The winners of the Tokyo International Photography Competition’s 6th Edition were part of a traveling exhibition in Taipei (Taiwan), New York (USA), Dublin (Ireland), and Tokyo (Japan).

One could argue that the needs of a person are relatively few: food, water, shelter, companionship. But most of us aspire — desire — to reach beyond our basic needs. We want more. Unlike needs, wants differ greatly from one person to another. Some may want material goods: a car, a home, an expensive watch or piece of jewelry; while others may want things less tangible: travel far, climb high, dive deep, experience all that life may offer.

According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, a “want” is defined as a strong desire for something, whereas a “need” is classified as something required because it is essential. In the age of technology and roaring capitalism, when the desire to obtain becomes so great that it’s mistaken for need, the distinction between these twin concepts has never been more blurred, or more stark.

This year the Tokyo International Photography Competition invited photographers to explore the urgent push-pull relationship between “need” and “want” through their photographic lens.