Keep Your Cameras Ready

The Day announces a nationwide mobilization of photographers. Amateurs, professionals, and all lovers of photography, take out your Nikons, Canons, Olympuses, or even Zeniths and Kievs. Clean the lenses and prepare for a big “hunt.” We are announcing the 7th International Photo Contest “The Day 2005” with the largest prize pool ever.

Every year The Day’s photo competition attracts increasing numbers of participants, and jury members are finding their job that much more difficult. But this doesn’t mean that the judges (or visitors) are dissatisfied with their work. Last year the contest drew close to 120 photographers from across the country, who submitted 750 works. After its launch at one of Kyiv’s most popular exhibition centers, our exhibit habitually travels to various regions of the country, where it is always a big cultural event. Last year The Day’s exhibit visited 7 cities, and 10 cities in 2003. Much to the editors’ delight, the number of competitors for the Grand Prix is growing every year, which is proof of the growing reputation of The Day’s photo contest.

Aside from being an opportunity to win valuable prizes, the contest also offers participants entry into Ukraine’s elite club of photographers. Perhaps the most valuable reward is the fact that professionals in the field offer informal evaluations of submitted works. According to photographers who work for competing Ukrainian periodicals, The Day’s contest is setting standards for Ukrainian photo journalism. It is shaping and strengthening the corporate spirit, something that our fellow journalists often lack, unfortunately.

Besides, victory or a distinguished entry in our photo contest is a chance to join the staff of The Day’s photo correspondents. Mykola Lazerenko, a frequent winner of Ukrainian and foreign photography exhibits, has been invited to work as the personal photo chronicler of the Ukrainian president’s life. Mykhailo Markiv traveled as part of President Yushchenko’s entourage to cover his recent visit to the US. Anatoly Medzyk provided photo coverage of Viktor Yushchenko’s life during the election campaign. The Day’s photo editor Leonid Bakka frequently receives calls from his colleagues, who inquire jokingly whether the newspaper is “accepting students to the school of presidential photographers.”

Last but not least, The Day’s photo contest is a perfect opportunity for commercial and nonprofit organizations that appreciate and understand photography to enhance their image by establish a prize in their own name. Business owners should not pass up an opportunity to associate their names with competitive photo art.

Most importantly, remember that the motto of our photo contest remains unchanged: “May the best photographer win!” So start sending in your works now.