Canon PhotoMarathon 2018 Hong Kong Station took place on 3 November

HONG KONG, Nov. 5, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Canon PhotoMarathon 2018 Hong Kong, the annual festival held by Canon Hongkong Company Limited (Canon Hongkong) took place on 3 November 2018 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC). More than 2,500 photography enthusiasts carried their own cameras and set out in different corners of Hong Kong to capture the city's unique angles. Participants participated in three categories: "Challenge", "Student", and the newly added "Corporate" category in which participants competed between teams. During the day, participants were required to arrive at designated checkpoints within a limited time, take photographs and hand in their work according to the theme announced at the venue. In order to increase the challenge of the competition, themes were only announced on the spot at each group's venues as they come, setting a test for the time management and creativity of the participants.

"Canon has been conscientiously improving the experience of the PhotoMarathon," Mr. Shunichi Morinaga, President and CEO of Canon Hongkong, said. "This year, the Canon PhotoMarathon Hong Kong event has come to the 10^th year and will continue to provide an enriching experience to photographers as they capture the different aspects of the city. At the same time, we hope to add new, exciting elements to the competition, by inviting different organisations to form teams, and let the PhotoMarathon become an event where everyone can enjoy it without boundaries of age, sector or photography experience. This year, 70% of our entrance fee will be donated to the Arts With the Disabled Association Hong Kong, and we hope to enhance social integration through this event."

The Canon PhotoMarathon 2018 -- Hong Kong Station is a hotly anticipated events for participants, as they are getting ready at the gathering venue for the day's challenging photography mission. No. of Challenge Category participants reached its highest this year. There were 1800 people took part in this category.

A photographic community mission to complete

Participants in the "Challenge" category can use digital cameras with interchangeable lens (DSLR) or light digital cameras of any brands to shoot according to the theme announced by the event at different times. Participants must complete 3 photographic themes, "Experiencing Architecture", "Silent" and "Dusk", in 8 hours. In the 8-hour competition, participants can take photos of the people and scenery of Hong Kong, day and night. The "Student" Group, on the other hand, must complete 2 photography themes within 6 hours. The themes of the "Student" Group are "Clouds on the Horizon" and "Contrast".

Participants of Student and Corporate Category firstly set off this morning. This year, the no. of student participants, over 500 students, exceeded last year.

Missions for teams to challenge your teamwork

For the first time this year, the "Corporate" category is a team-based photo challenge. Participants in this category need to work as a team as they complete on the two themes of "Reflection" and "New and Old Hong Kong" within 7 hours.

The Canon PhotoMarathon is dedicated to discovering the unique charm of the local community and bringing the participants into a genuine "Capturing Hong Kong" experience. Participants have to arrive at their designated checkpoint within a limited time to enter different communities and surround them in an infinite creative experience. Participants of Corporate Category were required to use their teamwork skills, and complete the three tasks: an oral recount of audiovisual imagery, sensory production and sign language interpretation. The checkpoint for the "Student", "Corporate" and "Challenge" category participants were Mei Ho House, Jockey Club Arts Accessibility Service Centre, Arts With the Disabled Association Hong Kong, and Jockey Club Creative Arts Centre respectively.

Arts With the Disabled Association Hong Kong: Breaking boundaries

Every year, the Canon PhotoMarathon spares no effort to promote the continuous development of different communities, as the entrance fee is allocated to charitable purposes. The beneficiary of this year's PhotoMarathon was the Arts With the Disabled Association Hong Kong (ADAHK), where 70% of the entrance fee would be donated to the running costs and the expense of the charity.

This year, Canon raised over four hundred and twenty thousand Hong Kong Dollars to support ADAHK to promote arts among people with disabilities and excellence in the works of artists with disabilities in Hong Kong, bringing integration and inclusion in society through the arts. Members of ADAHK were invited to participate in the competition. Their works were exhibited at the HKCEC to let other participants learn more about audiovisual imagery and sensory production.

"The Association is very honoured to be supported by Canon Hongkong," said Ms. Anita Tsang, Executive Member of ADAHK. "The mission of the association is 'Arts are for Everyone': to believe in everyone who has the potential of art and creation, and that it is everyone's right to appreciate art. With the support of Canon Hongkong, our members are able to receive more support and training in photography, so that they can discover their potential and make use of their talents."

The amount raised by the Canon PhotoMarathon 2018 -- Hong Kong Station is HK$424,305, which was 70% of our entrance fee donated to the Arts With the Disabled Association Hong Kong.

Professional jury panel to select the most exceptional work

Each year, the Canon PhotoMarathon invites different professional photographers from the photography industry to serve as the judging panel, selecting winning works out of 7,000 pieces of work. The panel of this year's Canon PhotoMarathon includes: fine art photographer Mr. Tugo Cheng, current president of Hong Kong Institute of Professional Photographers (HKIPP), commercial photographer Ms. Connie Hong, wedding videographer Mr. Freddy Ma, fashion and interior photographer Mr. Harlim Djauhar Winata, and Mr. Dominic Chan, Senior Manager of Consumer Imaging & Information Group, Canon Hongkong. With their unique insights, the panel will be selecting the best works for the 10th Canon PhotoMarathon -- Hong Kong Station. The five-member panel will select the winners from more than 7,000 photos based on the creativity of the participants: the use of colour, light, shadow, composition of the photos, and the relevance to the theme. The results of this year's winners will be announced on December 15^th, 2018.

Winners to earn exchange opportunities with photographers across Asia

Winners selected by the professional panel will receive a wealth of prizes worth more than HK$300,000:

• The winner of the Gold medal in the "Student" category will represent Hong Kong in the 2019 Canon PhotoMarathon Taipei event.
• The Jury Prize winner of the "Challenge" category will represent Hong Kong in the 2019 Canon PhotoMarathon Asia Championship photography exchange and participate amongst the winners of the Canon PhotoMarathon themed challenges across Asia.
• The Jury Prize winner of the "Corporate" category will join in the tour organised by the Taiwan Tourism Bureau for free, where they will earn a rare opportunity to fly to Taiwan, capturing the natural beauty of Nantou and Pingtung as well as traditional festivals.
• All contestants will receive a limited edition Crumpler lightweight camera bag and a 2018 Asia Special Edition Memorial Medal at the end of the event.

Professional photographers share tips and review winning works through the decades

Each year, the Canon PhotoMarathon invites professional photographers from all across the industry to come and share their experience in photography; this year is no exception. Ms. Topaz Leung, Mr. Ulso Tsang and Mr. Lawrence Tsang are invited to share tips on lens application for the participants and guests. In its 10^th year, the Canon PhotoMarathon Hong Kong event venue is hosting an exhibition for the award-winning works from the past decade, allowing guests to witness and review the changes throughout these years, while celebrating past achievements. The Canon Product Experience Zone, the Microworks Photographic Equipment Experience and the Hong Kong Post booth are also on site where photographers will surely be happy to return.

For more information about the competition, please browse the event page www.canon.com.hk/photomarathon, or Like the Canon Hongkong Facebook page www.facebook.com/CPM.HongKong.

About Canon Hongkong Company Limited

Canon Inc. (TSE:7751 / NYSE:CAJ) was founded in 1937 in Japan. Its predecessor, Precision Optical Instruments Laboratory, produced Japan's first 35 mm focal-plane-shutter camera "Kwanon" in 1934. Canon Inc. eventually expanded into the photocopying and printing industries, launching Japan's first plain-paper copier NP-1100 in 1970 and the world's first inkjet printer BJ-80 in 1985. Through the years, Canon Inc. has acquired in-depth experience in digital imaging product manufacturing, and research and development. It is a leader in the development of innovative products and holds the most technology patents in the imaging industry. Canon Inc. also makes a significant contribution to the promotion of photography. Today, Canon Inc. has a strong global presence and is one of the most important market players in the imaging, office and industrial product categories. As of 31 December 2017, Canon's global revenue was US$36.1 billion. 

One of the company's first offices in Asia, Canon Hongkong Company Limited (Canon Hongkong) was established in 1971. It is responsible for the sales, marketing and after-sales services for all Canon product lines in Hong Kong and Macau. Canon Hongkong adheres to Canon's corporate philosophy of "kyosei", which encourages the company and its staff to participate in social, charitable and environmental activities in the community. Canon Hongkong implements internationally-recognized management systems and has achieved ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 27001 (Canon Digital Production Center) and OHSAS 18001 certification. For more information about Canon Hongkong, please visit our website: https://hk.canon.

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