Winners of the Nikon Photo Contest 2014-2015 Decided

July 3, 2015

From nearly 89,000 submissions from more countries and regions, 164, than ever before

TOKYO - Nikon Corporation is pleased to announce that the winners of the Nikon Photo Contest 2014-2015 have been determined.

The winner of the Grand Prize (photograph category) is "Fukushima Flowers", submitted by Katsuhiro Noguchi of Japan. The winner of the Grand Prize (video category) is "One", submitted by Chris Rudz of Poland. All winning images will be exhibited on the Nikon Photo Contest 2014-2015 Judging Results page beginning today with the Grand Prize winners, to be followed by winners of other awards.

• Nikon Photo Contest 2014-2015

Entries in the Nikon Photo Contest 2014-2015 were accepted in four photograph categories and two video categories during the period of September 15 to December 15, 2014. The four photograph categories were as follows:
Category A: Single photo representing the "HOME" theme
Category B: Photo story (two to five images) representing the "HOME" theme
Category C: Single photo representing any theme
Category D: Photo story (two to five images) representing any theme
The two video categories were as follows:
Category E: A video representing the "HOME" theme
Category F: A video representing any theme
This was the first time that entries in the video categories were judged separately. Videos of 6-180 seconds in length were accepted. In addition, entries recorded not only by cameras, but by any digital imaging device, including smart devices, were accepted, and a new award for entries submitted by younger imaging enthusiasts aged 19 or younger was established.
A total of 21,100 people from a record 164 countries and regions around the world submitted 88,737 entries in this Nikon Photo Contest 2014-2015.

Of all the works submitted, a total of 109 were chosen as winners. Judges selected 2 Grand Prize winners (one each in the photograph and video categories), a total of 96 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners from each category, and 10 winners of the new Generation N Award for photographers and videographers aged 19 or younger. In addition, 1 entry was selected for the Participants Award for Most Popular Entry based on voting by those who entered the Contest.

Final judging took place over five days from April 23 to 27, 2015 in Shanghai by a global panel of 14 judges of varying age, gender, social and cultural background, and preferred category of photography/videography. Winners were selected based on their ability to tell a universal story, diversity, the strength of their message, creativity, and the techniques that best express these concepts.

An awards ceremony, to be attended by a number of winners including Grand Prize winners, is scheduled for July 14, 2015 in Shanghai, China.

Award-winning works from the Nikon Photo Contest 2014-2015 will be exhibited as follows.
Tokyo, Ginza Nikon Salon: October 7 (Wednesday) to October 20 (Tuesday), 2015
Osaka, Osaka Nikon Salon: October 29 (Thursday) to November 4 (Wednesday), 2015

Judges Comment on Grand Prize winner (photograph category)

Speaking so quietly about one of the colossal events of the last decade, the winning images might be easily overlooked. But their intricate beauty pulls the viewer closer, demanding deeper study. Using the descriptive detail of the photographic process, the images describe nothing, but instead offer a meditation, first visually and then intellectually and finally emotionally as their significance emerges. And the lasting emotion is of hope plucked from the very earth that betrayed its inhabitants in 2011. (Stephen Mayes)

Judges comment on Grand Prize winner (video category)

The art of storytelling has never been so important or relevant.
Giving ideas context, creating emotions based on personal insight and raising the consciousness of our imagination in surprising ways is a necessity in our age of Information overload and when popularity has become substance.
The narrative style of Chris Rudz is non-linear, challenging the viewer to think about his identity. There is beauty in his video that borders on the ugly, which only makes it more seductive.
His video was in the minority of entires, one with a voice, both written and spoken.
The power of the female voice was inviting and visually expressive.
"I see what others cannot see."
The 2015 Nikon competition brought out an extraordinary group of visual storytellers but Chris Rudz clearly was the "One". (John C Jay)

Nikon Photo Contest, one of the world's most prestigious international photo contests

Nikon Photo Contest (NPC) is one of the world's most prestigious international photo contests. Held since 1969, the goal behind the contest is to provide an opportunity for photographers around the world to communicate and to enrich photographic culture for professionals and amateurs alike. Since the first Contest was held in 1969, hundreds of thousands of photographers from around the world have participated and shown their support for the Contest. To date, more than 390,000 photographers have submitted over 1,540,000 photographic works in the contest, making it a truly international event.

The information is current as of the date of publication. It is subject to change without notice.

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