Firstgreatwestern.co.uk has recently announced My Favourite Journey Photo Contest. Your photo must be a view on the First Great Western network which could be anything from the White Horse at Westbury to ancient medieval castles, Roman Bath to the enchanting Thames Valley, the beautiful coastline of Devon to the sweeping hills of the Malverns.

The winners will each receive a digital photo printer and return First Class train tickets for two people for a First Great Western journey. Twelve runners up will receive a pair of First Great Western Standard Class return train tickets. You can submit your photo from here, and hurry!..the closing date for all entries is 12 noon on 28 July 2006.

>> PRESS RELEASE

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Nikon has recently announced the 31st Nikon Photo Contest International which has been held by Nikon Coorporation since 1969. This year’s contest theme; ‘At the Heart of the Image’ will have the following categories; Free Subject and Smile, Smile, Smile!

Entries are accepted from 1st September to 30th November, 2006. Entries sent by conventional mail should be received either on or before 30th November, 2006. Entries sent via the Internet will be accepted until 24:00, 30th November, 2006, Japan time.

Further information is available here

Microsoft is hosting a photography contest for college and university student photographers from around the world to showcase their artistic talent and photographic style. The Microsoft Future Pro Photographers Photography Contest will have the following categories: ‘Nature & Landscape’, ‘People and Portraits’, and ‘Fine Art’. The winner will get a $20,000 Grand Prize and digital prize package including Dell Precision Workstation Computer and Canon EOS 30D DSLR camera.

You can start to submit your photographs by clicking on the image above. Hurry! All entries must be received by Wednesday May 31th 2006.

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HP Canada and the 2006 CONTACT Toronto photography festival have recently announced photo contest entitled ‘Imaging A Global Culture’. The contest will give photography enthusiasts a chance to have their photographs exhibited at The HP Gallery created specially for the duration of the 10th Annual CONTACT Photography Festival, May 1-31, or online via the contest entrant’s gallery.

Prizes are including an HP Designjet 130nr printer and $1,000 in printing supplies for the printer, retail value of $3,999, HP Designjet 90r Printer with approximate retail value of $1,795, HP Photosmart 8750 photo printer with an approximate retail value of $600.

You can enter the contest by online or in person at The HP Gallery, 510 King St West, Toronto from April 1- May 20. More information is available here

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National Press Photographers Association (NPPA) has recently announced winners of The Best of Photojournalism 2006.

1st Place: David Guttenfelder, ASSOCIATED PRESS - Afghan people run away as an Afghan military helicopter crashes in the Panjshir Valley after a memorial ceremony marking the 4th anniversary of rebel commander Ahmad Shah Masood on September 10, 2005. Two passengers were injured, but no one was killed, in the helicopter which was carrying military and government officials from the memorial events.

Corel and Shutterbug have been looking for people who can turn their own photos into striking paintings using the FREE trial downloads for Corel® Paint Shop Pro® Photo Art Suite.

To enter the contest you need to use the Photo Art Suite to turn one of your original photos into a stunning painting, and then submit the original photo and painting to mastersearch@corel.com before midnight, May 31, 2006.

Winners will get the following prizes:

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Tamron “It’s a Wild World” Photo Competition

Tamron USA Press Release

TAMRON 2006 WILD WORLD PICTURE CONTEST SEEKS YOUR BEST BEASTS TAKEN WITH TAMRON LENSES

January 6, 2006, Commack, New York—It’s a Wild World, and that’s not just our opinion—it’s the subject of Tamron’s latest picture contest, an event open to legions of dedicated Tamron lens users. Actually, you don’t need to trek through the wilderness or go on a jungle safari to capture images that are potential winners. Your best photos taken while monkeying around at the local zoo, petting farm or aquarium may do the trick. The only rules on subject matter: An animal or animals must be prominently included, and the pictures must be in good taste. Entries must be received by October 31, 2006.

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What is a good photograph? While a hard definition to write, it can be any image capture you enjoy to look at.

Theoretically a good image should have four elements: composition, exposure, technique, and presentation. An image should capture the interest of the observer or judge. It may be unique or common: but to be a winner, it should stand out from all the other images.

Competitive photographers should compose images that include some of following features:

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