Nikon Photo Contest International 2008-2009

Nikon has announced the 32nd Nikon Photo Contest International, one of the most renowned photo contests in the world. Running since 1969 by Nikon Corporation, the Nikon Photo Contest International 2008-2009 will accept entries from September 1 to November 30, 2008. This year's contest has two categories - an open category and a 'My Planet' category for scenes of the people and places in your life. Winner will be announced in July 2009

A contest with an impressive history

The Nikon Photo Contest International has been held by Nikon Corporation since 1969 to provide an opportunity for photographers around the world to communicate and to enrich photographic culture for professionals and amateurs alike. Renowned among photo enthusiasts worldwide, the contest has so far attracted more than 1,270,000 images from a total of 306,000 photographers. In fact, so popular has the contest become among photographers that a total of over 47,000 images were received from more than 16,000 entrants in 135 different countries for the 31st contest alone.

This year's theme: "At the heart of the image"

"At the heart of the image" is not only the brand statement of Nikon Imaging Company, but it is also the theme of the 32nd contest. We have carefully selected categories as stated below and we look forward to receiving images expressing the emotions that are true to your heart.

This year's categories

A Free subject:
Express yourself freely, as it moves you.
B My Planet:
Express your world, whether that involves the environment, scenes from your daily life, or the people and things that stir your passions.

With these categories, Nikon welcomes and embraces photographic creativity and encourages images of human happiness from all over the world.

54 prizes awarded by a panel of international photographers

All works will be judged by professional photographers working internationally and a combined total of 54 prizes will be awarded. The Grand Prize will be awarded for the most outstanding photograph out of all the entries, regardless of category. 1st, 2nd and 3rd prizes will be awarded to 16 winners in each category. The Emerging Talent award will recognize 4 winners and 16 runners-up from both categories to commend those aged under 30 for work that possess outstanding expressive power and conveys the energy of youth. Additionally, this year marks the 75th anniversary of the NIKKOR brand of lenses. To properly commemorate this event, a special prize will be awarded to the outstanding work that places second after the Grand Prize winner.

Prize winners are planned to be announced in July 2009.

An open opportunity

A competition that truly traverses borders, the Nikon Photo Contest International embodies an unrivalled opportunity – providing photographers everywhere with a chance to showcase their talents and giving us all a valuable insight into the lives of those around us. An exhibition of the winning photographs is also planned, so please take advantage of this opportunity to submit your work.*

*Details concerning the specific date and location will be announced in the future.

Nikon Photo Contest International: Entry Information

Entrant criteria

The Nikon Photo Contest International is open to all photographers, professional or amateur, from any part of the world.

Entry period

Entries are accepted from September 1st to November 30th, 2008. Entries sent by conventional mail should be received either on or before November 30th, 2008. Entries sent via the Internet will be accepted until 24:00, November 30th, 2008, Japan time. See below for further details regarding entry via conventional mail and the Internet.

How to apply

Entries submitted in print by conventional mail
Entries accepted in print are color or black-and-white photographs taken with 35mm film cameras, Advanced Photo System (APS) film cameras and digital still cameras, not including medium or large format digital cameras. Images that have been digitally edited with software are also accepted. Each entrant can submit up to 2 entries for each category (a total of 4 prints), with print dimensions of 19 x 24cm (8 x 10 inches) to 28 x 36cm (11 x 14 inches).

Please download and print out an official Entry Form, available from July 10th, from the Nikon Photo Contest International 2008-2009 Web site (http://www.nikon-npci.com), make a photocopy of the official form or contact your nearest Nikon dealer for details on how to obtain an official Entry Form. The official Entry Form is available in 10 languages (Japanese / English / German / French / Spanish / Italian / Portuguese / Korean / Simplified Chinese / Traditional Chinese) and the rules and process of entry via conventional mail are explained fully within.

Entries submitted as JPEG images via the Internet
Accepted JPEG images are color or black-and-white graphic files taken with digital still cameras (not including medium or large format digital cameras) and scanned data of photographs taken with 35mm film cameras or Advanced Photo System (APS) film cameras. Images that have been digitally edited with software are also accepted. Each entrant can submit two JPEG images for each category (a total of 4 images), with a maximum size for each JPEG image of 10MB. JPEG images exceeding this size must be compressed to a maximum of 10MB prior to submission.

Full details regarding entry via the Internet can be found on the online entry form, on the Nikon Photo Contest International 2008-2009 Web site (http://www.nikon-npci.com/). Please follow the rules and guidelines stated therein to submit your JPEG images.

Judging and announcement of winners

Photographers working internationally will be appointed by Nikon Corporation as judges to undertake selection of the winning photographs. The winners will be announced on the Nikon Photo Contest International Web site and in an official press release by the end of July 2009.

For further details, please access the official Nikon Photo Contest International Web site.

Nikon D60 Moving Moments Photo Contest

Nikon is currently running a digital photo contest in conjunction with its Nikon D60 digital SLR camera advertisement campaign featuring Ashton Kutcher. Beginning May 23, 2008, amateur and professional photographers can submit digital photos of action shots of people, animals and places to the 'Nikon D60 Moving Moments Photo Contest' for a chance to win a trip to Hollywood or Nikon D60 digital SLR cameras.

NEW YORK (May 23, 2008) - Calling all shutterbugs! Nikon today announced the "Nikon D60 Moving Moments Photo Contest" in conjunction with the D60 D-SLR advertising campaign featuring Ashton Kutcher. Beginning May 23, 2008, consumers can upload an image with an accompanying description to www.ashtonsd60.com for a chance to win the grand prize of a trip for two to Los Angeles to attend The Hollywood Style Awards sponsored by Nikon and a new D60 camera kit to capture all of the action. Sixty first prize winners will also receive a new D60 camera kit allowing them to capture their "moving moments" with incredible ease.

"We are very excited to engage consumers through the 'Moving Moments Photo Contest'," said Lisa Baxt, senior communications manager for Nikon Inc. "This contest is a fantastic way for people to share their favorite memories and the moments that move them for a chance to win some great prizes."

One-hundred and twenty semi-finalists in the "Nikon D60 Moving Moments Photo Contest" will be chosen beginning June 21st by a panel of judges based on the interpretation of the "moving moments" theme, their accompanying description and photo quality. The sixty D60 winners will be determined by consumers visiting and voting on their preferred picture on ashtonsd60.com between June 25 and July 15, 2008. The image that receives the most consumer votes will win the grand prize.

In addition to the photo contest, visitors to ashtonsd60.com can view images taken by the D60, learn more about the D60 with Ashton and watch the television commercial. For more information on the photo contest and the D60 D-SLR camera, please visit the Nikon D60 Digital SLR Camera website.

Moving Moments, Defined

On one level, moving moments are action shots, pictures of people, of places and the world around you. Toddlers on the go. Puppies chasing their own tails. Planes, trains and automobiles. Hummingbirds. Dancers. Cyclists and home run swings. All captured in the blink of the camera’s shutter.

On another level, moving moments are all about emotion. Taking pictures is a way of recording the things that move us so that we can share these memories and connect with others. Can you capture the essence of a given moment in a way others will feel? Can you take a picture that’s truly moving?

What does “moving moment” mean to you? Share your interpretation with us and you could be a winner.

Tips and Reminders

Shoot generously. Take plenty of pictures of your special moments. Moving moments can happen anywhere, anytime.

A few things to keep in mind: If you upload pictures of people, make sure you have their permission to post them online. The same goes for other people’s private property. Please avoid pictures of municipal buildings and corporate logos altogether, as we can’t publish them. Follow these guidelines and you’ll increase your chance of getting your pictures into the gallery.

Travel Photographer of the Year Digital Photo Contest

The Travel Photographer of the Year competition for 2008 is now open for entries. Travel photographers can submit their best digital photos in a variety of categories until September 9, 2008. A photo competition run by photographers, the Travel Photographer of the Year competition has been running since 2003 and has attracted entries from 60 countries.

Prizes include vacations to beautiful travel locations and the latest digital photography equipment. The 2008 main prize includes a place on the High & Wild Everest Skydive expedition in 2009. View the Travel Photographer of the Year winning digital photos from previous years here.

Travel Photographer of the Year 2008 Opens for Entries

The 2008 Travel Photographer of the Year competition is now open for entries, giving amateur and professional photographers worldwide the chance to win superb prizes and gain international exposure for their photography.

There are three portfolio categories - Life, Call of the Wild and Joy of Travel - a One Shot category, Destination Anywhere, and Young TPOTY. For the first time, this year TPOTY has introduced a new category, First Shot: Wish You Were Here, for less experienced photographers, and three special £1,000 awards for the Best Single Image in a Portfolio.

This year's prizes include a place on the 2009 High & Wild Everest Skydive Expedition and fascinating Intrepid Travel trips to India and Cuba and to see the mountain gorillas of Uganda. TPOTY 2008 prizes also offer a chance to get into fine art photography with a large format Linhof Technorama panoramic camera, Adobe professional imaging software, Wacom interactive pen displays and pen tablets, photographic and digital imaging tuition from Iridius and PhotoIconic, Lee filters, Lexar Professional CompactFlash cards and Dual-slot USB card readers, and Plastic Sandwich leather portfolio books. And the winners and other highly-ranked photographers will see their images feature in the new Travel Photographer of the Year book, Journey Three.

TPOTY organiser, Chris Coe, said, "Over the last five years TPOTY has established the very highest standards. Whilst maintaining these standards we are also looking to help less experienced photographers, so we’ve introduced First Shot. This is a new single image category for images taken on basic SLRs, compact cameras and mobile phones, with tuition-based prizes designed to encourage these photographers and to help them improve their photography.

“2008 also sees the introduction of awards for the best single images entered in the portfolio categories. Every year we see strong images in the non-winning portfolios, so these awards recognise this and reward great photography whilst still challenging photographers to test their skills at shooting and putting together a portfolio.

“It will surprise many people that we are offering a film camera as part of the top prize. However, we receive about half our entries shot on film, and the Linhof is no ordinary camera, giving photographers the chance to shoot high quality, fine art images in the challenging panoramic format.”

Categories and Prizes in Detail

Overall winner
The photographer with the best entries in two separate portfolio categories will become Travel Photographer of the Year 2008 and win an amazing prize. They will receive a Linhof Technorama panoramic camera and join High & Wild on the Everest Skydive expedition in 2009. They will be part of the ground crew on this unique adventure, as the world's elite skydivers dive amongst some of the world’s highest mountains, giving the award-winning photographer unrivaled opportunities to shoot outstanding and unusual images in the Himalayas with the Linhof. They will also receive Adobe CS3 Web + Lightroom software, a personalised Plastic Sandwich leather portfolio book and £250 worth of Lee Filters, to enable them to take their images to even greater heights.

Call of the Wild Portfolio
The winner of this category will answer the call of the wild as they join Intrepid Travel on a Gorilla Encounter in Uganda and Kenya, seeing the magical mountain gorillas in their natural habitat. They will also receive a Wacom Intuos3 A5 Wide pen tablet, Adobe Photoshop CS3 + Lightroom and a beautiful Plastic Sandwich leather portfolio book. The runner-up wins a 4GB Lexar Professional 300x UDMA CompactFlash card and Dual-slot USB card reader plus £250 to spend on Lee Filters, while the 3rd and 4th-placed entrants each receive a 4GB Lexar Professional 300x UDMA CompactFlash card and Dual-slot USB card reader.

Joy of Travel Portfolio
The winner of this category will join Intrepid Travel on a ‘Slowly Down the Ganges’ trip along India's legendary river and receive a Wacom Cintiq 12WX Interactive Pen Display and Adobe Photoshop + Lightroom software. The runner-up wins a 4GB Lexar Professional 300x UDMA CompactFlash card and Dual-slot USB card reader plus £250 to spend on Lee Filters, while the 3rd and 4th-placed entrants each receive a 4GB Lexar Professional 300x UDMA CompactFlash card and Dual-slot USB card reader.

Life Portfolio
The winner of this category will join Intrepid Travel on a ‘Rum and Rumba’ trip to discover the best of Cuba and receive a Wacom Cintiq 12WX Interactive Pen Display and Adobe Photoshop + Lightroom software. The runner-up wins a 4GB Lexar Professional 300x UDMA CompactFlash card and Dual-slot USB card reader plus £250 to spend on Lee Filters, while the 3rd and 4th-placed entrants each receive a 4GB Lexar Professional 300x UDMA CompactFlash card and Dual-slot USB card reader.

Best Portfolio Image Awards
The photographers with the best individual images in the three portfolio categories (not necessarily the photographers with the winning portfolios) will each win £1,000.

One Shot - Destination Anywhere
A one shot category for those great individual travel shots. The winner of this category receives £1,000, plus Adobe Photoshop CS3 + Lightroom software. The runner-up and the 3rd and 4th-placed entrants each win a 4GB Lexar Professional 300x UDMA CompactFlash card and Dual-slot USB card reader.

First Shot - Wish You Were Here
A new single image category for less experienced amateur photographers aged 17 and above. Photographers submitting entries for this particular category will, for the first time in the competition's history, be able to submit images taken on a mobile phone. The ten top-scoring entrants in this category will each take part in a PhotoIconic Shoot, Edit, Print three-day photography course, receiving intensive photographic and digital imaging tuition from TPOTY judge and professional photographer, Chris Coe, and Adobe Photoshop expert Terry Steeley of Iridius.

Young TPOTY - Journey
For photographers aged 16 and under. The Young Travel Photographer of the Year 2008 will take part in a PhotoIconic Shoot, Edit, Print three-day photography course, and will receive Photoshop Elements + Premier Elements +Lightroom and a Wacom Bamboo Fun Medium pen tablet. The 2nd, 3rd and 4th-placed Young TPOTY entrants will each win a 4GB Lexar Professional 300x UDMA CompactFlash card and Dual-slot USB card reader.

Entry Dates and Entry Fees
Further information and entry forms are available from www.tpoty.com. The competition closes on September 9th. Entry costs £10 for a single image category and £15 for a portfolio category, and entry to Young TPOTY is free.

Travel Photographer of the Year Background

Travel Photographer of the Year was launched in 2003, and rapidly became one of the world's most prestigious photographic competitions. Entries are received from amateur and professional photographers in over 60 countries every year. The prize packages always combine imaginative travel and the latest photographic equipment. The overall winner of TPOTY 2007, Cat Vinton, is currently preparing for her High & Wild prize trip to Dharamsala, India, where she will photograph the Dalai Lama.

Everyday Smiles Photo Contest by Sony and Reuters

Reuters Media and Sony Electronics have together launched the “Everyday Smiles” photo contest. Digital photographs of people smiling can be uploaded to the photo contest website now through June 16, and winning entries will be displayed on the Times Square digital billboards in the heart of New York City.

The competition is also meant to feature Sony's new Smile Shutter technology that detects smiles and automatically captures natural looking expressions and smiles. The Smile Shutter technology is available on the latest Sony Cybershot digital cameras.

'Everyday Smiles' Photo Contest on Reuters.com

Sony Electronics and Reuters Media have teamed up to launch the “Everyday Smiles” photo contest on Reuters.com.

Aspiring U.S. photographers are invited to submit photos of themselves, their friends and their families smiling now through June 16.

The winning photos will be displayed on the Times Square digital billboards, part of Reuters Media’s publishing platform, in the heart of New York’s Times Square.

The photo submission program promotes Sony’s Smile Shutter™ technology in its latest Cyber-shot® digital cameras.

When the smile shutter feature is activated, the camera automatically captures a smile without your having to press the shutter. The result is snapshots with natural-looking smiles and expressions.

This new contest follows the "Take Your Best Shot" citizen photojournalism campaign that the two companies launched last year, attracting more than 1,000 entries.

Entries for the Everyday Smiles contest must be received between now and June 16, 2008 and submitted online at the Everyday Smiles Contest Website. Instructions for submission, along with the official contest rules, are available online at: http://www.reuters.com/youWitnessTermsOfUse.

Canon Photography in the Parks Photo Contest

Canon's third annual Photography in the Parks Digital Photo Contest aims "to inspire Americans to visit their national and state parks and photograph their beauty." Open from April 22nd to September 30, 2008, digital photographers can photos from parks or monuments in America for a chance to win vacations at participating national parks and Canon digital camera gear. This year's theme is "Inspirational Nature Images." Go to the Canon website for more information on the Photography in the Parks Photo Contest.

LAKE SUCCESS, N.Y., April 24, 2008 – In a continuing effort to inspire Americans to visit their national and state parks and photograph their beauty, Canon U.S.A., Inc., a leader in digital imaging, today announced a call for entries for the third annual Canon Photography In The Parks Photo Contest*. The contest invites eligible photography enthusiasts, from April 22nd to September 30th, 2008, to enter the contest by submitting images from any park or monument in America. Participants are invited to enter their "Inspirational Nature Images," the theme for this year's contest. Canon is also enhancing the photo contest by extending the age range of eligible participants to non-professional photographers ages 13 and up.

"A picture captures a moment in time, but the right picture triggers an emotional reaction within people. Through our Photography in the Parks Photo Contest, we want people to seek out those inspirational images and enjoy the beauty of the outdoors while doing it," stated Yuichi Ishizuka, senior vice president and general manager, Canon U.S.A. "As an environmentally-conscious organization, we encourage everyone to enjoy the beauty of nature, and also to work to protect it."

The Canon Photography in the Parks Photo Contest

From late April to the end of September, photographic enthusiasts are encouraged to submit their favorite photographs from an American park to the Canon Digital Learning Center. The winning photographer will receive a trip to a park of their choice, and a full suite of Canon photographic equipment. By logging onto www.usa.canon.com/parks, potential winners will not only have the opportunity to enter their favorite photos, but also forward an e-postcard of their submitted images to friends and family as a fun way to share their photographs. Visitors and Web surfers can also peruse the Canon Digital Learning Center to explore the various educational resources that Canon has to offer for novices and advanced photographers alike. The Canon Digital Learning Center provides a schedule for a wide variety of classes across the country with renowned photographers. The site also features online tutorials for beginners and professionals to learn their way around a digital SLR camera and professional fine art printers so that Canon users can unlock the creative control that photography affords.