One of the world’s most renowned photo contests, entries to the 31st Nikon Photo Contest International will be accepted from September 1 to November 30, 2006.

A contest with an impressive history

The Nikon Photo Contest International has been held by Nikon Corporation since 1969 to provide an opportunity for photographers around the world to communicate and to enrich photographic culture for professionals and amateurs alike. Renowned among photo enthusiasts worldwide, the contest has so far attracted more than 1,220,000 images from a total of 290,000 photographers. In fact, so popular has the contest become among photographers that a total of over 31,000 images were received from more than 10,000 entrants in 117 different countries for the 30th contest alone.

This year’s theme: ‘At the heart of the image’

‘At the heart of the image’ is not only the brand statement of Nikon Imaging Company, but it is also the theme of the 31st contest. We have carefully selected categories as stated below and we look forward to receiving images expressing the emotions that are true to your heart.

This year’s categories

A. Free subject

B. Smile, Smile, Smile!

With these categories, Nikon welcomes and embraces photographic creativity and encourages images of human happiness from all over the world.

33 prizes awarded by a panel of international photographers

All works will be judged by professional photographers working internationally and 33 winners will be awarded prizes. A further 20 entrants will also be selected as winners and runners-up for the Emerging Talent Award, which commends those aged under 30 for work that possess outstanding expressive power and conveys the energy of youth.

An open opportunity

A competition that truly transverses borders, the Nikon Photo Contest International embodies an unrivalled opportunity - providing photographers everywhere with a chance to showcase their talents and giving us all a valuable insight into the lives of those around us.

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Stage photography is something that I indulge in and is one of my favourite genres of The Art.

The photo below is the Hands Percussion Group’s performance entitled Dialogue In Skin. I shot this 2 years back and I am a big fan of this group. I try to make it for all their productions. The exposure for this is about 8 seconds on a tripod. As you can see, employing a long exposure on a tripod (which can be a luxury under most conditions) during a performance can produce wonderful results.

If you wish to indulge in stage photography, these are the tips

- obtain permission from the producers
- if possible, do it during full dress rehearsals
- wearing black is a good idea so that you can blend into the shadows
- a fast lens (large apertured) of around f2.8 is advised; useful focal length of 70-200mm but don’t forget to give wide shots too
- flash photography is a no-no
- tripods are cumbersome and can block the view of the audience; try to master using a monopod
- you won’t have time to fiddle with manual settings, shoot Av (aperture priority)
- the lighting in most performances will change very quickly; make sure you know how to spot meter or quickly do exposure compensation
- turn off the annoying beep of focusing confirmation
- white balance may be hell but sometimes you want to preserve the mixed coloured lighting of the show for atmosphere
- reviewing images will make you miss a shot and the light from your LCD screen will also annoy the audience

2 Golden Rules I would like to share with you all on stage photography…

1) If it is done during paid performances, try not to move to much or make to much sounds or obscure the view of the paying audience. They have every right to be enjoying the performance and not be annoyed by a photographer.
2) Do not fail to see the forest for the trees. Sometimes, you need to sit back and enjoy the performance for what it is. Looking through the viewfinder isn’t always as fun as just absorbing the show with your own eyes.

I start this post with a couple of pictures. The first photo was how the sky looked like in the evening, processed from the RAW file with minimal adjustments. The second is the photo after some level tweaks in Adobe PS. Which catches your eye more?

Before manipulation

After manipulation

This brings me to the thoughts where photographs can be altered for various reasons. I am not posting this to start a debate on what is right and what is not but you can feel free to share with us your thoughts on this.

Since the dawn of photography, some photographers have strived to change reality pre and post exposure. Salon photographers pay cyclists to cycle in the sunset to capture their silhouttes and they also pay old men to dress up as monks so that they could be interesting subjects. Today, in the digital realm, the manipulation of reality is more prevalent with tools like Adobe PS being ubiquitous and graphics artists use such tools as tool to create fantastical creations.

The only stance I take firmly is if a photograph, used for purposes of documentation, is altered. I do not agree to this.

Lingkaran Trans Kota Sdn Bhd (LITRAK) is organizing a photo contest in conjunction with the Merdeka month in August. LITRAK, the concessionaire of Lebuhraya Damansara – Puchong (LDP), is offering cash prizes totaling RM5,500 for the contest.

The theme for the photo contest is “Colours of Merdeka on LDP”, and thus participants are expected to take photos along the LDP or with the 40km highway as a background.

Only coloured digital photos will be accepted for entry. Download contest form for more details about the contest.

Closing date for the contest is 18 August 2006.

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You shutterbugs should be easy…come on guys…i want to see you guys winning this !!!!

An impressive line-up of artistes is set to entertain Klang Valley folk when the month-long Sunrise Jazz & Rhythm Fest 2006 trumpets to its much-awaited start on July 28th at the Plaza Mont’Kiara fountain courtyard here in Kuala Lumpur.

Date & Time: Fri 28 Jul - Sat 12 Aug (Fri & Sat nights ONLY)
Tickets: Free Admission
Synopsis: The annual jazz event is back yet again, promising three weekends of a fusion of premier contemporary and classic jazz performances. Expect to see some jazz veterans along with some new blood industry, in this event organised by Sunrise Berhad.

Fri 28 Jul
8.30pm - 9pm: Fashion Jazz
9pm - 10.45pm: Rachel Guerzo Quartet
11pm - 12.30am: Lewis Pragasam & AsiaBeat

Sat 29 Jul
8.30pm - 9pm: Hip Hop by DanceStyle
9pm - 10.45pm: GruvAvenue
11pm - 12.30am: Amir Yussof & Friends

Fri 4 Aug
8.30pm - 9pm: Belly Dancing
9pm - 10.45pm: Cosmic Funk Express
11pm - 12.30am: Jupiter@7

Sat 5 Aug
8.30pm - 9pm: Sharizan Borhan & Swing Inc
9pm - 10.45pm: Shelley Leong & Jazz Odyssey
11pm - 12.30am: Funk Mob [John Thomas, Eric Li & Fly]

Fri 11 Aug
8.30pm - 9pm: Rentak K.a.my
9pm - 10.45pm: Mr. Gambus
11pm - 12.30am - Tinderbox

Sat 12 Aug
8.30 pm - 9pm: Jazzing With Style
9pm till 10.45pm: Noryn Aziz
11pm - 12.30am - Aseana Percussion Unit

Pretty cool event to practise your event photography for free.