「第51回公益社団法人日本広告写真家協会公募展（APAアワード2023）」に寄せて
APAアワード2023にご応募を頂きありがとうございました。
この約3年にも及ぶ前代未聞のコロナ禍に加え、ウクライナ危機、円安と物価上昇等、日本ばかりではなく世界中がかつての安定をなくし、殊に経済は人々の暮らしに大きな影響を与えています。経済界の旗振り役であった広告写真家とて多大なる影響を受けております。
私達APAは広告写真家の親睦団体として1958年に生まれました。広告は右肩上がりの高度成長の波に乗り、多くの著名な写真家が輩出された時代でした。1989年に社団法人、2012年に公益社団法人となり、創立65年を迎えます。当初は優秀な新人広告写真家を発掘するために設けられた公募展ですが、2006年より協会の主幹事業として、公益的観点からその年の優れた写真を中心とした広告写真をアーカイブ化するプロジェクトも担う「APAアワード」として新たにスタートいたしました。それまで別々に開催していた写真作品部門と広告作品部門を併合し、写真表現の質的向上を図ると共に、その時代を代表する広告作品を歴史的遺産として後世に残す役割を果たしております。
前述のように今日は多難な時代ではありますが、広告写真家は既に今世紀に入った時点において、急速なデジタル化の波に乗らなくてはなりませんでした。更に、新聞・雑誌・ポスター等の紙媒体からデジタルサイネージやWEB、SNS等々へとメディアも大きく変化しています。また、カメラもフィルムカメラからデジタルカメラやスマートフォン等、撮るツールも大きく変化し、AIやCGでも画像を作れる時代になってまいりました。そういった時代に広告写真家は更に変化に敏感であらねばなりません。
コロナの影響でテレワークが増加した方々も多くおられると思いますが、これらをむしろ逆境とはせず、APAも組織的なDX（デジタルトランスフォーメーション）化に取り組んでおります。今回2回目となるWEBでの公募をし、審査もオンラインでという試みですが、今後も一層システムに磨きをかけ続けていく所存です。プロばかりではなく写真愛好家の方にも広く門戸を開き、素敵な写真を応募していただける事ことを強く祈念いたしております。
最後に今年も「APAアワード2023」にエントリーいただきました皆様、並びに本事業にご賛同いただきご後援賜りました、経済産業省、文化庁、ご協力いただきました関係企業各位に深く感謝の意を表します。
Commemorating the 51st Japan Advertising Photographers’ Association Exhibition (APA Awards 2023)
Firstly, I would like to extend a big thank-you to everyone who submitted works to the 2023 APA Awards. Over the past three years, in addition to the unprecedented coronavirus pandemic, the entire world including Japan has been plagued by destabilizing events such as the war in Ukraine, declining yen currency, and rising commodity prices. Economic developments in particular have had a significant impact on people’s lives. Advertising photographers, whose work reflects business world trends, have also been greatly affected.
The Japan Advertising Photographers’ Association (APA) was established in 1958—during the nation’s super-growth period—when the advertising sector was expanding exponentially in tandem. This was also a time when many famous photographers rose to prominence. APA became an Incorporated Association in 1989, a Public Interest Incorporated Association in 2012, and this year the Association will be celebrating its 65th anniversary. As of 2006, a project was launched to archive advertising photography—particularly the excellent photography submitted to the contest (originally launched with a view to acknowledging talented new advertising photographers) each year—as a major project of the Association as well as the idea of benefiting the public. In conjunction with this project, the Awards were relaunched combining the original photo contest and advertising contest as the Photography and Advertising Sections. Today, the APA Awards assume a key role in boosting the quality of photographic expression as well as preserving advertising photography typical of our times as the legacy of the advertising business for future generations.
This time in history is complex. At the turn of the current century, advertising photographers were forced to digitalize at a rapid pace. A major shift was made from paper mediums such as newspapers, magazines, and posters to digital signage, the Web, SNS, etc. Photography equipment has also changed greatly, from film cameras to digital cameras, smartphones, etc., and images can now be created with tools such as AI and CG. This means that advertising photographers must be able to anticipate and respond to change better than ever before.
The pandemic has also led to an increase in the number of people and number of hours worked from home. Instead of treating this trend as adversity, APA is also tackling digital transformation. This year, we are putting out a call for works on the Web for the second time, and we are attempting the screening process online as well. Our intention is to continue to develop online systems in the future. It is our hope that we will attract the interest not only of professionals but also of amateurs who simply love photography and everyone in between. We look forward to seeing the creative work of all of our applicants.
In conclusion, I would like to once again extend my deepest appreciation to those who submitted works to the APA Awards 2023 contest, as well as to our sponsors, including the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry; the Agency for Cultural Affairs; and to all associated companies.
