I AM NIKON ANNUAL PHOTO CONTEST 2013 COMING TO A CLOSE

Judges to face tough task to shortlist entries and pick winners

23 September 2013, Kuala Lumpur - They say a picture is worth a thousand words. This mantra has certainly been proven by entrants of the I am Nikon Photo Awards 2013 contest, who have thus far submitted more than 35,000 entries – while entries still continue to pour in. It has now finally come down to the wire for the contest, which was launched in January this year, and those who still wish to participate have only till 30 September to submit their entries.

The arduous judging process for entries will see two rounds – the first is by Nikon’s very own invited sate liaisons who will be tasked with the unenviable task of sifting through entries to shortlist them on a monthly basis.

However, the final judging process, which also involves determining the winners, will be conducted by a specially put together group of individuals with vast experience in the field of photography. These include Eiffel Chong, a contemporary photographer and Lecturer in Photography; Billion Lim, a photographer and Teacher; Azrul Abdullah, Fine Art Photographer and Studio Owner and members of Nikon Malaysia’s - NPS team and Nikon Club Malaysia Facilitators.

Landscapes, people, Malaysian heritage, day-to-day street life and the environment – these were amongst the categories for which potential hopefuls could submit their entries. According to David Ng, General Manager of Consumer Products Marketing, more categories were added into this annual contest this year to encourage photographers to venture out of their comfort zones and exploring new ideas.

“Besides developing photography equipment using cutting-edge technology, part of our mission at Nikon is to develop the art and science of photography, and develop a dynamic breed of photographers, especially amongst the younger generation. So while most of them are usually comfortable with taking photos of landscapes and people, we added new categories this year so they can explore the world around them in greater detail, and capture the beauty around us into an image,” he said.

Entries will be judged based on a few criteria, which include the overall quality and consistency of images, variety in depicting the eight categories and the expression of ideas – all crucial elements in determining a good photograph.

“Through our photography contest, we aim to not only develop skills of photographers, but also inspire interest in the art and science of photography by people who see these images. Photographs are more than images. It’s a special mode of expression and communication, unlike any other. Three people can look at a same photo, but get three different interpretations of that photo. Photos have the ability to capture emotion, hardship, joy, peace, struggles and communicate messages in a way that simply cannot be done with words alone. Through this contest, we want photographers to get into the heart of the image and discover a whole new world through the lens of a camera,” added Ng.

He also commented that since the competition was introduced in 2009, it continued to see a year-on-year increase in both participants and entries, which has motivated Nikon Malaysia to tarry on to develop new programs and activities for photography enthusiasts.

The three best entries for the contest this year will receive a Nikon D600 FX body, a certificate and a trophy. Additionally, there will be five consolation prizes in the form of Nikon D3200 kit with 18-105mm, a certificate and a trophy.

Those who still wish to participate in the contest or find out more can obtain more information by logging on to http://www.nikonclub.com.my/pages/Insight.aspx?id=322.