MELVILLE, NY –Nikon Inc. is pleased to announce that submissions for the 38th Nikon Photo Contest will open on October 22, 2020 at 12:00 a.m. EDT. Started in 1969, the Nikon Photo Contest is currently the world’s largest international photo contest and provides an opportunity for creators to connect through visual storytelling and to enrich imaging culture.
Entries for the 2020-2021 Nikon Photo Contest will be evaluated by a prestigious group of individuals, including world-renowned art director Neville Brody, who has been selected to return as Lead Judge for a third consecutive year. Neville Brody is an inspirational figure whose work spans over three decades and continues to inspire the next generation of emerging artists. Additional judges will be announced on the 2020-2021 contest website as they are appointed.
“In these challenging times, we need creative and cultural opportunities to remind us of our humanity and resilience, both celebrating and observing the planet and our communities in new ways,” said lead judge, Neville Brody. “The Nikon Photo Contest is one of the most respected and key opportunities to explore these new questions and possible ways of thinking, where imagination meets connection.”
“This will be the third time I have been asked to lead the jury for this year’s competition, and I am humbled and honored to be given this new challenge and responsibility. The Nikon Photo Contest has evolved in these few years, dynamically embracing change and a greater and more direct connection with the human spirit. Entering the contest will provide an amazing window for your work. We are looking for your creative, dynamic, and personal views, and hope to provide a platform to help you share that excellence with the world, both professionally and publicly.”
The 2020-2021 Nikon Photo Contest will be comprised of a photo competition and a short film competition, which will be open to all professional and amateur photographers. Entries to both competitions will be accepted in two categories, including: “Open” and “Next Generation.” The theme for the Open category submissions is “Connect,” in which individuals will be asked to showcase the unique connections they experience, highlight the bonds that connect people to the world and explore the meaning of communication. The theme for the Next Generation category, which is open to photographers 25 years of age or younger, is “Passion,” in which individuals will be asked to demonstrate their perspective on the way passion evokes action, empathy and power to create change for the future.
A total of 24 submissions will be honored with Excellence Awards and Special Encouragement Awards, while one Grand Prize winner will be selected from the Excellence Award winners in each category*. Additionally, Nikon employees will select one photo and one short film submission that pass the first round of judging to be named as Nikon’s Selection Award winners. Award recipients will receive a certification in addition to a cash prize or one of Nikon’s Z series mirrorless cameras, depending on the award**. The announcement of winners for the 2020-2021 Nikon Photo Contest is scheduled for July 2021.
Entry Categories
Photo Competitions
- Open Category
- Theme: “Connect”
- Entry Format: Single photo or photo story (two to five images)
- Equipment requirements: None; any equipment may be used
- Age requirements: None
- Next Generation Category
- Theme: “Passion”
- Entry Format: Single photo or photo story (two to five images)
- Equipment requirements: None; any equipment may be used
- Age requirements: Must be 25 or younger as of December 31, 2020
Short Film Competitions
- Open category
- Theme: “Connect”
- Entry format: Video (MOV or MP4), 180-300 seconds in duration. *If any language is used within the video, English language subtitles must be included
Any equipment may be used - Equipment requirements: None; any equipment may be used
- Age requirements: None
- Next Generation Category
- Theme: “Passion”
- Entry format: Video (MOV or MP4), 180-300 seconds in duration. *If any language is used within the video, English language subtitles must be included
- Equipment requirements: None; any equipment may be used
- Age requirements: Must be 25 or younger as of December 31, 2020
Entry Period
- Please note that entry deadlines differ depending on the category. (All dates and times Eastern Time)
- Photo Competition: Open Category
- October 22 at 12:00 a.m. EDT to January 24, 2021 at 11:00 p.m. EST
- Photo Competition: Next Generation Category
- October 22 at 12:00 a.m. EDT to January 31, 2021 at 11:00 p.m. EST
- Short Film Competition: Open Category
- October 22 at 12:00 a.m. EDT to February 7, 2021 at 11:00 p.m. EST
- Short Film Competition: Next Generation Category
- October 22 at 12:00 a.m. EDT to February 14, 2021 at 11:00 p.m. EST
For more information on the 2020-2021 Nikon Photo Contest, including instructions for how to apply and details about prizes, please visit https://www.nikon-photocontest.com/en/. The entry form will be available beginning Thursday, October 22, 2020.
About the Nikon Photo Contest
The Nikon Photo Contest (NPC) is an international photo contest with a significant history behind it that aims to provide an opportunity for photographers around the world to communicate, as well as to enrich photographic culture for professionals and amateurs alike. Since the first contest was held in 1969, photographers from countries and regions around the world have participated and shown their support. To date, more than 440,000 photographers have submitted more than 1.7 million imaging works, making it a truly international event.