Sigma Corporation of America now accepting Scholarship Contest applications

High school seniors vie for $5,000 cash prize, $1,000 in photography products

Ronkonkoma, NY, Nov. 30, 2010 “ Sigma Corporation of America is currently accepting photo and application submissions for its
second annual Scholarship Contest. The contest, which will award $6,000 in cash and photography gear, is open to all high school seniors who plan to pursue a photo-related career.

Applications for the contest are now being accepted through Feb. 28, 2011 via the Sigma scholarship website. Students interested in entering the contest must submit between three and five photos that are thematically tied. These photos must also represent outstanding image quality, a concept that is the foundation of Sigma Corporations commitment to the photographic industry. In addition, students must complete an essay of between 300 and 800 words that describes their creative process in shooting, selecting and editing their photos.

Students pursuing higher education in industries such as photography, photojournalism, graphic arts and design, visual arts and art history are eligible to apply, and each submission will be judged on the creativity of the subject selection, overall technique, and image quality.

“The images submitted in our first scholarship contest exhibited a high level of skill and passion which was a true pleasure to see, said Mark Amir-Hamzeh, general manager of Sigma Corporation of America. “Our support of these talented young photographers has been confirmed and we very much look forward to seeing what this years competition will produce.

Sigmas first Scholarship Contest winner, Jamie Russell of Cheektowaga, N.Y., submitted a series of photographs depicting poverty in her hometown. A total of 122 students competed in the contest.

A public, online vote will be held from March 1, 2011 until April 1, 2011, and the top five vote-getters will become finalists. Sigma executives will then choose the Scholarship winner; the winner will be announced on April 18, 2011.

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/. For information on Sigma Corporation of America and its lenses, cameras and flashes, visit www.sigmaphoto.com.

About Sigma Corporation
For nearly 50 years, Sigma Corporations expertise and innovation has driven the companys core philosophy of “knowledge, plus experience, plus imagination,with an emphasis on producing high-quality, high-performance photographic technology at moderate prices. This family-owned organization is the largest, independent SLR lens manufacturer in the world, producing more than 50 lenses that are compatible with most manufacturers, including Sigma, Canon, Sony, Nikon, Olympus and Pentax. Sigma Corporation also produces digital SLR cameras and high-definition digital compact cameras. The company is headquartered in Japan, with offices strategically located throughout Europe, Asia and North America. For information, please visit www.sigmaphoto.com.