Sigma Corporation teams with magazine to empower young photographers

Sigma Corporation sponsors Nature's Best Photography Students Photo Contest; will provide equipment to young photographers who win the competition.

RONKONKOMA, NY, April 25, 2009 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Sigma Corporation of America (www.sigmaphoto.com), a leading researcher, developer, manufacturer and service provider for some of the world's most impressive lines of lenses, cameras and flashes, is partnering with Nature's Best Photography Students online magazine to empower young photographers and provide a forum where they can share their images.

The company, which is preparing to launch the DP2, a pocket-sized camera with the power of a DSLR, is sponsoring the Nature's Best Photography Students Photo Contest, a bi-annual competition to identify some of the world's most talented, emerging photographers. As a sponsor of the contest, Sigma Corporation has provided funding for its management and an array of products to be awarded to its winners.

"As a company that has been around for more than 50 years, we've seen generations of photographers leave their photographic footprint in the industry," said Mark Amir-Hamzeh, general manager of Sigma Corporation of America. "It is imperative that we nurture the work of our future photographers and provide them with the resources they need to grow and learn as young artists. Nature's Best Photography Students is a wonderful publication that does this really well, and we are honored to partner with its founders in these efforts."

Anyone under the age of 21 is welcome to enter the next Nature's Best Photography Students Photo Contest by submitting up to 20 images for consideration between May 15 and Aug. 15 via the online submission form at http://www.naturesbeststudents.com/takeaction/. Participants will be asked to pay a one-time entry fee of $10 and parental permission is required for those entrants under 18 years old. One grand prize winner and a number of honorable mention winners will be awarded in the publication's online edition on Nov.15. Prizes will include sponsor-donated photography equipment and gift certificates, as well as the online publication of the winners' images.

"We began this contest less than a year ago to provide a venue for young photographers to be published," said Gabby Salazar who, at the age of 21, founded and edits the student publication with help from Nature's Best Photography magazine's founders and co-publishers Steve and Deborah Freligh. "I started with photography when I was 10, so I know how hard it can be and how much that validation means. In many cases, these kids' parents are the only ones who have ever told them how wonderful their images are, so this contest is a great way to boost their self esteem and help them pursue their dreams."

Nature's Best Photography Students is a quarterly, online magazine under its flagship publication Nature's Best Photography. The student publication provides a comprehensive blend of creativity, natural history education and new technology, while connecting and inspiring young people worldwide to explore the natural world through the enjoyment of photography, writing and outdoor experiences.

For information about the contest, contact Nature's Best Photography Students at students@naturesbestphotography.com. For information about Sigma Corporation, visit http://www.sigmaphoto.com.