Sigma announces voting underway to determine Scholarship finalists a half-century of inspiring and empowering photographers to explore the possibiliti

Sigma announces voting underway to determine Scholarship finalists

Voting to determine top five finalists from a field of 167 high school seniors

Ronkonkoma, NY, March 11, 2011 – A diverse collection of photos depicting high school student life, nature scenes, exotic foreign destinations and urban landscapes are among the hundreds of images submitted by 167 high school seniors who are competing in Sigma Corporation of America’s second annual Scholarship Contest.

Now, it’s time for the voters to have their say.

Sigma announced today that a crucial online, public vote is underway to narrow down the field of scholarship candidates to five finalists. Voting started March 1 and will last until 5 p.m. ET, on April 1, 2011. From the five finalists, a judging panel of Sigma executives will then choose the scholarship winner based on image quality, creativity, and technique. The winner will receive $5,000 in cash, and $1,000 toward Sigma products. Sigma will announce the winner April 18, 2011.

To view the students’ submissions and cast a vote, visit http://scholarship.sigmaphoto.com/view-submissions.asp.

“Sigma is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year – a half-century of inspiring and empowering photographers to explore the possibilities. To that end, we’re excited to see such a high level of skill and creativity shown by these budding photographers,” said Mark Amir-Hamzeh, president of Sigma Corporation of America. “We encourage each of the entrants to do all they can to reach out through their networks and promote their work, asking for the votes of their friends and colleagues.”

Voters must register an email address to cast a vote for their favorite submission, and just one vote per email address is allowed.

Sigma launched the second annual Scholarship Contest on Nov. 15 with a goal to empower and support up-and-coming photographers. The contest illustrates Sigma’s five decades of technological achievement and innovation in the industry.

The contest was open to high school seniors who will graduate in 2011, and who plan to pursue a career in a photo-related field, such as photography, photojournalism, graphic arts, design, visual arts, art history, etc.

For information about the Sigma Corporation of America Scholarship, eligibility, the application process, material submissions and a formal list of contest rules, visit http://www.sigmaphoto.com/scholarship/.