WINNERS

Embracing The Belt. I Love.

  • Photographer
    Tomonori Sasaki, Japan
  • Prize
    Honorable Mention

A seatbelt is designed to protect humans. I love that fundamental truth unconditionally. These women pull the nylon straps—tools originally meant to restrict freedom—toward themselves, pressing them against their skin. This is not submission to restraint, but a devotion to absolute "protection." Within the micro-chamber of a vehicle, the analog film grain captures the peace of being protected and its stark, pure beauty. There is no unnecessary ornamentation. It is a profoundly simple record of a sanctuary, capturing nothing but the act of loving that which protects us.