National Geographic Abu Dhabi is set to launch 'Photomentaries 2012, a one month-long festival that celebrates photography in the region' starting from tomorrow (February 1).

Photomentaries comprises a TV series featuring the world’s most amazing photography assignments undertaken by National Geographic photographers, as well as a photography competition with the theme ‘Capture Life in Motion.

The Photomentaries TV series will feature seven episodes (Lava Hunter; Maori Up Close; Pollinators; Wrecks To Reefs; Secret Voices; Killer Current and Lightning) which explore how the world’s most renowned photographers face the extreme in their quest for the perfect shot.

The festival will also feature a photography contest under the theme ‘Capture Life in Motion.’

The contest, which is the second National Geographic Abu Dhabi photography contest in the Middle East,
looks at how the world around us is in constant motion.

Open to the public across the Arab World, the contest invites people to use their photography skills to capture dynamic pictures conveying life in motion, for a chance to win a range of impressive prizes.

The winning entry (Grand Prize) will feature in National Geographic Al Arabiya Magazine and receive photography equipment worth $5,000.

Runners up will get photography accessories worth $2,500 and $1,500 respectively, in addition to featuring the winning photographs on National Geographic Abu Dhabi TV.

“We received a phenomenal response to Photomentaries in its inaugural year. The episodes were amongst the top-rated shows on our channel and the contest received a record 30,991 entries,' said Rohit D’Silva, senior VP and general manager (Mena), National Geographic Abu Dhabi..

'Entries can be submitted, along with a caption explaining the inspiration behind the photograph, to natgeotv.ae/photomentaries from February 1 to 29,' he noted.

'Photomentaries has proven to be a great platform for us to showcase the key attributes of brand National Geographic and reach out to audiences interested in the subject of photography.”

The Photomentaries will be shown on National Geographic every Friday at 10pm (UAE time) and 9pm (Saudi time) from February 3 to 24.

The contest will have a judges panel which includes big names such as George Steinmetz, a renowned National Geographic Photographer and Mohamed Al Hammadi, editor-in-chief of National Geographic Al Arabiya Magazine.

“To be featured in National Geographic magazine is every photographer’s dream,” said Al Hammadi.
“Imagery is an integral part of everything that we do, and this contest is a unique opportunity for keen photographers to demonstrate their capabilities to a regional audience,” he added.

Commenting on the contest, Steinmetz, said: “Earlier in my career, I ventured into the remotest stretches of Arabia's Empty Quarter. It gives me great pleasure to come back to this region and be involved in judging this unique contest, contributing to the development of local photography talent.”

Judging will consist of two rounds of evaluation. In round one, each judge will select 10 entries in each category from among all eligible entries, based on creativity and photographic quality.

Entries selected in round one will then proceed to round two, where the judges will select three winners (1st, 2nd and 3rd) from amongst the short listed 10 entries.-TradeArabia News Service