My Picture for the Future: The Finalists

The My Picture for the Future photography competition, which was launched on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of our magazine, gave rise to impressive submissions from all over the world. From the wealth of creative entries, we have selected twelve finalists, whose particularly impressive pieces capture the hopes and visions for our future. Among the twelve are our three winners: Chris Yan, Shin Seung Hwang and Tuan Anh Le. 

In order for you to acquire deeper insight into the thoughts behind the images, we asked all the finalists to share their intentions, motivations and personal wishes for the future. Let the following statements inspire you, while you immerse yourself in twelve perspectives about the world of tomorrow.

01. Chris Yan (Winner 1)

My intention is for my photo to express a feeling of uncertainty and danger. It's like a warning: looking towards the future, human beings are too small – we don't know what the future will bring, and we can't control our own fate completely. There are many lines on this picture; all of them are slanted and create a strong feeling of instability. At the same time, the edge of the building appears like the end of the world. The person can't move forwards – only backwards. 

I'm really happy to submit a picture for this theme, because I don't consider this a competition, but rather a celebration of 75 years of the LFI magazine. It's really interesting to capture the same theme at the same time as other photographers from around the world. As far as my personal hope for the future is concerned, I will continue to accompany my one-year-old son as he grows up. I hope he will like photography as much as I do, perceiving and capturing the world from his own perspective. 

02. Tuan Anh Le (Winner 2)

The urge to head North during winter is rooted in the long time I spent living under the merciless summer sun of the South. That greyish and gloomy sky, blended with the humid and mind-numbing cold weather, truly touches a man’s heart. The inspiration for my March into Spring series comes from the gleaming grass floating in the breeze, the wavering shadows of trees by the sides of the roads, or, sometimes, just from a momentary mist floating by. Indeed, the images reveal themselves vividly, waiting to be recorded as I immerse myself in tranquil meadows, feeling the sounds of spring caress me and the touch of a spring breeze waft through my hair.

Humans and nature share an inseparable bond, a relationship I also highlight in the story behind the inspiration for this photo series. I hope for a future where humanity and nature can coexist harmoniously, fostering sustainability for mutual growth and development.

03. Shin Seung Hwan (Winner 3)

It was around 5 in the afternoon when I took this picture, and many people were on their way home – also the person in the picture who was eagerly pushing down on the pedals. I could actually feel how carefree he was. You can and should consider yourself lucky, if you have a home you can return to at the end of the day, where you can relax. At that moment I had the feeling that this is a very important part of our life, and I hope that I will never forget to appreciate it.

I turned the picture into black and white, so as to emphasize the difference between the left and the right path: the path heading home is presented as lighter and more positive, while the other is supposed to appear darker and more uncertain. With this, I wanted to convey that when faced with countless decisions every day, we can and should always choose the more optimistic one. While my initial intention was to concentrate on the feeling of returning home, I realised that it also fits very well within the context of this competition, because both perspectives emphasise the importance of our own decisions.

04. Petter Bergesen

My motivation for sending in this picture was born when it was rated a Leica Master Shot in April 2022. It was the first photo that came to my mind after reading the title of the challenge. This is a location in a pretty newly constructed area of Oslo, with this light art snaking along. It’s a place I return to many times, both for the artificial lighting but also for the natural light. The futuristic feel with the lit pathway, the small lights in the alleyway, the scooter, the silhouette in the light at the end, and the whole ambiance just made it. The future is now. 

I’m a photographer who wanders the streets of Oslo. I seldom have a plan when I start my day. I grab one of my beloved Leica M cameras and hope to make a good picture or two. The future is about making more photographs and showing them to the public. I’ve had two exhibitions and am planning for the third. Hope all goes well!

05. Wenpeng Lu

This image is part of my Skatepark series, which delves into the potential of street photography by exploring the interaction between the installation and its users, and the relationship between space, movement, and visual perception. In this particular shot, I intentionally minimized the sense of spatial depth through a high vantage point, deep depth of field, and the absence of strong light and shadow, creating an almost two-dimensional effect – like a graphic composition of abstract shapes and colours. The dynamic pose of the child mid-action, with the skateboard suspended in the air, breaks through this flat composition, injecting a sense of energy and motion that contrasts with the illusion of two-dimensionality. This photograph reflects the balance between structure and spontaneity, where the carefully designed skatepark becomes a canvas for unpredictable moments of expression.

Looking ahead, I hope to continue exploring photography, especially the themes of human interaction with space. I believe photography is more than just capturing moments – it can challenge our perception of the world and encourage viewers to reconsider their surroundings and the dynamic beauty of everyday life. 

06. Paul Reid

This image is of a character I created that I call the time traveller. It is a platinum palladium print, which is a process developed in the 1800s. This print will never fade and will still be on this earth in a thousand years. I keep the meaning of the image close, so that the viewer can interpret it however they like. Is the man from the past, reminiscing about a time when such technology never existed? Or is he from the future, visiting a time when we made decisions about renewable energy and sustainable practices? Did we succeed? Or does he know our fate?

From a photographic point of view, my hope for the future is that we still treasure photographic prints over digital images. I hope that my prints are marvelled at in a thousand years time.

07. Francesca Tiboni

The photo was taken after a heavy downpour at Poetto, the city beach of Cagliari, Sardinia. In the background, you can see a promontory called "Sella del Diavolo" (saddle of the devil), which is one of the landmarks of the city. The heavy rain is not absorbed by the sand and creates huge, suggestive puddles. I decided to submit it to the challenge because it shows a scenario that could be apocalyptic. It suggests something about sudden climate change, the force of nature. At the same time there is something calm and peaceful, the calm after the storm; the chairs give me a feeling of waiting and hope. I like the contrast that is created and also the sense of mystery in search of meaning. 

For the future, I hope that humankind will learn to respect and reconcile with nature; that access to the planet's resources will be fairly distributed, and that basic rights will be guaranteed for all. 

08. Mingzu Liu

The intention behind my photograph is to explore the boundaries between virtual reality and the real world. Inspired partly by the concept of the movie The Matrix and Plato’s Allegory of the Cave, all the adults in the image are wearing VR headsets, representing how they accept and live in a reality shaped by external forces – whether it’s political propaganda, media control, or a digitally constructed world. In contrast, the child removing the VR headset symbolizes a future generation’s curiosity and willingness to seek out the truth. 

Looking to the future, I hope that people, especially the younger generation, will have the strength and the tools to break free from the influence of these constructed realities. Much like the child in the photograph, I hope future generations will be eager to remove the metaphorical "headset" and engage critically with the world around them, challenging the narratives and truths they are presented with. My wish is for a world where we all actively seek and embrace reality, no matter how uncomfortable or challenging it may be.

09. Yousuke Ochiai

This particular picture was taken when I visited the observation deck at Midland Square. A woman was standing there, bathed in the soft light of the setting sun, opening up an impressionistic scene. As always, the Tri-Elmar lens delivered an exceptional depiction.

I hope to continue using a Leica to share the beauty of Japan and the joy of life with the world. I am deeply grateful to the LFI staff for always providing inspiration and excitement.

10. Tomasz Kaczorek

I was always fascinated by industrial areas, particularly those centred around coal plants, so I decided to visit the “Polish Kuwait". My goal was to conduct research for a project about environmental degradation. While exploring the vast open-pit mining area, I discovered numerous viewing points. From one of these, I spotted a couple who were nicely dressed up. Reflexively I took the picture. I intended to capture another shot, but the couple suddenly turned and left. 

My work is my way of recording what fascinates me. Sometimes I try to understand the people; sometimes it's like a kind of psychotherapy. So my motivation in submitting my work, is to simply share it and to get feedback from LFI professionals.

11. António Leong

The Light Rail Transit of Macau currently connects all the casinos around the newly developed urban area of Macau, which became better known as the Las Vegas of the East, mostly because of these very gambling installations. Hopefully in the future, when the rail system connects to the old areas of the town, where there are 25 UNESCO World heritage sites, including churches, temples and other monuments, then people from around the world will be able to explore the true gems of this town, and will acquire deeper insight into the historical and cultural side of this city.

12. Shinichi Hatakeyama

The works making up my Space City project express the futuristic beauty of the current Tokyo cityscape. Through photography, I would like to continue to discover beauty in everyday life.