This well-known juried art contest is an annual event with prizes specifically designed to help artists advance their careers and to maximize their exposure to collectors. Not only will selected artists gain exposure by exhibiting their work in the famed Chelsea art community, the competition will be juried by an influential voice in the art world, Mr. Ira Goldberg, Executive Director of the prestigious Art Students League of New York.

Ilse Bormann, one of the selected artists from the 2011 competition, had this to say about her experience: “It was a pleasure to participate in the 2011 Chelsea International Fine Art Competition. It was the second time I took part and I was very proud to be selected this time. It was amazing to have the chance to show my artwork in the Agora Gallery and it was a great feeling to be a New York City exhibited artist. It has motivated me to work even harder and to go my own way in my abstract painting. I would definitely recommend participating in the competition to my friends who are artists.”

The awards available for selected artists include cash prizes, internet promotion on ARTmine, one of the most comprehensive contemporary fine art resources online, and a one-page review with two color images in ARTisSpectrum, a prominent New York art publication. In addition, Mr. Ira Goldberg, Executive Director of The Art Students League of New York, will select the work of at least 25 artists to participate in a group exhibition at Agora Gallery. Awards are valued at a total of $55,000.

Agora Gallery director Angela Di Bello feels strongly that there is more to be gained from entering competitions than prizes and awards. She states: “In addition to providing a valuable career building experience, fine art competitions challenge professional artists as well as art students to create some of their most innovative and finest work. The excitement generated by simply entering a competition and “thinking outside the box” leads to numerous new possibilities and to opening doors that may otherwise remain shut. You must fearlessly take control of your own destiny and experience a quantum leap into the future…Yours!”
2012 Calendar
• February 7, 2012 – Competition opens
• March 13, 2012 – Submission deadline
• March 27, 2012 – Results announced
• August 24th through September 9th – Exhibition for the selected artists

The Chelsea International Fine Art Competition represents not just artists, but the countries and communities they hail from, each piece reflecting a little of humanity’s many faceted soul. Out of respect for this and in an effort to grant joy to children in need, 15% of Agora Gallery’s proceeds of sales resulting from the competition exhibition will be donated to Art Start, an award-winning, nationally recognized program. Art Start works with children and teens facing the daily uncertainties and instabilities of living in homeless shelters. Though these children face many obstacles, they have dreams. Art Start uses the arts to provide them with opportunities for success. It gives them the tools, structure, support and most importantly a chance to be heard.

This call for entry is to “Capture the Moment” and then tell us the story behind it. The story can range from how you came about capturing the image you did to your interpretation of the moment you captured. The images we seek are ones that really engage the viewer and makes them want to know what is going on in the image. (ex. What the thoughts may be in the subjects mind, how you captured such an odd image, why you thought to capture this moment, what does this moment mean to you)

The British Wildlife Photography Awards were established in 2009. The key aims of the Awards are to:

• Recognise the talents of photographers practicing in the UK, while at the same time highlight the great wealth and diversity of Britain’s natural history.
• Celebrate British wildlife, in all its beauty and diversity, through a collection of inspirational photographs.
• Showcase the very best of our nature photography to a wide audience and engage all ages with evocative and powerful imagery.
• Encourage discovery, exploration, conservation and enjoyment of our natural heritage.
• Raise awareness about British biodiversity, species and habitats.

Entries must have been taken in the United Kingdom of Great Britain Northern Ireland, the Isle of Man or the Channel Islands.

Images can be of native or migrant wild species. Also non-indigenous wild species that reside permanently in the UK. British wildlife subjects photographed in a studio setting or a captive environment are eligible provided this information is supplied when submitting images. Exotic wildlife photographed in British zoos, safari parks or similar locations, and domestic pets are not eligible.

Why not try some macro work or HDR? Try shooting a black & white landscape or how about playing around with slow shutter speeds? As we said, there’s plenty to have a go at and anything goes so long as it fits the theme.

The prizes will be presented to the winners at Focus On Imaging 2012. However, if you can’t make Focus don’t worry; you can still win one of the prizes.

Remember if you’re not in it you can’t win! Two entries are allowed per member.

Good luck!!

Going beyond social boundaries, standard techniques and established rules, the 2012 Emerging Photographers competition showcases the freshest ideas and trends in today’s photography.

Experimental and mixed techniques are welcome. We encourage submitting images from a singular body of work for a cohesive selection for the Juried Exhibition. A unified body of photographs indicates to the juror you’ve carefully considered your selected edit and are committed to your photography. Artwork selected for gallery exhibition will be limited to FRAMED SIZE of 30x40in.

JUROR: Paul Kopeikin, Kopeikin Gallery

Paul Kopeikin has owned and directed the Kopeikin Gallery in Los Angeles since 1991. He has mounted over 150 exhibitions of classic, modern and contemporary photography and works on paper. This includes exhibitions by such luminaries as Diane Arbus, Garry Winnogrand, Helen Levitt, Lee Friedlander, Weegee, Marion Post Wolcott and Ralph Eugene Meatyard. Contemporary artists Chris Jordan, Amy Stein and Jill Greenberg all got their start at the gallery. The gallery has participated in numerous art fairs and Mr. Kopeikin has juried numerous exhibitions. And yet he never tires of more.

Every category winner will be awarded $500, a 3-month 3rd Ward work residency and inclusion in a Group Show in the 3rd Ward Gallery. One Grand Prize Winner, as determined by the public, will win a $5,000 cash grant, a 1-year 3rd Ward work residency, and inclusion in a Group Show at the 3rd Ward Gallery!

For the past six years, 3rd Ward has been a leading resource for artists and creative professionals in New York City and around the world. You create inspired work. Now share it with the world

$15 per image, you can submit 7 or more images for a flat rate of $99 (maximum of 20 images). The $99 package includes a 1-year Basic 3rd Ward Membership free of charge.

Our guest judge joining us for this competition will be Charlie Borland of Pro Nature Photographer.

Charlie is an award winning location photographer based in Oregon. With a career spanning 30 years he produces photography across North America that has been used in advertising, print products, and editorial clients.
Chasing The Light Juried Photography presents outstanding, award winning images to over 1,200 select Professional Photo Editors and Art Directors as well as the general public on a regular basis. We maintain an up to date list of industry professionals who actively seek new talent and fresh images.

Our goal is to unite emerging new photographers with the Photo Editors and Art Directors of the publishing world. We are looking to discover those photographers who have the talent to turn the mundane into something extraordinary.

Talented photographers from around the world enter our themed competitions. Any and all inquiries for publication and print sales are referred directly to the photographer per the contact information provided with each image.

Subject matter is open
• Finalists notified by July 30, 2012
• Winners notified by August 13, 2012

Continuing the procedure from the last two years, there will be no separate categories for digitals vs. prints. All photos, including prints, will be digitized and judged against all other entries in each category.

Categories:

Animals & Nature:  Photos of goats, sheep, horses, cows, trees, plants, flowers, wild animals, birds, poultry, dogs, fish, snakes, insects, etc.

Rural Life & Landscape : Ranch, farm, small town or rural settings, activities and scenes. Historical buildings, people enjoying themselves, farmers or ranchers at work, kids with goats, horseback riding, a teen and his car, the local hangout or chatter at the coffee shop. Be original.

People:  Portraits, whether planned or spontaneous, of people. Your family, friends, children, famous people, politicians, old folks, new clothes, family gathering, unusual characters, etc., etc. This category can include photos of kids and animals — kids showing goats, a girl with her puppy, kids and lambs, etc.

Youth – Open : Any photo taken by youths. Any subject. Photographer must be under 18 years of age.

Choose a Category for Your Picture and Tell us why this picture special to you.

Animals / Pets

Artistic / Creative

Holidays / Events

Humor

Nature

People / Family / Friends

Travel / Vacation

Photo captions must accompany all submissions, and should include the subject of the image, the location the image was taken, and the name of the photographer(s).

Submission period is from January 25 to February 18, 2012. Voting will start as soon as the photos have been posted. Last day of voting is on February 18, 2012. All entries must be received by the advertised closing time and date. Winners will be announced soon after the last day of voting, February 18, 2012.

CONTEST DIVISIONS
Student Senior Division: For anyone ages 15-18.
Student Junior Division: For anyone 14 years of age and younger.
Adult Division: For anyone 19 years of age and older.
Both amateurs and professionals are encouraged to enter.

II. CONTEST CATEGORIES
Note: You may submit a maximum of 3 entries in each of the 10 categories.

A. WILD NATURE: These categories represent nature unaffected by man’s presence. Within your images, there should be no indication of the “handof-man” in any form.
1. Wildlife: Non-captive animals in their natural habitat. Examples include: mammals, birds, marine life, reptiles,  amphibians and insects.
2. Nature, Other: Other natural objects in their natural habitat. Examples include: Plants, flowers, trees, rocks, shells, minerals, fungi and lichens.
3. Nature Scenics: Expansive views that may include landscapes, seascapes, cloudscapes, mountains, forests, deserts, oceans (below or above the surface), waterfalls, sunrise and sunsets.

B. SHARED WORLD: These categories are nature images which may include the influence of man. Although man’s influence is included, it should NOT be the focal point of the subject. For instance, architectural images or man’s interaction with man should not be included.
4. Animals: Images of any animal and may include zoo, aquarium, farm or captive animals.However, no household pets will be allowed in the adult division. Image may be a portrait or group, and should show animal interaction, or display
animal behavior.
5. Flora: Images of any plant life. Examples include flowers, plants, gardens, trees, and may include any cultivated plant life.
6. Shared Scenics: Expansive views of landscapes, seascapes, cloudscapes, mountains, forests, deserts, oceans, etc. which include evidence of the hand-of-man. The focus is to be on nature; the ‘hand-of-man’ (fences, barns, bridges, etc) is not to be the subject.
7. Household Pets: (Youth only) The pet must be the principal subject.

C. ARTISTIC and CREATIVE
INTERPRETATION: These images include elements of design: line, shape, pattern, texture, form, and perspective, in addition to creative composites and creations from the digital darkroom.
8. Art in Nature: Naturally occurring patterns, lines, shapes, and forms of animals, objects, or plants in nature; also may include macro and extreme close-up images.
9. Creative Interpretation: A nature-related image created with traditional or digital tools (digital darkroom) that is intended to express the photographer’s artistic impression of the subject. Examples include: Creative blurs, multiple
exposures, abstracts etc. Place a 4×6 print showing the original photo, prior to manipulation, to a lower corner on the back of the mat board.

D. NATURE EXPERIENCES AT THE HEARD:
10. This category includes images taken on the Heard grounds, including birds, insects and other animals as well as flora and fauna. Images should NOT include the hand of man.

Entries are online and all entries receive a score by return email. There are also Gold, Silver and Bronze Awards, provided as .pdf certificates which can be printed.

Since its inception in 2005, Hey, Hot Shot!, the premier international photography competition, has provided over 145 photographers from all over the world with unrivaled exposure, support and recognition. Our esteemed panel of industry professionals selects five photographers per round of competition as the 2011 Hot Shots. From these Hot Shots, one image maker will be selected by Jen Bekman Projects to win the grand prize of $10,000, in addition to the hallmark awards we offer.

Eyephoneography #3 will have the same format of the previous two editions, which proved to be perfect to offer an overview of various mobile photography trends while offering the right amount of room to each photographer to present his/her vision and promote visibility of the photographers in media and promotional efforts.

Some of the eyephoneography #3 photos will also be included in the ongoing Mobile eyephoneography exhibit that is likely to continue touring after the final provisional stop in Seville in January 2013. There will also be a catalog accompanying eyephoneography #3.

The goal is not to find single nice shots. So we encourage you not to simply submit your five nicest/most-liked any-style photos. You will need to submit five of your photos shot and edited on a smartphone.

We are looking for people whose photographic message is powerful and original.
We are looking for interesting stories.
We are looking for mobile photographers with a vision.
We want to put the spotlight on four mobile photographers who have something to say with their images.

Open Now will be shown in the Belfast Photo Factorys own gallery in Belfast and in the prestigious Gallery of Photography in Dublin.

All Open Now submissions will be judged by the submission panel consisting of Donovan Wylie (Magnum Photos), Trish Lambe and Tanya Kiang (both Gallery of Photography)

The “Leica Oskar Barnack Newcomer Award” competition is open to any (prospective) professional photographer aged 25 or under at the time of entering. To take part, participants must send in a series of photographs taken in 2011 or 2012 or long-term projects containing at least one photo from 2011 or 2012. Only one entry per photographer is accepted.

the desire to bring more attention to works that may not fit neatly into easily defined categories, a belief in the significance of dialogue, and an effort to make participation accessible by not asking you to pay an arm and a leg for the chance to possibly maybe have your work seen.

One person can submit up to 3 photographs.

Uploaded photographs will be judged by 12:00 Midnight, Pacific Sunday, February 26, 2012.

Photograph selection will be maintained by our panel of jury. Photos will be judged for

1. Creativity

2. Composition

3. Lighting

4. Subject Matter

While we’re thinking mostly of Felis Domestica (the common house cat), if you have shots of lions, tigers, panthers, leapords or any of the big cats, they work too! Whether it’s cute kitties or prowling hunters, farm cat or city kitty — if it’s feline-based you’re good to go. We’re even looking for girls in cat suits!

40 to 45 works will be chosen from submitted photographs to be included in the WHAT’S NEW PUSSYCAT? exhibition at 1650 Gallery in the Echo Park neighborhood of Los Angeles. Additional works may also be selected for an online gallery exhibition page.

The show is open to all photographers. All forms of photographic expression are encouraged: from film-based to digital capture — black and white darkroom to digital manipulation and alternative processing — out-of-the-camera images to hand-colored photographs and montages.

We have an outstanding juror, Jennifer L. Daly MFA with Distinction-Photography, Art and Art History Instructor at Shasta College. Jennifer describes her view of photography as follows: ” Photography has always been a diverse art form with evolving and emerging technologies, ideas, and styles. As a juror, I look forward to seeing the breadth of the medium from “straight” photography to photo-manipulation, digital, traditional and alternative process and everything in between in order to facilitate an exhibition of interpretations of photography today.”

1974 William Eggleston had the first solo show of color photography at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City. The MoMA show is regarded as a watershed moment in the history of photography, by marking the acceptance of color photography by the highest validating institution in the art world. A lot has changed and evolved in the field of photography in the last 38 years, but we are still captivated by dynamic, bold, vivid, colorful photographs of diverse and fascinating visual subjects.

This international exhibition is the perfect platform to enter the global sphere for any young and inspired photographer. We provide the opportunity in the form of a competition to absolutely anybody who wants a chance to get their work out there. From the most informal instances all the way to an internationally organized event; this prospect doesn’t come by every day.

POST: Photography on Street & Travel begins with a competition. This competition is open to photographers across the world, and allows for up to 3 entries per person. We don’t discriminate between choice of camera, but would prefer that you remain true to the original thought/image and refrain from editing too much.

POST will be held every 6 months, starting with a 50 photographer exhibition in Singapore. Since we are primarily youth powered; the panel of judges who will curate the exhibition will be young as well- but no doubt of incredible skill. Emaho has organized events of its own in the past, and has been associated with a number of others, so is well aware of how to ensure the success of this enterprise.

Categories for the photographic competition :

Portrait. Best portrait photograph of a Hawk Conservancy Trust bird of prey.

Action. Best photograph of a Hawk Conservancy Trust bird of prey in a flying display.

Working relationship.Best photograph demonstrating the relationship between a member of Trust staff and a Hawk Conservancy Trust bird of prey.

Flora and fauna. Best photograph of the wildflowers, shrubs, plants, trees, insects, mammals and wildlife around the grounds of the Trust (excludes birds of prey).

In the wild. Best photograph of a wild (non-captive/non-Trust) bird of prey taken in its natural setting.

Young Photographer. Best photograph in any category, taken by an under 16 year old.

This contest is open to photographers from any country, but you must be over the age of 18 years.

You retain the copyright to your photos and we ask for limited usage rights. We believe in fair terms and conditions.

FREE TO ENTER
$100 IN CASH TO BE WON!
WINNER CHOSEN FROM LIKES & JUDGING

THE THEME IS OPEN SO YOU CAN SUBMIT ANY PHOTO YOU WISH

Getting into CQ means your work measures up to the best work being done today. Check out the major design firms, top illustrators and photographers who have been winners on our site. And the top universities and art schools whose student’s have been featured. You’ll see why we’re quickly becoming a leading art and design competition.

Why enter Creative Quarterly?
More immediate notice. Our publication comes out quarterly so we’re on top of who’s doing the top work. Less expensive entry fees. A flat $10 per entry.

Eligibility
All art directors, graphic designers, illustrators, photographers and fine artists in all countries. Separate categories will be judged for professionals and students. Work must have been completed during the last six months.

Categories
Graphic Design—advertising design, books, branding, brochures, editorial, environmental, identity, packaging, posters and web.
Photography—both fine art and commercial.
Illustration—print and animation.
Fine Art—painting, drawing, printmaking, multi-media, pottery, sculpture.

Awards
See our current list of winners
If you’re a winner you’ll get great exposure in the next issue of Creative Quarterly due out in Summer 2012 distributed in the US, Canada, UK, Europe and parts of Asia. And your work will be featured in our online gallery. Runner-up entries will also be shown in our online gallery.

The six photographers chosen will receive a twelve page spread along with a Q&A interview in Adore Noir magazine. One of the six finalists will have an image chosen by Susan Spiritus to appear on the cover! The cover image will also appear on the Adore Noir website with a link to the selected photographers website for two months.

Often judges will show interest in work that is not selected for the awards but that may be relevant for other purposes. To facilitate a relationship, CENTER provides contact information of all photographers who have advanced to the final rounds of judging. No work is eliminated by pre-screening. All contestants stand to benefit from the submission process by having their work seen by the judges.

Global interest in the year 2012 inspired the founding of Project 12 – a global art and photography project/competition making an historical record of the year 2012, inspiring world peace and encouraging environmental awareness.

At 12 noon on the 12th of each of the 12 months in 2012, participants are invited to take photographs or make art each month. Entries are uploaded each month where they can be viewed and voted on by the general public.

There are 4 categories or themes participants may choose from:

12:12:12 – A record of the mystical year of 2012 in 12 moments. (N.B. deadline for entry into this category is midnight 11th Jan. Don’t miss out!)
Peace 12 – Art and photography inspiring World Peace.
Gaia 12 – Art and photography encouraging environmental awareness.
A Study of 12 – Highlight your favourite things with one example a month.

Membership in Project 12 is a one time registration fee of 12€ (Euros)

Project 12 (2012 Project 12) headquartered in Akranes, Iceland, is an independent, registered non-profit association founded in 2011 which aims to make a historical record of the year 2012, inspire world peace and encourage environmental awareness.

The gallery would like to be able to exhibit only the best art that a women artist can submit with any 2D media, in any style and about any subject matter. Women are encouraged to submit their art regardless of where they reside and regardless of their experience or education in the art field.

A group exhibition of the top ten finalists will be held online at the Light Space & Time Online Art Gallery during the month of February 2012. Awards will be for 1st through 5th places and in addition 5 artists will be recognized with Honorable Mention awards.

Depending on the amount and the quality of the entries, these winning categories may be expanded and there also may be Special Recognition awards posted as well.

Winners of the “All Women” Art Exhibition will receive extensive worldwide publicity in the form of email marketing, 70+ press release announcements, 55+ event announcements, social media marketing and increased website traffic in order to make the art world aware of the artist’s accomplishments. There will also be links back to the artist’s website as part of this achievement.

Women artists provide us with your best art now. Apply Online Here: http://www.lightspacetime.com

“The term accessories has come to include a host of photographic gadgets of questionable value…”Ansel Adams, The Camera

“A good daguerreotype was as perfect a kind of photograph as was ever made.” Edward Steichen

These two masters enriched the history of photography by being some of the first to experiment with new technologies in a relatively new art medium. They were also traditionalists and truly embraced manual and old photography processes. The hundred and fifty photographers from Steichen’s world is millions today, and finding “as perfect a kind of photograph as was ever made” is no longer as simple. Digital cameras and editing software have transformed the medium and opened up whole new worlds for the 21st century photographer. We have dozens of “aps” that help us tweak a digital image to “perfection” in minutes. A vast repertoire of image resources we look to for inspiration and meaning still brings us to the same point of reflection as photographers of the early 20th century: what is the art of photography?

Black and white photography, a genre that many would claim made them fall in love with image-making in the first place, has remained completely relevant and contemporary despite it’s ancient roots. It is timeless, sometimes soft, sometimes dramatic and brings new perspective to images and image making. Whether you are a darkroom purist or a Photoshop craftperson, show us your love for hue-less images. We want to see YOUR best black and white or alternative process images for an exhibit that will pay tribute to the origins of photography and praise it’s development.

Juror: Rafal Maleszyk

Growing up in southern Poland, Maleszyk spent his childhood and early years in post-communist Poland. He first started exploring photography using a 35mm Kiev on his fourteenth birthday, and learnt how to develop black and white prints in the dark room set up by his father in the family kitchen.

Maleszyk’s photography is rooted in his interest in natural landscapes. For him, photography is the ultimate artistic form that captures one’s encounter or oneness with nature. His style focuses on simplifying and expressing with intimacy the perspectives in nature. His training in fine art has helped him with the craft of composition and experimentation.

In 2009, he moved to the Oahu island of Hawaii, where he now works as a professional fine art black and white landscape photographer, specializing in large format prints series using a digital medium format Hasselblad camera. To date, his photographic portfolio covers landscapes from many countries including Poland, Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and El Salvador.

Maleszyk has received numerous awards for his work and we are very happy to have him juror our first black and white photography exhibition at the Darkroom Gallery.

Submissions received by December 31, 2011 11:59pm EST will be considered for the $1,000 Early Entry Award in addition to the Grand Prize and Category Awards.

Year in Review is an international open call for Painting, Sculpture & Installation, Photography, Design & Illustration, Motion & Sound, and more, with a mission to present a range of technique, style and narrative that captures the best emerging artists of the year. Our goal is simple – to find amazing talents and expose them to the world in the most potent way possible.

Jurors:
Executive directors, editors and curators have been selected from esteemed publications and institutions ranging from The Museum of Contemporary Art, Sydney and New York Photo Festival to ArtStars*, Printed Matter Inc. and Independent Curators International to act as the Jury Panel for Year in Review.

- You can enter any photograph you want, as long as it was taken in 2011.
- No over manipulation (no HDR, selective color, signature, borders, etc).
- Images must be submitted by January 6th, 2012, and voting will begin on January 11th (we do voting in 2 rounds: first the images get split up into a number of groups, and the winners of those groups move on to the final round). The winners (yes, we give prizes to the top 10 finalists!) will be announced after voting is complete at the end of January.
- Before Submitting a Photograph, make sure you are aware of what pieces of information are required with your submission (explained on the How to Submit a Photograph page), as well as what limitations there are as to what photographs can be submitted.
- You have to have a PhotographyCorner account with at least 5 posts

Looking forward to hundreds on fantastic entries for the PhotographyCorner.com 2011 Photograph of the Year Contest!!!

The contest includes $3000 in cash awards; valuable prizes provided by Datacolor, global leader in color management solutions and color communication technology; a group show in Manhattan’s .NO gallery; an online exhibition and a feature article in IMPRINTS Magazine Spring/Summer 2012 issue.

CATEGORIES:
Winners will be selected in each of the following four categories:
• The Human Experience (Portraiture, Street Photography, etc.)
• Our Earth (Landscape, Cityscapes, Animals, Nature, etc.)
• Travel (Any subject or genre, taken while away from home)
• Digital Imagination (Digitally enhanced images, including
Composites, Montages, Abstracts, etc.)

ELIGIBILITY: This Call for Entries is open worldwide to ALL WOMEN PHOTOGRAPHERS; NON-MEMBERS AND MEMBERS OF PWP, AMATEUR AND PROFESSIONAL. Only 2-D work is eligible and
images accepted for the gallery show must be limited in FRAMED SIZE to 20 x 24 inches.

JUROR:
Mary Ellen Mark is an American photographer known for her photojournalism, portraiture, and advertising photography. She has had 16 collections of her work published and has been exhibited at galleries and museums worldwide. She is a contributing photographer to The New Yorker and has published photo-essays and portraits in such publications as LIFE, The New York Times Magazine, Rolling
Stone, and Vanity Fair.
Ms Mark was presented with the Cornell Capa Award by the International Center of Photography in 2001. Among her other achievements are the Infinity Award for Journalism, an Erna & Victor Hasselblad Foundation Grant, a Walter Annenberg Grant, the John Simon Guggenheim Fellowship, the Matrix Award for outstanding woman in the field of film/photography, and the Dr. Erich Salomon Award for outstanding merits in the field of journalistic photography.

For its 2011 photography competition, Carl Zeiss is looking for that moment in which you do not see a subject, but a story. “We’re looking for images of that very special moment,” says Martin Dominicus, Head of Marketing for the Carl Zeiss Camera Lens Division. “Every life, every situation and every place is full of stories that take place in a split second. The ability to capture that in such a way that you recognize the story behind it — this is, and has always been, the high art of photography.

The pictures can be about anything. They can show people telling a story through their facial expressions or charm. They can depict a story in nature, whether shown through the sun, water, mist or frost. In exploring the theme, photographers can go to the limits of their imagination. There are also no rules in terms of style. The images can show bizarre, mysterious, funny or romantic situations. Photographic techniques such as the conscious play with focusing or blur can be used, as well as light/shadow or black and white photography. The most decisive requirement for this competition is that the photographer captures a magical moment that has character and tells a story.

The EPSON Pano Awards showcases the work of panoramic photographers worldwide and is the largest and most important competition for panoramic photography.

Professional and amateur photographers around the world are invited to enter The 2012 EPSON International Photographic Pano Awards to compete for over $25,000 in cash and prizes.

The winner will be announced at our prestigious Awards Night at the 2012 Convention

Categories:

Wedding
Portrait
The Natural World
Open Category

The purpose of the contest is to give photographers an outlet to share their work and have it judged, while at the same time inspiring others to connect with nature and raising money to support the work of the Audubon Center & Sanctuary in Jamestown, New York.

There will be one winner per category in two divisions, a total of six (6) winners:
• Youth: ages 8-18 (or still in high school)
• Adult: ages 18 and over (or post high school)

Categories
Photos may be taken anywhere in the world. Contest officials reserve the right to refuse photos with inappropriate content. Winners will be chosen in the following categories:
• Wildlife: wild animals of all kinds in their native habitats
• Plants/Trees/Fungi: growing naturally in wild places
• Landscapes: wild, natural places

Digital Alterations
All photographs should accurately reflect the subject matter and the scene as it appeared. Photos that have been digitally altered beyond standard optimization will be disqualified. Acceptable are adjustments to color, contrast, brightness and sharpness, removal of dust and scratches, cropping, black and white conversions and use of HDRI (high dynamic range imaging).

Timeline
• Submission Dates and Deadline: Begin submitting now. Deadline is midnight, Saturday, June 30, 2012.
• Judging: Week of July 1, 2012
• Finalists & Winners Announced: Week of July 23, 2012

Works selected by our expert jurors as finalists will be showcased in solo, online galleries, each devoted to only one photographer or artist.  Solo galleries will remain online for seven months. Top award-winners will also appear in a physical-gallery show in a California arts venue. Both the online exhibit and the physical exhibit will be promoted to museum and gallery curators, art collectors, and art patrons.

We look forward to seeing digital photographs, photo manipulation, light photography, HDR, digital paintings, or any other type of digital art.