The wide-spread use of smartphones and SNSs has made photographs an indispensable part of daily life, increasing their importance as a tool for self-expression and for sharing feelings with each other. As a leading company of photographs, Fujifilm connects people heart-to-heart, disseminating the value of photographs to enrich their lives. By providing a various way to enjoy photography, including shooting, preserving, displaying, and gifting, we always aim to expand the potential of photography keeping up with the times, and contribute to the development of photographic and imaging culture and realization of enriching lives in society.
Fujifilm launched a participatory photography exhibition*1 in 2006, where the works of all the exhibitors were displayed together with the “thoughts expressed in the photographs”. The 18th edition of this photo exhibition in 2024 featured a variety of categories, including the newly established “Smiling Moments” category, which was created in line with the Fujifilm Group's purpose of “Giving our world more smiles” as well as joint projects with nine companies that support this photo exhibition. A total of 28,674 works were exhibited at venues in Tokyo, Osaka, and Nagoya, and were also made available on an online exhibition site. We received many submissions capturing moments of enjoyment, such as traveling, leisure activities, and scenes with family, friends, and pets.
At this photo exhibition, which has the theme of “The Heart to Heart Communication”, a “bond post” is set up at each venue and on the online exhibition site, where visitors can post “bond messages” expressing their thoughts and feelings about the works they have seen that they have empathized with. The “bond messages” received from visitors are sent to the exhibitors after the event has finished, and the communication between the exhibitors and visitors through the photos has created new “bonds”. Through this photo exhibition, we will continue to convey the original value of photographs, which is to “make people smile and feel happiness”.
“PHOTO IS” Photo Exhibition was certified as ‘THIS IS MECENAT 2024’ by the Association for Corporate Support of the Arts, a public interest incorporated association,*2 in 2024 as a ‘social creation activity through the promotion of art and culture’.
- *1 Started as the “PHOTO IS” 10,000 People's Photo Exhibition.
- *2 Established in 1990 with the aim of revitalizing corporate support for the arts and culture (mecenat), this is Japan's only intermediary support organization specializing in mecenat.
In an era where taking photos with smartphones and storing data in the cloud has become mainstream, Fujifilm has launched the “Happiness is a photograph” project, with a renewed focus on the value of real “photo prints”. This project is based on the belief that the very act of “taking photos,” as well as the ability to view, touch, and give real “photo prints,” can enhance one’s happiness in life. Through this initiative, we aim not only to propose products and services but also to share the happiness that people feel through various processes such as “taking,” “printing,” “displaying,” and “gifting” photos, thereby amplifying and spreading the joy that photos bring.
Since the start of this project, we have provided a package service called “PHOTO IS” Photo Exhibition’ that allows schools, companies and other organizations to plan and run realistic photo exhibitions, as well as a photo printing service called “+precious” that allows you to enjoy special photos that are full of emotion as interior decorations that fit in with your everyday surroundings by having them printed on high-quality, carefully produced photo prints.
“PHOTO IS” Photo Exhibition Package
For many years, photography has been used as a means of preservation and recording, but it has become much more accessible thanks to the spread of smartphones and mirrorless digital cameras, and the diversification of self-expression through SNS. The INSTAX instant photo system, which allows you to enjoy your photos immediately after taking them, is also popular with many people. For many people, photos are changing from something that is “stored” or “recorded” to something that has value as a “work” that expresses “one’s own individuality”.
Through this “Happiness is a photograph” project, Fujifilm will continue to propose and support initiatives that enhance people's sense of happiness by increasing their self-affirmation as photographers and deepening their bonds with others.
As part of its project to support young photographers, Fujifilm has been holding the Portfolio Review / Awards since 2022.
For this project, they accept submissions from photographers under the age of 45, or those who aspire to become photographers, and for the works that pass the first and second selection rounds, they hold online and face-to-face portfolio reviews where professional photographers give specific advice on how to choose themes for works and how to put them together as exhibitions. Award winners selected through the final judging will be offered the opportunity to hold a photo exhibition at the FUJIFILM PHOTO SALON TOKYO, located within the FUJIFILM SQUARE facility operated by Fujifilm.
In its second year, the “Portfolio Review / Awards 2023” received numerous submissions from across Japan. Four professional photographers, who served as reviewers providing critiques, conducted the evaluations. For the 48 individuals who passed the first round of selection, the reviewers offered online advice as part of the second selection process, ultimately choosing 12 finalists. At the final selection round, the 12 finalists who had taken the advice they received at the second selection round and improved their work were given more in-depth, personalized advice by the reviewers in person. Finally, the reviewers recommended one person each, and the four award winners were selected. Solo exhibitions by each of the four winners were held at FUJIFILM SQUARE . The enthusiastic dialogue between the participants and reviewers, including the winners, has been a good opportunity for each person to improve their work. In addition, for the award winners, it is a valuable opportunity to receive advice and support from the reviewers who recommended each person and from Fujifilm, regarding the necessary work for holding a solo exhibition, such as selecting works to be exhibited, printing, color proofing, announcements, and delivery.
Visitors to the photo exhibition expressed their approval of the exhibition's approach of “supporting the growth of young photographers, from the selection of works to the holding of the photo exhibition, with the careful guidance of professional photographers”. In the future, through this project, we will continue to contribute to the development of photographic culture by providing opportunities for dialogue with professional photographers for young photographers who will lead the next generation, and by expanding their potential.
Since its founding, Fujifilm has been working to develop “photography culture” by communicating the wonder, joy, emotion and importance of preserving photographs. Here is an overview of its history.
