National competition offers Liverpool local community chance to shine

Social investor, Nominet Trust today is invit ing aspiring photographers from Liverpool to enter a national competition and to be in with a chance of seeing their image displayed in a mationwie photography exhibition – Our Digital Planet.

Entrants are being asked to submit images which demonstrate what the internet means to them and what difference it has made to their lives. The competition winners’ photograph will complete a 24 image exhibition going on tour to demonstrate the power of the internet to change our lives for the better. The tour arrives in Liverpool on Wednesday 17th October.

Liverpool is one of six cities hosting the exhibition – it will also visit Brighton, Bristol, Cardiff, Glasgow and Leeds.

The winning entry will be the final image at the exhibition, taking centre stage at Our Digital Planet, alongside evocative images depicting a range of areas where the internet has positively affected our lives. In addition, Nominet Trust, which believes in the power of digital technology to improve lives and communities, will award the winner with over £500 of photography equipment and a personal photography workshop with renowned photographer David Collingwood.

Inspired entrants should upload their image to the Our Digital Planet Group on blipfoto.com [http://www.blipfoto.com/groups/our-digital-planet]. Entrants should also include a brief explanation of how their photo represents the impact the internet has had on their life. The competition closes on 3rd August 2012.

During the competition, visitors to blipfoto.com will be encouraged to vote to help develop the shortlist that will then be put forward to a judging panel. The panel will then decide the overall winner and that photo that will feature in the exhibition.

Annika Small Nominet Trust CEO commented:
“Whether it’s helping to improve health, education or employment prospects, reducing feelings of social isolation, helping us to campaign for good causes or championing democracy across whole nations, the internet has opened up a wealth of opportunities for individuals, communities and organisations the world over.

This national competition presents a fantastic opportunity to really get people thinking about and celebrating the opportunities the internet presents in a creative way. Entering couldn’t be easier and so I’d urge inspired individuals to get clicking and take part.

For most of us, life without the internet is a distant memory. However, 8.4 million of our total population either don’t have access to the internet or choose not to use it. We want to re-dress this balance so everyone can benefit.

The Our Digital Planet exhibition will include a range of images which aim to intrigue, inform and inspire visitors and ultimately encourage people of all ages and backgrounds to learn more about how the internet has positively contributed to our society.�

Joe Tree, founder of Blipfoto said:
"Blipfoto is a place where people share their daily stories and photos online. Everyday we're fascinated to see thousands of inspirational pictures from every corner of the world. Many people that use Blipfoto might not otherwise do this, but we foster a very supportive community. This in itself shows how the internet has broken both social and geographic barriers. We look forward to helping encourage even more people to see the benefits that the internet has to offer."

For further information or to find out more about the competition, visit: www.ourdigitalplanet.co.uk