National Geographic Traveler Magazine Launches 2013 Photography Contest

WEBWIRE – Tuesday, April 02, 2013 - Competition Is Now in Its 25th Year

WASHINGTON — National Geographic invites photographers from around the world to enter the 2013 National Geographic Traveler Photo Contest. The grand-prize winner will receive a 10-day National Geographic Expedition to the Galápagos for two aboard the National Geographic Endeavour. The contest, which is open now, ends Sunday, June 30, at 11:59 p.m. Coordinated Universal Time (UCT) (6:59 p.m. ET, US).

Eligible contestants can visit www.nationalgeographic.com/travelerphotocontest to submit photographs in any or all of four categories: Travel Portraits; Outdoor Scenes; Sense of Place; and Spontaneous Moments. The entry fee is $15 (USD) per photo, and there is no limit to the number of submissions per entrant. For details and official contest rules, visit http://on.natgeo.com/16mfbpm.

“Our photo contest turns 25 this year, making it, we believe, the longest-running travel photo contest in the world,” said Keith Bellows, National Geographic Traveler magazine editor in chief. “In the last few years it seems as if the quality of shots has taken a quantum leap forward. The pictures increasingly reflect a more sophisticated way of seeing and interpreting the world, making the judging process more difficult. We encourage photographers to enter their work and compete against the best.”

Judging consists of two rounds of evaluation based on creativity and photographic quality. The second-prize winner will receive a seven-day National Geographic Photography Workshop for one in Santa Fe, N.M.; the third-prize winner will receive a six-day cruise for two on a Maine windjammer schooner. Seven merit prize winners will receive a print of their photo, matted and framed by the National Geographic Imaging Lab, and a $200 gift certificate to B&H Photo.

National Geographic Traveler photo editors will showcase their favorite entries every week at www.nationalgeographic.com/travelerphotocontest. Visitors to the site can view all entries and share them with family and friends through Twitter and Facebook as well as download wallpapers and complete jigsaw puzzles featuring contest entries.

The Galápagos Expedition, in which the grand-prize winner will participate, is a unique experience to join National Geographic aboard the National Geographic Endeavour or National Geographic Islander and experience up close encounters with unique species such as flightless cormorants, marine iguanas and domed giant tortoises. The trip is part of National Geographic Expeditions, the travel program of the National Geographic Society, which provides guided trips spanning all seven continents and more than 60 destinations.

About National Geographic Traveler Magazine
National Geographic Traveler: Nobody Knows This World Better. National Geographic Traveler is the world’s most widely read travel magazine. Published eight times a year, Traveler is available by subscription, on newsstands in the United States and Canada and digitally for tablets like the iPad (on Zinio) and Nook (at BN.com). Its website (www.nationalgeographic.com/traveler) offers inspiring and authoritative digital content including trip ideas, photo galleries and blogs. It also houses travel apps, including 50 Places of a Lifetime that showcases the world’s greatest destinations handpicked by National Geographic’s family of globe-trotting contributors, and the award-winning National Parks app, filled with stunning pictures, maps and tips to explore America’s national parks.

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National Geographic Announces Fourth Annual International Photography Contest

Thursday, August 06, 2009 (WEBWIRE) - WASHINGTON - National Geographic readers around the world are invited to take part in the 2009 National Geographic International Photography Contest. Readers of National Geographic’s English-language editions in eight countries as well as readers of 20 of the magazine’s international local-language editions are eligible to participate. The international grand-prize winners will receive a trip to National Geographic headquarters in Washington, D.C., and their winning entries will be published in all participating editions of National Geographic magazine. Winning entries from each territory will be featured in their local editions of National Geographic magazine.

English-language-edition readers in Australia, Canada, India, New Zealand, Republic of Ireland, South Africa, the United States and the United Kingdom are eligible to enter up to a total of six photographs across three categories: People, Places and Nature. Entries should be submitted electronically to www.ngphotocontest.com. The contest began Wednesday, Aug. 5, and ends Saturday, Oct. 31, 2009, 11:59 p.m. U.S. Eastern Time (ET). Photos can be black-and-white or color, shot with a digital camera or with conventional film, and must be submitted digitally. Each entry consists of an entry form, a single image and an entry fee. The entry fee is U.S. $12 per photo for entries received before 11:59 p.m. ET Oct. 15, 2009, and $22 per photo for entries received between Oct. 16 and Oct. 31. For details and official contest rules, visit www.ngphotocontest.com. Void where prohibited.

English-language-edition entries will be judged at National Geographic headquarters by a panel of three judges: National Geographic staff photographer Mark Thiessen; design editor of the international editions of National Geographic magazine Darren Smith; and White House photo editor Jenn Poggi. First-place category winners of the English-language-edition competition will win a digital camera kit.

The participating international local-language editions will submit their winning entries in each category to National Geographic headquarters to be judged alongside the winning English-language entries by Thiessen, Smith and Poggi. The judges will announce three international grand-prize winners in December 2009.

"We are thrilled to continue our annual photography contest" said David Griffin, National Geographic’s director of photography. "The work we have been seeing in recent years is truly astounding and speaks to the truth that photography is a worldwide, universal language — one that everyone can appreciate and enjoy"

The National Geographic Society is one of the world’s largest nonprofit scientific and educational organizations. Founded in 1888 to "increase and diffuse geographic knowledge" the Society works to inspire people to care about the planet. It reaches more than 370 million people worldwide each month through its official journal, National Geographic, and other magazines; National Geographic Channel; television documentaries; music; radio; films; books; DVDs; maps; exhibitions; live events; school publishing programs; interactive media; and merchandise. National Geographic has funded more than 9,000 scientific research, conservation and exploration projects and supports an education program promoting geographic literacy. For more information, visit nationalgeographic.com.

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Point, Shoot and Win: National Geographic and Energizer Team Up Again for Second Annual "Energizer Ultimate Photo Contest"

ST. LOUIS, MO--(Marketwire - April 16, 2009) - National Geographic magazine has long-represented the "Ultimate" in photography for professional and amateur photographers. Now, through the second annual "Energizer Ultimate Photo Contest," photographers from coast-to-coast will again have the chance to have their photograph grace the pages of the magazine in an ad for Energizer® Ultimate Lithium batteries. The winner will also be awarded a trip of a lifetime -- a National Geographic Expedition for two to the Galapagos Islands.

Beginning today through Tuesday, June 30, aspiring photographers can visit www.nationalgeographic.com/lithium to enter a photo in one of six thematic categories: animals/wildlife, nature, travel, people and cultures, weather and inspiration/Keep Going®. Whether you are a digital photography novice, a proud picture-taking mom or a long-time photo enthusiast, all skill levels are encouraged to enter.

"You don't have to be a professional or have professional equipment to take the perfect photo," said National Geographic photographer and contest judge Jim Richardson. "I've seen a lot of great pictures that were taken with perfectly ordinary digital cameras, just because the photographer happened to be in the right place at the right moment."

After the entry period closes, Richardson will review all of the entries and select two finalists in each category. Then, starting on Aug. 14 and extending through Sept. 15, Americans will be asked to go online and review each of the Category Finalists and vote for their favorite in each category. Once the Category Winners are determined, Richardson will help choose a Grand Prize Winner, who will be announced on or about Oct. 15.

Visitors to the Web site can also take advantage of a number of "photographer-friendly" features including a list of photo tips developed by Richardson. They can also submit photography questions to Richardson who will provide the answers and respond when he is in between travels.

"I really enjoy chatting with other photographers and exchanging tips and ideas, and this contest is a great opportunity to do just that," said Richardson. "In fact, I'm kind of an equipment hound, so I love discussing issues related to the gear and equipment we use. Since I travel around the world so much people ask about batteries for flash systems and digital cameras. I always encourage people to keep Energizer® Ultimate Lithium batteries on hand when shooting and traveling. They last a lot longer, they're lightweight and they perform well in extreme temperatures. That's what I need in the field. That's what I recommend."

Energizer® Ultimate Lithium batteries are the world's longest-lasting AA and AAA batteries in high-tech devices. They last up to 8x longer in digital cameras and up to 2x longer in flash units than Energizer® MAX®, the company's flagship alkaline brand, results may vary with each device. The batteries also last longer in handheld GPS devices, LED flashlights and handheld games.

With a storage life of 15 years, Energizer® Ultimate Lithium batteries are 33 percent lighter than ordinary alkaline batteries and perform well in extreme temperatures from -40 to 140 degrees Fahrenheit (-40 to 60 degrees Celsius), making them ideal for photographers who are on-the-go.

"Photo buffs have long-relied on our Energizer® Ultimate Lithium batteries, the world's longest-lasting batteries in high-tech devices," said Betsy Laakko, director of household batteries marketing for Energizer. "That's why it made perfect sense for us to partner again with National Geographic and bring back the popular 'Energizer Ultimate Photo Contest.' We had a great response last year with more than 8,100 entries, and we're hoping for even more this year."

Entry into the "Energizer Ultimate Photo Contest" begins on April 15, 2009, at 12 a.m. and ends on June 30, 2009, at 11:59 p.m. ET. Photos must be submitted online. No print or film submissions will be accepted.

Richardson will select the 12 Category Finalists based on the following criteria: extent to which photo captures the essence of the theme selected (25 percent), composition (25 percent), clarity and technical quality (25 percent) and creativity (25 percent). Then the American public will vote for their favorite in each category.

Each of the Category Finalists will receive a prize pack comprised of a 2.0 USB scanner, an assortment of Energizer® Ultimate Lithium batteries and two books from National Geographic's collection: "Organize Your Digital Life," which offers step-by-step instructions on how to streamline your digital assets, and the stunning "The Photographs," which contains the best of the magazine's award-winning photography.

The 12 photos designated a Category Finalist will be posted online at nationalgeographic.com/energizer on Aug. 14, and voting for the winning photo in each category will extend through Sept. 15. The Grand Prize Winner will be selected by Richardson and the winner will be announced on or about Oct. 15.

Category Winners will receive the prize package outlined above along with a framed and signed 16x20 print from Richardson's photography gallery Web site. The Grand Prize Winner will receive all of the items listed above as well as a National Geographic Expedition for two to the Galapagos Islands, accompanied by a National Geographic expert.

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National Geographic Digital Media Unveils New Immersive Web 2.0 Photography Application -- ’Infinite Photograph’

WEBWIRE – Thursday, April 16, 2009 - New app offers unprecedented interaction with shared online photos; Launching with shots of natural world dubbed ’As Seen on Earth’

WASHINGTON - National Geographic Digital Media (NGDM) today launches Infinite Photograph, a cutting-edge Web 2.0 photography mosaic application that will allow users to interact with shared online photographs by clicking on color patterns to create an infinite array of stunning mosaics in a variety of themes.

Gearing up for Earth Day, the first Infinite Photograph theme debuts April 16 at www.ngm.com/infinite, featuring mosaics created from user-submitted photos of the natural world as part of National Geographic’s My Shot "As Seen on Earth" hub, found at http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/myshot/infinite-photograph/earth.

An Infinite Photograph digital mosaic is composed of 200 to 500 photographs culled from National Geographic’s user-generated My Shot photography database. NGDM will roll out more functionality for Infinite Photograph over the next few months, including features that allow users to select search terms from the entire My Shot database of tagged photos, build Infinite Photographs from their own catalog of digital photography and interact with the program through such social networking sites as Facebook.

"Infinite Photograph taps into avid social media users and photography enthusiasts
in a way no Web technology has done to date" said Rob Covey, NGDM’s senior vice president of content development and design for online material. "National Geographic has long been known as a leader in stunning photography and for its commitment to preserving our planet. Infinite Photograph supports that longstanding identity and simultaneously represents a significant leap forward into using advanced technology to increase engagement with the brand"

National Geographic launched My Shot last year, generating an online destination where viewers can build their own photo-based National Geographic Web page as well as create and share albums, puzzles and games with fellow users. To date, My Shot has garnered more than 50,000 members, who have uploaded more than 250,000 photos featuring images of people and places around the world.

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NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC MAGAZINE TO AWARD 3RD ANNUAL PHOTOGRAPHY GRANT

Magazine to target professional photographers in selection process

WASHINGTON (Oct. 27, 2008)—From Nov. 1, professional still photographers can apply for a $50,000 photography grant from National Geographic magazine. Offered for the third year, the grant, part of the magazine's ongoing commitment to documentary photojournalism, will be accompanied by guidance on a project undertaken by the photographer who is selected.

Any professional photographer whose primary source of income is his or her photography is eligible. Applications will be accepted through Feb. 15, 2009. The application process will require a written statement outlining a proposed or current project and examples of the applicant's photography. The work presented should demonstrate an ability to competently photograph the project being undertaken or proposed.

"We will be looking for a photographic project that improves our understanding and appreciation of the unique world in which we live," said David Griffin, NGM's director of photography.

Last year's grantee was Jonas Bendiksen, who is documenting the population explosion in Chongqing, a city in western China. The 2006 grantee, Eugene Richards, has covered people profoundly affected by the conflict in Iraq.

For complete details about the photography grant, rules and application, visit ngm.com/photogrant.

National Geographic magazine has a long tradition of combining on-the-ground reporting with award-winning photography to inform people about life on our planet. In 2008 it won three National Magazine Awards, for General Excellence, Photojournalism and Reporting. In 2007 it won two National Magazine Awards, for General Excellence and Photography. Its Web site won a 2008 Webby Award for best magazine Web site.

The magazine is the official journal of the National Geographic Society, one of the world's largest nonprofit educational and scientific organizations. Published in English and 31 local-language editions, the magazine has a global circulation of around 8 million. It is sent each month to National Geographic members and is available on newsstands for $4.95 a copy. Single copies can be ordered by calling (800) NGS-LINE, also the number to call to apply for membership in the Society. The magazine's Web site is at NGM.nationalgeographic.com.

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VISIONS OF PARADISE

National Geographic Photographers Reveal Their Unique Ideas of Heaven on Earth

WASHINGTON (Sept. 15, 2008)—Where — or what — is heaven on Earth? When that question was put to National Geographic's far-roaming photographers, their answers came back as varied and surprising as life itself. Their visual portrayals of what they regard as perfect or spellbinding are showcased in VISIONS OF PARADISE.

Enriched by the photographers' own recollections, each image is a compelling reflection of what is most divine in the world — and an inspiration for us to protect our beautiful and threatened planet.

"Paradise seems to be most likely in places that are remote, untouched, original, defined, organic, and just plain simple.... But paradise can also be a moment in time that is lost forever," writes editor Bronwen Latimer in her introduction.



Images by Stephen Ferry, Paul Chesley, Medford Taylor, Brian Skerry

The photographers' choices lead to realms as diverse as Canada's Queen Charlotte Islands, where Raymond Gehman found a natural paradise "so rich in everything — the life, the water, the forest, the light...you can almost see things grow"; the rain forests of Borneo, where Tim Laman captured a spellbinding scene of three hornbills skimming the treetops; and Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve in Kansas, where Jim Richardson had a "smell-the-roses moment" when photographing a million fireflies amid the wild alfalfa one summer night. Flip Nicklin found perfection in whale watching in Hawaii; Gerd Ludwig felt the essence of freedom as a cyclist glided past in rainy Berlin; Eugene Richards found beauty in the relics and fallow landscapes of North Dakota ghost towns; Susie Post Rust proved that the act of breathing sea air in Ireland can be a heavenly sensation.

The images often reveal bliss in a mood, a moment, a ray of hope: Syrian children playing on beehive rooftops; a transfixing scene in a New York City park; undulating clouds that look like the wings of God; Darfur refugees eagerly awaiting a humanitarian airlift.

Paradise can be felt, found...and lost. Nick Nichols shares his heartache for Africa's Virunga National Park, where war and strife now permeate the forest. William Albert Allard contributes a Montana landscape altered by man but "good enough still to make one almost tremble at the thought of just how wonderful it must have been."

The book, featuring 155 images from 82 world-renowned photographers, is divided into three themes — land, water and air — each introduced by a noted writer. Linda Kulman outlines the important issues facing the land and how we need to change our ways to keep it healthy. Joel Bourne Jr. paints a bleak picture of the state of the world's water, but offers some hopeful solutions. Brian Doyle extols the miracles of air in a lyrical salute.

But if bliss is the air we take in, the water we long for, the lands we inhabit, what happens when paradise is no more? "To look at what we have done to heaven is startling," observes photographer Maggie Steber. In these galvanizing pictures, we find hope as well as urgency. VISIONS OF PARADISE urges us to see and take action, to make every effort to heal the environment and protect every precious place that feels like heaven on Earth.

VISIONS OF PARADISE is a sumptuous gift photography book in the tradition of National Geographic's "Through the Lens," "In Focus," Wide Angle" and "Work." Thought-provoking, life-affirming and visually breathtaking, this volume is for everyone who enjoys great photography and values the stunning natural wonder and diversity of our planet.

To coincide with the publication of the book, a nine-week National Geographic "Visions of Paradise" photo contest will be held starting in October. Photographers are invited to submit images that best represent their unique vision of heaven on Earth. Entries will be accepted from Oct. 21 through Dec. 21, 2008, and will be posted on the competition Web site at www.nationalgeographic.com/myvision. Each week, the general public can vote on their favorite images. Entries will also be judged by an expert panel of photographers and art directors. Three winners will be selected for each of the nine weeks of the competition, with the first week's winners announced on Nov. 3. Winners will receive a customized edition of VISIONS OF PARADISE with their photograph as the cover image.

An exhibit based on the VISIONS OF PARADISE book will be held at the Smith Farm Gallery, corner of 16th & U streets, Washington, D.C., from Oct. 29 to Nov 24.

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