About the Assignment
This is the Arabia of Aladdin’s dreams.
Allow Peregrine Adventures and Oman Tourism to help you explore the historic city of Muscat and drive along the coast to the bubbling fishing village of Seeb. By 4WD, travel to the rugged interior and the splendid forts of Nakhal and Al Hazm, framed by the spectacular Jebel Akhdar Mountains. Continue on to explore the beautiful oasis at Wadi Bani Khaled, before entering the vast Wahiba Sands – where you'll sleep at a rustic desert camp under a blanket of brilliant stars.
The charming oasis of Lisq and the village of Mudaibi, further reveal the local life of Oman, as does a browse of the fabulous souk of ancient Nizwa. Meet the people, learn of their delicate silverware, woodwork and embroidery, and unwind in the cool heights of the Mountain of the Sun, all before a further wander of the wonderful maze of Muscat.
And what better way to capture the entire experience than from behind the lens of a new Canon EOS 6D?!
Here’s the deal:
*You must be available to be in Oman between March 7-16, 2013.
*On the trip you will work alongside Jason Edwards photographing the people, culture and landscapes of Oman at various times of the day and night.
*You will gain invaluable mentoring and hands-on experience in everything from shot set up, technique and composition through to insights into his many years of diverse experience as an award-winning photographer.
*Your assignment will involve observing and assisting Jason as well as undertaking your own photographic work. This will involve long days, early mornings and late nights working!
*Most of all, you'll be experiencing what it's like to be a photographer on-assignment with National Geographic!
Your Brief
*You will work through a specific shot list of 30 photos that will be commissioned by the scholarship partners as part of your assignment.
*You will keep a daily diary about your time on the trip and upload this to a WorldNomads.com travel journal (minimum 200 words per day), including pictures you've taken.
*On your return you will work with Jason Edwards through the editorial process to shortlist your top photographs and colour balance to achieve professional looking shots for submission to National Geographic Channel for publication.
A selection of your best photos will be published on National Geographic Channel where they will be viewed by thousands of travellers worldwide, offering you a once-in-a-lifetime chance to get your foot in the door of one of the most revered exploration organisations in the world!
The Prizes
The Winner will receive:
*An 8-day bespoke trip to Oman with Peregrine Adventures and Oman Tourism.
*Round-trip airfare from your country of residence to Muscat courtesy of Etihad Airways where you will meet your mentor and small film crew.
*An advanced photography kit from
Canon, including:
- Canon EOS 6D: the world’s most lightweight DSLR with full frame sensor
- Canon Speedlight Flash 430EX
- Canon Lenses: 50mm f/1.4; 17-40mm f/4; 70-200 f/4
- a Canon Academy course
- Canon PIXMA PRO100 printer
*Travel insurance for the duration of the trip from World Nomads.
The 3 Runner’s Up will receive:
*A Canon prize pack including:
Who can apply
* This opportunity is open to any non-professional trying to start a career in Travel Photography - photography students or keen amateurs/pro-amateurs looking for a foot in the door.
* Minimum age 18 by the application deadline with a good level of physical fitness.
* This is a global opportunity - you may be a resident of any country.
* You should be an exceptional photographer with a lust for adventure, have a strong desire to be mentored and grow your photographic knowledge and skills, an ambition to forge a career in Travel Photography, and of course a desire to travel to Oman.
* Remember this is a scholarship, a learning experience, and therefore will not be suitable for professional or semi-professional photographers.
Am I eligible? What makes a non-professional?
We appreciate that the photography industry is difficult to break into and there are a lucky few who can count themselves as professional full time photographers.
This scholarship is very much about the mentorship opportunity, and the judging panel will be selecting the person or team who they feel will most benefit from the learning opportunity. So, if you currently make more than 25% of your income from photography activities, you are not eligible.
You will be asked to outline your experience to date in the submission process, and it will be the judging panel who decides who is most suitable based on their photos and written component.
Find out more about eligibility on our FAQ page.
Important Dates
**You need to be available between March 7th-16th, 2013 to participate on the assignment.**
Applications Accepted: November 12 - January 14
Judging Period: January 14 - February 3
Winner Announced: February 4
Assignment: March 7-16, 2013
Apply now!
Please look carefully at the 4 steps required to complete your application.
If your photos (with captions and essay) are not ready, we suggest you come back later to complete this entry.
1. Shoot a series of photos (maximum of 5)
They must tell a story about a place you have visited. 'Place' may be anywhere; somewhere in your own community or much further away. The judges will be looking for:
* originality
* ability to convey a story through photos
* excellent technique
Each of the 5 shots must have accompanying caption text to help contextualize the shot.
Please see our FAQ page about the theme, making digital adjustments and Jason's judging criteria before you submit your application..
2. Add your photos to WorldNomads.com.
Firstly create a journal, which is where your photos will be hosted, and fill in the entry form. Upload your photos either as a Flickr set (they need to be the only 5 photos in the particular Flickr set) or directly in the journal. This year we have a new functionality in Journals that allows you to view your photos in a much larger format, similar to Flickr. (If you are already a member or have a journal, please sign-in.)
*Please don't remove the tags and title of the gallery we have set up for you - this is how we find you*
3. Tell us in 1200 characters or less about yourself and why you should be chosen.
Your written response will have significant weighting in the judging process, so think carefully about why you should be chosen. Tell us about yourself, your passions, why you love photography, what drives you to take a better shot, where you would like to go with your photography etc. Help us form a picture in our mind of you as a person with your text.
Remember this is a once in a lifetime learning opportunity, not a junket for professional photographers.
4. Finally the legal bit.
You know the Terms and Conditions of entry.
One entry per person
Applications close: 2pm January 14, 2013 (Australian Eastern Daylight Time)
Please Note: Last year we almost had a server meltdown because applicants left it to the last minute to submit. Don't miss out! Apply well before the closing date to ensure your application is successful!
The recipient of the Scholarship, along with the best entries, will be published on WorldNomads.com on February 4, 2013.
Check out our finalists and shortlist from 2011 along with judge's comments.
See past travel photography scholarship winner Walid Rashid's photos (2011) and Dat Vu's photos (2010) on the Nat Geo Channel website, and Anna Zhu's (2009) exhibition with Jason Edwards in Sydney.
Any Questions?
Take a look at our FAQs page which provides more details on the task, technical guidelines, judging criteria, eligibility and more. Please read this page before posting your question in the comments sections below - chances are, we've already answered your question there!
Posters
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About Jason Edwards
With an image portfolio ranking among the largest of any photographer in the National Geographic Society's long history, Melbourne-based photo journalist Jason Edwards is the face of Pure Photography on National Geographic Channel. This series of natural history vignettes accompanies him on assignment as he chronicles the world's natural wonders through a lens. Follow Jason and his amazing adventures of life in the field as a National Geographic Photographer here. And you might even get some photography tips!
For all of you aspiring creatives, check out our Scholarships page and sign up to hear about our latest opportunities, tips, advice and interviews with industry professionals in the fields of photography, travel writing and filmmaking.
And if you're lucky enough to be mentored by one of our industry professionals, it could kick start your career!
WorldNomads.com keeps you travelling safely. Whether you’re off for a long weekend, looking for the ultimate adventure or living the nomadic dream, you’ll stay safe with Travel Insurance you can buy online, anytime, and the latest travel safety advice. Learn how to flirt in over 25 languages with our free language guides and have an experience of a lifetime on a travel scholarship. We'll also help you share your journey with a free travel blog, get answers from other nomads to all of your travel questions (try the new 'Ask A Nomad' iPad app) and donate to a local community development project through our Footprints program.
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