37 FramesWe didn’t enter this competition expecting anything.
We’ve been on the other side of awards for years now … speaking, judging, cheering others on. And honestly, we’d forgotten that rush of the unexpected.
We didn’t enter to win. Or even to be seen. We entered because there was a feeling we couldn’t quite let go of. A pause, a silence, a moment of stillness and light in one of the world’s most untamed places.
And from that stillness, Desert Hours (or as we call it, The Empty Quarter), was born.
A wordless, 40-second film. A love letter to quiet.
And somehow, impossibly, this little story became one of six global finalists in the Nikon Film & Photo Contest 2025, chosen from more than 45,000 entries across 180 countries.
A category judged by an international panel of photographers, filmmakers, and storytellers who, like us, believe that silence is still worth listening to.
And yes … we’re still slightly shocked.
Today in Tokyo
Today was the Nikon Global Awards Ceremony in Tokyo. The culmination of 45,000 stories colliding in one space.
It was a great ceremony. Inspired. Full of global ideas and cultural perspectives. Interesting, insanely talented people who shine and work so hard at what they do.
Everyone we love … our families, our friends from every corner of the world were online watching the livestream. You have no idea what that meant. From the bottom of our hearts: thank you.
For us, it’s never just about the frame. But the family and friends we share it with. The ones who’ll come to fix a flat tire at 2am, the ones who we watch horror movies and red wine with in the living room… and always the ones who’ll watch from afar and still feel close (we love you all so much).
“A Single Image Can Transcend Language”
Nikon’s President and COO, Mr. Muneaki Tokunari, opened the ceremony with words that set the tone for everything that followed:
“A single image or short film can transcend language, stir emotion, and inspire change.”
He spoke about the contest’s roots … born in 1969 … and how, over five decades, it has now evolved to embrace both photography and film. The inclusion of RED, the digital cinema pioneer, into the Nikon Group marked a new era.
“This contest,” he said, “reflects our commitment to fostering creative expression across both photography and film. The theme this year, Inspire, invites entries that leave a positive impression, spark perspective, and evoke genuine emotion.”
And it did.
Entries poured in from over 180 regions. 45,412 in total. A global choir of light, color, and story.
The Judges
The jury … 15 judges across 14 groups. Then came the keynote from Sarah Leen, Head Judge and former Director of Photography at National Geographic. Her message landed like gospel:
“One of the most powerful and universal languages we have to bridge culture… imagery can show us the beauty of our world and the beauty in one another.”
She described three long days of judging, “lively discussions,” and the impossible task of choosing what stories the world would see.
“From 45,412 submissions … from 180 countries,” she said, “your work was chosen to represent not only your personal vision, but the world’s.”
That’s the power of visual storytelling.
It belongs to everyone.
Then Came the Films
Our piece appeared in the Super Short Film program listed in the running order as “Desert Hours” (yes, we managed to confuse even the organizers by renaming our own entry mid-way … classic us. Very on brand). All those stories on the screen felt like a collective exhale: quiet documentaries, lyrical fragments, tiny epics told in seconds. You could feel the heartbeat of humanity. A global pulse.
Mike Figgis, Oscar-nominated filmmaker (who doesn’t love Leaving Las Vegas…) and the Head of the Film Jury, spoke about the selection with generosity and clarity:
“These films were all so different… such strong competition. It was a difficult choice. But the best ones had rhythm, bravery, sound, and restraint.”
He talked about the films the way only a storyteller can. Not purely by listing their strengths, but by feeling them.
“A beautiful example of pure visual storytelling… perfectly executed visual images.”
On another:
“A very beautiful film… pure cinema. A story, a mystery, a development, and a conclusion in such a short amount of time.”
When filmmaker Anindya Sundar Basu took the stage, he said what every creator feels but rarely articulates:
“This is not an award; this is a tribute to sleepless nights, one more retake, one more shot, one more edit… If after today, one boy picks up his camera and tells his story, my mission is completed.”
And when Fatemeh Abdi, from Iran, accepted the Grand Prize on behalf of her husband, she reminded us why these gatherings matter at all:
“Art doesn’t have any boundaries. We are here from all over the world just because of art.”
Six winners.
Five countries.
One global conversation.
Nikon Film & Photo Contest 2025 – Super Short Film Category Winners
You can view the winning films here
Grand Prize
- 🎥 “The Small Red, Big Blue” – Hamed Nobadi (Iran)
- Accepted by Fatemeh Abdi, Project Manager
- Theme: The importance of water and nature conservation in Iran
- Judge Comment (Mike Figgis): “A very beautiful film, pure cinema… a story, a mystery, a development, and a conclusion in such a short amount of time.”
Excellence Awards
- 🎥 “A Trace in the Wind” – Soheil Masumi (Iran)
- Judge Comment: “You really got a sense of the process through the sound as well as the image.”
- 🎥 “Shiuli: The One Who Still Knows” – Anindya Sundar Basu (India)
- Winner’s Speech: “This is not an award; this is a tribute to sleepless nights, one more retake, one more edit. If one boy picks up his camera and tells his story, my mission is complete.”
- Judge Comment: “A beautiful example of pure visual storytelling… a series of perfectly executed visual images.”
Special Awards
- 🎥 “Desert Hours” / The Empty Quarter – Tracey Taylor (Australia)
- Theme: Stillness, light, and silence in the world’s most untamed desert
- Notable: Only female finalist in category; film recognized for emotional storytelling without dialogue
- Judge Note: Chosen from thousands for its restraint and atmosphere.
- 🎥 “Beautiful Struggle” – Yutaka Mayaomichi (Japan)
- Theme: The perseverance of personal growth through creative struggle
- 🎥 “Keep on Going” – Dexian Zhang / Deshun Tang (Chinese mainland)
- Theme: Grit, determination, and continuous pursuit of dreams
Total: 6 Global Winners | (1 Grand Prize, 2 Excellence Awards & 3 Special Encouragement Awards)
- Representing Iran, India, Australia, China and Japan
- Selected from 45,412 total entries across 180+ countries and regions
- Judged by an international panel of 15 judges including Oscar-nominated filmmaker Mike Figgis and Sarah Leen, former Director of Photography at National Geographic
The World Needs Creatives
The world needs creatives.
Not for entertainment. For empathy.
Art and stories are what connects us. The thread that runs through continents and languages and lives. It doesn’t need translation. It speaks in tone, in rhythm, in breath.
That’s what these awards really celebrate. Not achievement, but courage. The courage to make something from nothing. To share the things no one asked for but everyone needs.
That’s why the Grand Prize film, “The Small Red, Big Blue,” from Iran hit us so deeply.
A 40-second film about water and fragility that carried the weight of a whole planet.
No spectacle. No dialogue. Just truth.
It was our favorite from the Super Short Film Category. And a reminder that great art doesn’t need to be loud to be powerful.
It just needs to be real.
To create something that pure … that simple and profound … is what we all strive for. As artists. As humans. As people trying to leave something meaningful behind.
Because storytelling still matters. It moves mountains. It heals. It changes the world, one frame at a time.
How It Actually Happened (Hotel Room, Bats, and Room Service)
I remember sitting in a hotel room in Byron Bay in March the night before a beautiful wedding.
An email from Nikon popped up: “Entries close at midnight tonight.”
Dee looked at me and said, “Sit up. Create.”
So I did.
We had the footage already. Just needed to shape it. The balcony doors were open, bats darting through the twilight, and room service trays balanced precariously on the bed. Editing a desert on a laptop by the sea.
We used mostly in-camera sound. Raw, imperfect, honest. It kind of worked… but it taught me something. Sound design for me is the next mountain. I love the texture of ambient audio; I want to make it intentionally raw next time. More breath… but polished.
I’m also proud for two other reasons. Tracey was the only female nominee on that shortlist in her category. What a way to represent. And many of the other films were beautifully storyboarded productions with multiple takes. Tracey shaped a story from travel fragments. No script, no shot list. Then made it connect with a jury spanning 14 countries, including an Oscar-nominated director. I keep wondering what happens when that innate storyteller goes full production mode from start to finish. I’m so happy that the way she sees the world was recognized. – Dee
And once again… from Excellence winner Anindya Sundar Basu from India:
“If one boy picks up his camera after tonight and tells his story … my mission is complete.”
I hope one little girl does, too. (Elkie Taylor … we’re looking at you!)
Why This Win Hits Different
Because this wasn’t just a contest. This was Nikon.
Our companion for more than 25 years. Our passport through airports, our constant at weddings, our partner in adventure.
Even if The Empty Quarter was filmed on something else (yes, we said it), Nikon is still what shaped how we see.
“Inspire,” the theme of the year, felt less like a prompt and more like a benediction.
We don’t take these moments for granted. Quiet stories still have power.
On Time (And How We Lose It)
Time has been whispering to us a lot lately.
Maybe it’s life in Tokyo … this pulsing, kinetic city that never stops. Cherry blossoms to summer matsuri to autumn leaves to snow. Seasons passing like a film reel while we’re buried in timelines, edits, and client calls.
We celebrate love for a living. But sometimes we forget to stop and witness our own.
The desert reminded us how. Because time is the most valuable thing we have.
And when you stand in a place where even the wind feels eternal, you realize the stories worth telling aren’t always the biggest or boldest.
They’re the quiet ones.
The ones where nothing happens. Except everything.
What This Achievement is Really About
If you’ve followed us for a while, you know we believe in the power of story. That it’s never just about the visuals. That to move people, you have to reach beyond the aesthetic and get to the emotional marrow of something.
This win is proof. Proof that silence can carry weight. Proof that a story about nothing but wind, sand, and light could move an international jury.
It’s also a message to every creative out there: Create what you feel.
What We Teach Our Team (And Ourselves)
We repeat it constantly:
Storytelling must come from the heart. From a place inside you that you don’t fully understand but deeply feel.
If it’s purely technical, it will feel cold.
If it’s purely aesthetic, it will feel hollow.
But if it’s real … if it’s yours … someone, somewhere will feel it too.
Even in 40 seconds. Even in the middle of a desert.
A Word to Nikon
To the Nikon team, the judges, and every creative who submitted something vulnerable … thank you.
We’re honored to be among the global winners of 2025. We’re grateful that Desert Hours resonated. And we’re excited that this recognition might remind younger storytellers that their stories matter.
Final Reflection (Because It’s Us)
Don’t worry – we’re not retiring just yet. We’re not done yet … not even close.
There are still stories to chase. Winds to follow. Light to catch. (Last stop Namibia… next stop Greenland).
But when we do slow down… maybe on a beach somewhere, Nikon slung over the shoulder, sand in the gear bag, and an edit file still open on the laptop … we’ll remember today. And everyone who celebrated with us.
And we’ll still be telling stories. Always. Forever. Until the light fades.
P.S. A Continuing Story of Art and Connection
If you’re in Tokyo and you’d like to see the incredible global works honored at this year’s event, Nikon has curated a special exhibition featuring all winning entries from around the world.
Take a moment to pause, stroll, and feel the heartbeat of this creative community … every frame, every voice, every story worth remembering.
👉 Explore the Nikon Photo & Film Contest 2025 Global Exhibition
And also if you’re in Tokyo in October 2025, the celebration expands.
The winning works, including Desert Hours, will be featured as part of the T3 PHOTO FESTIVAL TOKYO 2025, a citywide exhibition dedicated to visual storytelling, innovation, and the art of photography in motion.
It’s an incredible honor to be part of this next chapter … in the same city where the award was first announced, surrounded by light, life, and stories still unfolding.
👉 Learn more about the T3 PHOTO FESTIVAL TOKYO 2025
Because stories don’t end when the credits roll.
37 Frames
