Warsaw-based documentary photographer Jan Brykczyński has tonight, Wednesday 15 May, been announced as the winner of the Syngenta Photography Award Professional Commission at a ceremony at Somerset House, London. In addition to the $15,000 prize money, Brykczyński will receive a grant of up to $25,000 to complete a commission, a central part of the professional competition. “Farming Tribes” will explore the relationship between human beings and nature in four of the world’s major urban spaces – New York, Yerevan, Warsaw and Nairobi. Mimi Mollica (Italy), announced as the second place winner for the Professional Commission, was awarded US$ 10,000, and Pablo Lopez Luz (Mexico) received US$ 5,000 in third place. Holly Lynton (USA) was announced as winner of the Open Competition for “Sienna, Turkey Madonna”, in which a farm worker embraces four turkeys that are to be slaughtered for Thanksgiving on an independent farm in the small town of Shutesbury, Massachusetts.

West Cumbria Tourism is calling on all budding photographers to send in their pictures with the launch today of a competition designed to capture the heart of the "other side" of the Lakes. The competition, supported by the Trout Hotel, Cockermouth, and the Kirkstile Inn, Loweswater, is open to residents and visitors to the area and photographs are welcomed from everyone from amateur snappers to professional photographers. "With the arrival of spring and the bluebell and daffodil season in full swing; this is the perfect time to take your camera and capture the heart of the Western Lake District," the organisers say. The closing date for entries is June 30th. The competition is open to all age groups and can be entered by emailing images directly to info@western-lakedistrict.co.uk

Unified Color has announced the call for entries for its latest HDR imaging contest. To enter, participants choose their favorite HDR image(s) and resize them to 72 ppi with a width no wider than 900 pixels and email the entries to Unified Color at contest1-2013@unifiedcolor.com The contest will last for 43 days, and submissions can be made until midnight on Tuesday, June 18th. The body of the entry email must state “I have read and accept the contest rules” and include the entrant’s name, email, and phone number.  The entry must have been edited in HDR Expose 2, HDR Express 2 or 32 Float v2 at some point in its creation. The winners will be announced on the company website and blog on June 12th. As always we suggest that you read the rules before entering your work.

The New Forest National Park Authority has teamed up with the New Forest Centre in Lyndhurst to launch a joint open art competition. If you are a budding artist, photographer or craftsperson who takes inspiration from the New Forest, the organisers would like to hear from you. The competition is sponsored by ExxonMobil at the Fawley Refinery and local magazine Park Culture. The overall winner will receive £500, the second-prize winner will be awarded with a cash prize of £300, while the third-place winner and the People's Prize awardee wins £100 each, with the latter also receiving a feature in Park Culture magazine. The submission dates are 5 and 6 July 2013. Do note that there is a fee of £5 - or £3 for full-time students - per piece of artwork. To download the application form, visit the website below.

The Syngenta Photography Award Exhibition includes the works of the six finalists of the first-ever Syngenta International Photography Awards. In its inaugural year, the theme of the award is “Rural-Urban”, which aims to raise awareness and stimulate dialogue about the relationship and tensions between urban and rural environments, and to further explore the impact these issues have on global resources. Taking place at Somerset House, London from 17 - 21 May 2013, the exhibition features a selection of entries by finalists Jan Brykczyński (Poland), Pablo Lopez Luz (Mexico), Mimi Mollica (Italy), André François (Brazil), Holly Lynton (U.S.) and Vitaliy Popkov as well as over fifty other artists.

Tamron USA is celebrating National Photo  Month this May with its first Tamron Photo Scavenger Hunt. Participants will creatively photograph 14 clues and set-up an exhibit at MyPhotoExhibits.com by 31 May 2013. Tamron will pick the best overall exhibit based on image quality and creative interpretation of the clues. The winner will receive the award-winning Tamron SP 24-70mm F/2.8 Di VC USD zoom lens. This contest is only open to adult residents of the USA. Click through / read on for the rules, including a list of the 14 clues.

PNY Technologies is offering one lucky person the chance to win a number of prizes to inject some speed into your workflow: a XLR8 Pro 120Go SSD, Pro Elite Plus 16GB SDHC and a 3in1 HDMI Cable.

The lucky winner is Justin Roush. Congratulations!

PNY manufactures imaging solutions, and its XLR8 Pro SSD range is built especially for multimedia enthusiasts and semi-pro photographers. SSDs allow seriously quick data transfers and therefore an optimised workflow. The XLR8 Pro SSD series boasts a 2.5” SATA III, 6Gbps interface, supports 128-bit AES encryption and is powered by the SandForce 2281 controller, offering up to 550MB/s sequential read speeds, 520MB/s sequential write speeds and 85,000 random read/write IOPS.

The PNY Pro Elite Plus offers read speeds of 95 MB/s and write speeds of 90 MB/s - perfect for photographers who take full advantage of their camera’s burst mode. Certified Class 10 and UHS-1 (Ultra High Speed), the cards are also ideal for full-HD video; even in the most extreme conditions.

We’re giving away three olloclip 3-in-1s for the iPhone 5!

The lucky winners are Patricia Halliday, Barb Robertson and Michael Wheeler. Congratulations!

The olloclip is a unique quick-connect lens solution for the iPhone 4/4S/5. It features three lenses — fisheye, wide-angle and macro — in one small, convenient package that fits easily in a pocket and in the palm of the hand. The olloclip connects to the iPhone in seconds, allowing the user to instantly and easily capture photographic images and use various photographic effects.  The iPhone’s camera auto focuses normally through the olloclip and selecting a lens is as simple as flipping it over.  The olloclip for iPhone 4/4S retails for £59.99 and for iPhone 5 retails for £69.99. Both products are available in the Apple store.

Created by Patrick O’Neill and his designer, Chong Pak, olloclip has attracted a legion of passionate users in less than two years, not to mention distribution through Apple retail stores in the UK and internationally and through leading online retailers. More products under the olloclip brand moniker are now in development. More info is available on the official olloclip website http://www.olloclip.com/

We’re giving away 10 copies of the “McCullin” documentary on either DVD or Blu-ray.

The lucky winners are Carol Mears, Heather Knotts, wilbur brown, John McDonald, Hannah ONeill, Debbie Bond, Daniel Madore, Janelle Morte, Lisa Parker, and CHEN YI LEE. Congratulations!

Celebrated photographer Don McCullin worked for The Sunday Times from 1966 to 1983, at a time when the newspaper was widely recognised as being at the cutting edge of international investigative photo-journalism. During that period he covered wars and humanitarian disasters on virtually every continent: from civil war in Cyprus, the war in Vietnam and the man-made famine in Biafra to the plight of the homeless in swinging sixties London.

This new documentary from the producers of the award-winning SENNA and directed by Jacqui Morris / David Morris uses rich, detailed archive footage and incredible in-depth interviews to reveal the truth behind McCullin’s hard-hitting and controversial images, piecing together his remarkable story in truly breathtaking style.

MindGems Inc. is giving away 10 licenses of Visual Similarity Duplicate Image Finder PRO (VSDIF) exclusively to our readers.

The lucky winners are Hong Ho, reza rezaie golghand, Ales Veluscek, Inga Andersen, mark trnavsky, Kenneth Baillie, Slavko Todorov, Philip Greenwood, Keith Wolstenholme and
Kieran Symons. Congratulations!

VSDIF is rated the best duplicate image finder on major photography and software magazines and technology web sites.

What is so special about Visual Similarity Duplicate Image Finder?
As the name already suggests this tool can find duplicate and similar images based on content analysis regardless of the image format, size, dimensions, colors and other image attributes. What this means is that even if you have copies of the same image with modifications applied like color correction, crop, retouching, change of file format or watermarks it will still be identified as a duplicate of its original image. This is a task that a standard duplicate file finders cano not handle. The tool supports more than 100 common image formats including Photoshop PSD, plus over 300 RAW camera formats.

The main three benefits from using this tool are:

- Organize your image collection
- Save valuable disk space by removing duplicate images
- Search for similar images inside your image collection by loading a sample image

Processing large image collections is extremely fast using the new cache system. The tool will analyze the image data and collect it in a cache that will be reused in consequential scans. The cache system checks the images for modifications. This means that if a photo is edited it will be re-processed automatically and the updated version will be used for the comparison. The “Image Search” functionality can find images similar to a sample photo. Combining the Image Search with the cache system VSDIF can scan 10 000 images in seconds. A FREE demo is available for download at the company’s web site.

MindGems Inc. provides also a Duplicate MP3 Finder tool that works in a similar way for audio files and the popular FREE Duplicate File Finder and Folder Size tools that will help with the disk cleanup process.

The lucky winner of a Case Logic SLR Camera Sling Backpack is Steve Forster. Congratulations!

This 5 star rated SLR Camera backpack is a great way to carry your camera with ease whilst keeping it safe from drops and bumps. The sling case from Case logic uses a patent pending hammock system which suspends your SLR above the bottom of case, providing superior impact protection. This backpack not only provides storage for your camera but also additional accessories. A large zippered compartment in the sling stores an additional lens or flash and the 3 zippered pockets allow you to store memory cards, cords, light meters, chargers and additional accessories.

This backpack is not only a great way to carry your all your SLR equipment safely but the unique design allows quick and easy access for those all-important easy to miss shots, as this SLR camera bag is worn like a backpack but can simply be swung around to your front and you’re ready to shoot. The list of handy features goes on as the fully adjustable shoulder strap with waist strap prevents the sling from jostling around during activity and the memory foam on the interior helps protect your camera and accessories. This is a must to protect your camera delicate LCD screen, sensor and lens.

We’ve teamed up with Arcsoft to give away 5 copies of Low Light NR.

The 5 lucky winners are: caroline scott, Jo Young, Carl Berger, DAVID HAIG and Piero Orzalesi. Congratulations!

ArcSoft Low Light NR is an innovative image noise reduction application based on the latest Multiple Frame NR technology (MFNR). Using sophisticated algorithms, Low Light NR combines multiple frames to produce one high-resolution image, acquiring more graphic information than it is available from any single photograph. Therefore, it greatly reduces the visible noise while improving the image quality efficiently by processing sets of photographs taken in burst mode.

ArcSoft Low Light NR is featured in its easy use, fast processing and decent results. With 3 simple clicks, noise can be reduced in seconds with high quality, even further improvement could be achieved for cameras with good noise reduction function like the Canon 5D Mark III/Nikon D600/Nikon D3S etc.

Arcsoft are also offering our readers a 20% discount on all of their products.
Coupon code: photographyblogall, get 20% off for all ArcSoft products.

Photo Canvas are giving away a free printed canvas, up to 50x50cm, which can be printed with any image you want.

The lucky winner is Andrew Chapman. Congratulations!

Photo-canvas.com print your digital photos onto heavy weight woven canvas (500gsm) using dye sublimation techniques, stretch it over an anti warping sustainable forest pine frame, then despatch in with same day despatch if you order before 2pm. This means that the end result is durable, has great colour reproduction, and won’t crack, warp or go shiny over time - in fact, they do all a lifetime guarantee against it.

The Society of International Nature & Wildlife Photographers (SINWP) have announced the winners of the ‘Springtime competition’ 2013. The winner was chosen from just under 300 entries and a panel of esteemed judges chose the winner for its beautiful, tranquil moment of serenity depicting a fleeting moment captured with elegance. Andrzej Bochenski from Poland has won 12 months membership to The Society of International Nature & Wildlife Photographers and The Society of International Travel and Tourism Photographers, plus a Trektech Optera 230 Gorilla Pod.

The Association of Photographers (AOP) has revealed the line-up of judges for its 30th Awards programme. Each judging panel is made up of five industry professionals and includes a Chair, who will also present the Awards on the presentation evening. In addition, the AOP exhibition will be open to the public for four days. Both the Photographers' Awards and the Open Awards will be displayed at the exciting Truman Brewery venue, Loading Bay & B3, within the heart of London’s East End.  The Photographers Awards presentation evening and party will take place on Thursday 17 October and the Open Awards presentation will be on Friday 18 October.  Both exhibitions will be open Friday 18 – Monday 21 October, 10am – 6pm. Click through / scroll down for the complete list of judges.

Bowens International is fifty years old and the company has just launched a celebratory competition for photographers. Photographers have until the end of May to submit a photograph to Bowens using the theme ‘50’. The Bowens Litebook team will shortlist its favourite images which will then appear on the Bowens Facebook page. The public at large will then choose a winner who will pick up £600 worth of Bowens lighting equipment.

The Red Bull Illume Image Quest, which is billed as the world’s greatest photography contest for action and adventure sports, is closing for entries on 30th April. Photographers can submit images to 10 categories: lifestyle, playground, energy, spirit, close up, wings, sequence, new creativity, experimental and illumination. The overall winner will receive the new Leica S camera, while category winners will each receive a Leica X2. Other prizes will include broncolor’s new Move, their portable flash, and the latest strap system from Sun-Sniper. Photographers can enter their images online at the website below.

Canon U.S.A. has announced the 2013 “Project Imaginat10n” Film Contest, which will provide the public with a unique opportunity to showcase their cinematography skills. Helmed by Ron Howard and Bryce Dallas Howard, filmmakers of all skill levels will each have the chance to embark on the same creative exercise as five celebrity directors – Eva Longoria, Jamie Foxx, Biz Stone, Georgina Chapman and James Murphy – all of whom are directing short films inspired from ten Project Imaginat10n winning photographs. Selecting from the same pool of 91 winning photos, the challenge is to create a short film inspired by ten crowdsourced photos and based on ten storytelling themes: Character, Mood, Goal, Backstory, Setting, Obstacle, Relationship, The Unknown, Time and Discovery. Submissions will begin on 4th June at the website below.

Thirty-two year-old Norwegian photographer Andrea Gjestvang has been announced as the L’Iris d’Or/Sony World Photography Awards Photographer of the Year. The judges voted unanimously for Gjestvang’s powerful series of portraits of children and youths who survived the July 2011 massacre on the island of Utøya, outside Oslo. The L’Iris d’Or winning series of work, "One Day in History," will be displayed as part of the 2013 Sony World Photography Awards Exhibition at Somerset House from 26 April – 12 May, alongside the works of the other winners.

This contest has now closed. The lucky winners are:

Mike Gimblett has won a Sony NEX-3N compact system camera and a place at the 2013 Sony World Photography Awards Workshops

Olexander Demchenko, chris mockel, Nick Berry, Trygve Lydersen, Ilian Stamenov, Florin Cristea, Tom Bekiaris, GJ de Koning, and Napoleon Stratogiannakis have each won a place at the 2013 Sony World Photography Awards Workshops.

With the 2013 Sony World Photography Awards taking place this month we’ve teamed up with headline sponsors Sony to give 10 lucky readers the chance to win a place at a series of workshops taking place at Somerset House, London from 26th April – 28th April 2013.

One winner will also receive a NEX-3N compact system camera to test out their new skills. Featuring the same image sensor that you’d expect from a DSLR camera, the NEX allows you to take professional standard pictures, even if you’re an amateur, providing the best results and picture quality on the market. With a selection of 15 e-mount lenses available you’ll discover the ideal lens to bring your vision to life.

The workshops will cover a variety of topics suitable for camera enthusiasts from beginners to budding professionals and will coincide with the opening of the Sony World Photography Awards Exhibition on 26th April. 

There are three separate workshops covering a range of topics. From showing beginners how to improve picture quality, providing an understanding of commercial photography and turning a hobby into a career, or looking at the developments in full-frame photograph over time, there will be something for any photography enthusiast.

Speakers will include Michael Wayne Plant who specialises in work around identities and social landscape and Magdi Fernandes who works across fashion, music and sports. All attendees will be entered into a prize draw each day for one lucky winner to receive an NEX.

With Sony’s ongoing development of its camera portfolio, from point and shoot Cyber-shot cameras to entry-level interchangeable lens NEX and Digital SLT Alpha models, Sony is serious about photography and proud to sponsor the World Photography Awards.

For further information about the 2013 Sony World Photography Awards Workshops or to book your place on one of the sessions, visit http://worldphoto.org/worldphotolondon/sony-workshops