PopPhoto Flash

Jones Soda & Lomography hold photo contest

Jones Soda and Lomography have announced a photography contest to recognize and reward creative analog photography.

The contest is divided into three week-long competitions, each with a different theme. This week, entrants are asked to submit photos of the "Things that make you POP." Only analog photos will be judged, based on creativity and spontaneity. Lomography, a unique and informal technique, is often characterized by high-contrast, oversaturated and blurry images. 

Nine winners will have their photos printed on a 15,000-bottle run of Jones Soda and receive a Lomo LC-A+ camera, a Pop 9 camera and a personalized case of Jones Soda. Twenty-one runners up will receive a Pop 9 camera. 

Pop Photo Contributing Photographer named Travel Photographer of the year

 Pop Photo contributing photographer Darwin Wiggett  was recently named Travel Photographer of the Year 2008. Check out www.tpoty.com for all the category winners and to view all the prize-winning photographs.

 Photographers from 61 countries entered this year’s contest. The winning images will, along with a selection of the best of the rest from TPOTY 2008, be exhibited at Focus on Imaging at the NEC, Birmingham, England, at the end of February 2009.

Photo Contest Round Up

If contests are your thing there are a few running right now that anyone can enter.  For starters those that spend time in the garden with your camera can find a category in the International Garden Photographer of the Year contest. Nikon has their own photo contest, Nikon Photo Contest International 2008- 2009 open to all (even those who shoot with non-Nikon cameras) with a deadline of November 30. Nikon’s contest has two categories, one has no theme and the second category is “My Planet”.  Sony is hosting their own contest, Sony World Photography Awards, Cannes 2009. There is no entry fee for the Sony contest and it has a December 31, 2008 deadline. If you hurry you can enter in The International Aperture 2008, with an October 29, 2008 deadline. They have just posted a special one entry fee and welcome digitally enhanced images.   

—Melissa Macatee
Contributing Blogger

Go on a Photowalk, Win Prizes

Scott Kelby has organized a multi-city photowalk on August 23rd.   Spaces are limited to 50 people per city so if you are interested don’t hesitate to sign up.  It is a free event and prizes will be awarded to the top images from the day.  Prizes include a copy of Kelby’s new book on Lightroom 2 for best image from a city and grand prize package of a Wacom tablet, two passes to Photoshop World conference and Expo and Adobe’s Creative Suite, Gift cards to B&H for $500 a piece and a book bundle from Peachpit Press for one photograph from the whole day.  Registration is free and the event will last for two hours depending on specific city’s schedule.  This is designed to be a great social day of photography. 

—Melissa Macatee
Contributing Blogger

Share your worst travel dilemma and win a new camera bag

All photographers have run into issues while traveling with their equipment. Luckily, companies like Mountainsmith make functional, roomy bags (some that are even made of recycled materials) to hold all your equipment, and keep it organized. Email your most notable “worst case scenario” travel story to traveltips@flyingwithfish.com for your chance to win one of three great Mountainsmith bags. Entries are due by Monday, July 7th. For more information visit Flying with Fish

Photoshelter Shoot the Day!

The folks at Photoshelter are throwing a new twist into the world of stock photography. They recently launched their Photoshelter collection, which is their answer to stock demands on photographs but with prices that reflect the true value of a quality photograph.  On July 20th, they are having a challenge called, Shoot! The Day. 

Open to photographers worldwide, the idea is to revitalize the stock photography world, specifically with images in five categories. The categories are listed as Family and Kids,  Active Seniors, Youth Culture, Business and Technology and lastly Still Life.  There are three different approaches to participating, you can make photographs wherever you want, you can register to be selected to photograph on location with photography experts, or if you’re in New York City you can register to be part of an organized gathering.  Photos are to be taken on July 20th and submitted within the week.  If you are use to photographing with a group, you can compete as a group and win a local Shoot! The Day symposium in your hometown. 

Other prizes will be awarded, the Grand Prize for the Best of the Shoot! The Day image is a Nikon D300 camera and an 18-20mm DX Nikkor zoom lens.  In addition to the Grand Prize, first, second, and third place winners will be selected in each of the five categories and will receive a copy of Apple’s Aperture 2.0, Adorama Gift Cards, San Disk Memory Cards and an inclusion in a live gallery in New York, and some serious Photoshelter exposure.  If you have ever wanted to test the waters in stock photography, here is your chance.  See Photoshelter's Shoot! The Day’s website for the more details and specifics. 
—Melissa Macatee
Contributing Blogger

Do Your Photos Need A Makeover?

Here’s your chance to show us your worst photographs ever… revamped! Prove to us that you can edit or re-shoot your favorite bad photo to become a first-class winner! This is a brand new contest from PopPhoto.com, so don’t be shy to crop, re-shoot, and focus your images. Let us know what you did to improve your picture and what went wrong on the original shoot for a chance to win a new camera.

Guidelines
1) Each photographer may submit up to 2 sets of before and after images between Wednesday June 18 and Monday July 14, 2008.

2) Both Photos (Before & After) must be sent in the same email.

3) Send Pictures in an email to Flash@popphoto.com, jpeg format, with the subject line “Photo Makeover”

4) Please include:
    Name, Address, Phone Number, Email Address, as well as a few sentences on what you did to make the bad photo good. (ex: Use of Photoshop, Re-shoot, change exposure setting, etc.)

5) The winner will be announced on or around July 28, 2008

6) The winner will receive an Olympus Fe-250

7) Official rules here: Download photo_makeover_contest_rules.doc

Tip of the Day: All the Photo Contests You’ll Ever Need (and how to win them)

Contests are a great way to get your name out there and see how your work stacks up to others. Check out Current Photo Contests (www.photocompete.com), it’s a great one-stop source for information on contests. For more contests, go to our contest page here, we have the monthly Your Best Shot contest, as well as several special contests with large prizes throughout the year.

To do well in a contest, your photo needs something that makes it stand out from the other thousands of entries. Unless the contest calls for it, don’t do a lot of digital alterations to your image but do have an image that will be different. Instead of the basic quarterback throwing the ball, sunset over a pier, or cute puppy, try a photo with spectacular natural light, or an image taken from an unusual perspective.  When submitting your entry be aware of any non-photographer friendly language in the rules, anything that would harm your rights with regard to the photo in the future. Be sure you read the rules and any fine print, consider entry fees and deadlines.  Follow the rules completely. 
—Melissa Macatee
Contributing Blogger

Mat Hayward’s Wedding Photographer Challenge

Mat Hayward is organizing his second photo challenge to encourage his fellow wedding photographers to step out of their comfort zones. Last year’s challenge, was to shoot in downtown Seattle using only a 50mm fixed lens within a short time frame. This year the photo challenge moves north of Seattle, between Anacortes, WA, and Friday Harbor on the San Juan Islands on Sunday, April 20. The event begins at 12:01 a.m. Sunday and lasts for the next 24 hours, giving photographers an opportunity for daytime or nighttime images. 

The highlight of the challenge will be when the group goes out on The Western Prince, a tour boat owned by Captain Ivan Reiff allowing the group a chance to photograph orca whales, dolphins, bald eagles and other wildlife. Hayward considers the challenge the perfect opportunity to get away from wedding photography for a day, capture some creative images from the area and, to enjoy the company of fellow photographers. 

Each participant has three days to process the images and submit up to five of their best shots to Hayward.  The photos will then be displayed on his blog, and open for readers to select the best shot of the day.  There will be a fee that offsets the cost of the boat ride and a prize for the best image. It’s a great opportunity for those in the area to enjoy a day with other photographers. Spaces are limited on the boat; for more information contact Mat Hayward directly.
—Melissa Macatee
Contributing Blogger

Fujifilm Sponsors Rainforest Alliance Photo Contest

Fujifilm is sponsoring the Rainforest Alliance’s first annual ‘Picture Sustainability Photo Contest’ to raise awareness around issues of sustainability and conservation.  Submit photos illustrating sustainable agriculture, forestry and tourism to www.raphotocontest.org by March 15, 2008.

Winners will be chosen from the following categories:

• Wildlife on farms, forests or other natural habitats.

• Landscapes (forests, waterways, flowers and plants, beaches, wetlands)

• Eco-tourism in Latin America (bird watching, hiking, surfing, scuba diving, kayaking and other nature activities)

• Macro (insects, flowers and plants, leafy vegetation, birds, reptiles and amphibians, mammals, textures)

• Conservation in action (people working to protect natural resources, including water, flora and fauna)

Rainforest Alliance staff members will select up to six finalists in each category, and wildlife photographer Art Wolfe will select the winning photos based on overall composition, creativity, artistic merit and relevance to the Rainforest Alliance mission.

One grand-prize winner and a guest will receive a seven-day trip to the Galapagos Islands, along with a trip to New York City in May to attend the Rainforest Alliance annual gala as a guest of Fujifilm, and a Fujifilm FinePix DSLR.

Five first prize winners, one from each category, will receive the same Fujifilm FinePix digital camera as well as a book of photographs by Art Wolfe.