If someone looked at your work, what’s the one thing you’d want them to feel?
I hope that when people look at my work, they realise that these kinds of moments are all around us — moments that anyone could witness, yet are often overlooked. That’s exactly why I continue to shoot on the street.
8. What was the most challenging part of capturing your winning shot?
It’s all about waiting.
In particular, Silent Snow was taken on a snowy day — it was freezing cold. Waiting in those conditions, not knowing if the subject I had imagined would ever appear, was really tough. But in the end, it all paid off, and I’m truly happy with the result.
9. Is there a specific place or subject that inspires you the most?
It’s hidden in everyday life. While walking to work, riding the train, or sharing a meal with someone, there are moments that suddenly catch my eye, even when I don’t have a camera with me.
There have been so many times I’ve thought, “If only I had my camera right now…” Those quiet, hidden moments in daily life become the inspiration for the next time I go out to shoot.
10. Who or what has been your biggest influence in photography?
It’s not about any one person in particular.
Rather, it’s the photographers who have created incredible images in the past, the photos themselves, and the fellow photographers who are still around me today. But I think their influence has been more about motivation than about shaping my style. I don’t want to follow in someone else’s footsteps — I want to create work that is truly my own.
11. What message would you share to inspire photographers to participate in photography awards, and what advice would you give to help them excel in the competition?
I see contests as a place where I can find out how my work is truly received.
In today’s social media-driven world, it’s easy to assume that a photo with lots of likes is a good one. But there are so many great works — yours, mine, and others — that might not get many likes but still have real value. That’s why I believe contests offer a way to look beyond the numbers and truly evaluate a piece of work.
For that reason, I think it’s best to submit the photos you personally believe in the most. At the very least, that’s how I approach it.
12. What’s one piece of advice for someone just starting in photography?
First, just take your camera and go outside. Try photographing the moments, places, or people that make you think, “This is nice.” I believe everything starts from there.
13. What role do editing and post-processing play in your creative workflow?
Editing is essential for me. That’s because the camera doesn’t always capture things exactly the way I see or feel them. To me, RAW files and editing are just like ingredients and cooking — both are necessary to create the final dish.
14. How do you see technology, like AI, influencing the future of photography and your own approach?
As AI continues to evolve, it will no doubt have an impact on the world of art, including photography and painting. Even street photography, like the kind I take that relies on spontaneity, might one day be naturally generated by AI.
But the vision behind an image will always come from a human. Just as painting requires a brush, photography requires a camera. Perhaps AI, too, will become one tool within its own distinct framework of expression.
15. If you could photograph anything or anyone in the world, what would it be?
I hope to visit cities and towns around the world to capture street photography.
By photographing the streets of various countries and regions, I want to share scenes that many people may never have the chance to see — and at the same time, show that even in distant places, the moments I find there are familiar and universal to all of us.
