Getty Images Launches Search for the Best of Australia's Captured Moments

Sydney, Australia, 11 October 2011 – Getty Images continues its search for iconic Australian images with the return of Grab, a photography competition that gives enthusiasts the opportunity to become Getty Images contributors and win a share in over $8000 of Nikon camera equipment.

Now in its second year, Grab aims to unearth and provide a platform for the outstanding creative talent that Australia has to offer. Anyone with a camera can enter and participate in Getty Images’ search for authentic Aussie imagery.

The brief is simple: Captured Moments, focussing on friendship, family and community. Entrants are invited to submit up to ten of their best images that convey a snapshot of everyday life in Australia. The net is being cast wide and entrants’ imaginations are the limit - the competition is open to those who find inspiration in the world around them and can capture this through the compelling medium of photography.

"Grab celebrates the rediscovery of everyday Aussie life as an art form and provides a unique platform for photography enthusiasts to showcase their creative talent", says Grab judge Stuart Hannagan, Director of Photography and Vice President Australasia at Getty Images. "I am thrilled to see the competition return for its second year and continue to play an important part in fostering the impressive depth and range of photographic talent that exists within Australia. We have seen how much our clients love and appreciate local content and this competition will once again give Australians the chance to share their view of everyday life."

The winner will walk away with a Nikon D700 DSLR and AF-S 85mm fl.4 lens, worth over $5,000. In addition, the runner up will receive a Nikon D3100 twin lens kit (18-55mm VR and 55mm VR lenses) and for the recipient of the People’s Choice Award, the brand new Nikon 1 camera, not yet available in stores and only announced last month. The People’s Choice Award is a new addition to this year’s Grab program, handing the decision-making over to the public, who will be invited to vote for their favourite image, via the Getty Images Australia Facebook page, from 28th November until 4th December.       

"I was pretty stoked when I found out I had won the competition", comments Maddie Stevens, who was awarded first place in 2010, for her quintessentially Australian image of sun and surf, entitled Minolta Weathermatic 3. "I always knew my photograph was good, but to receive such recognition from an industry leader like Getty Images was a real buzz and has given me the confidence to pursue photography at a professional level." 

Aspiring photographers have until midnight on Friday 11th November to submit their Captured Moments at http://apacimagery.gettyimages.com/grab/. All entries are eligible for the major prize and inclusion in a public exhibition to be held at Showcase Gallery in Sydney, between 5th – 10th December.

All submissions will be reviewed by Getty Images and, in addition to the major prize pool, participants will have the opportunity to be invited to become Getty Images contributors, as part of the Flickr Collection.With over 250,000 images, the Getty Images Flickr Collection provides customers with an ever-growing source of authentic, unique imagery from a global community of contributors that includes over 570 photographers from Australia. The content is available to licence exclusively on www.gettyimages.com.au.

Entries will be judged by a panel of dynamic, industry-leading photographers, with expertise spanning the fields of sport, fashion, photojournalism, advertising and editorial. The panel includes: