Daishi Miyagawa
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?
I first picked up a camera when I was in high school. It started with taking pictures of baseball games and ekiden (long-distance relay races) as part of the school newspaper club. Influenced by the photographer who shot my wedding at age 25, I decided to become a photographer myself. I worked as a photographer for 10 years after that. Wanting to broaden my own horizons, I became a freelancer at the age of 38.
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?
The photo was taken on 4 April 2025. The hill in front of Yonago Airport's No. 1 Parking Lot. I walked around Sakura Hill, searching for countless cherry blossoms and the sky visible through them, and took a shot, betting that an airplane would take off.
You can't see any airplanes or runways from this hill. All you can see is the sky peeking through the gaps in the leaves. There's no guarantee that a plane will fit into that gap. I rely on the sound of the plane's engine to take the picture. The airplane will take off at approximately 250 km/h. It happens in an instant. I still consider this a miracle shot!
3. How do you decide which photo to submit for a competition?
These are photos that moved me. I'm submitting photos that made my heart flutter.
4. What first made you pick up a camera?
It all started when I picked up a camera as part of a club activity in high school.
5. What’s your favorite type of photography, and why do you love it?
As you can see from the award-winning photograph, airplanes are the main theme. Actually, looking back now that I'm an adult, I think I would have liked to be a pilot. But I was too old. I thought that photography, my speciality, would allow me to be with airplanes.
6. What’s your go-to camera setup, and why does it work best for your projects? What’s your favorite feature?
My trusty Sony mirrorless camera is my companion. I spend long hours outdoors taking photos of airplanes. It's lightweight, high-performance, and produces high-quality images, allowing me to capture the perfect shot.
7. If someone looked at your work, what’s the one thing you’d want them to feel?
I want people to experience Japan's four seasons through my photographs. The four seasons are spring, summer, autumn, and winter. Japan has wonderful scenery. There are still landscapes of Japan that the world doesn't know about. I think it would be wonderful if people could feel a sense of Japan by combining that scenery with the dynamism of the airplane.
8. What was the most challenging part of capturing your winning shot?
There was no guarantee that this winning photograph would be successful. There was no guarantee that the airplane would fit into the gap between the cherry blossom leaves I was aiming for. Additionally, the focus is off on the sky without airplanes. I was, in a sense, adjusting the focus by instinct. I think all the conditions were just right to take this one photo.
9. Is there a specific place or subject that inspires you the most?
That would, of course, be airports all over the world. This is a power spot.
10. Who or what has been your biggest influence in photography?
The photographer who encouraged me to take on the world is Shinya Itahana.
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?
Don't give up. Keep going. Believe in yourself, believe in your beliefs, and move forward. The more you press the shutter, the better you become. That's what photography is all about, I think.
12. What’s one piece of advice for someone just starting in photography?
Please continue to photograph what you are currently photographing.
13. What role do editing and post-processing play in your creative workflow?
I believe this is an important step in making it uniquely my own.
14. How do you see technology, like AI, influencing the future of photography and your own approach?
AI is merely a tool to increase work efficiency and shorten time. I believe that a work of art should be created by humans from start to finish.
15. If you could photograph anything or anyone in the world, what would it be?
I want to photograph airports and airplanes all over the world, along with the scenery of those locations.
