Epson Sets New Record with World's Largest Digital Imaging Photo and Graphics Contest

Seiko Epson Corporation ("Epson") today announced the final selection of winners in the 2004 Color Imaging Contest, an Epson-sponsored event for digitally output photographs and graphic works. Held since 1994, the contest is a way for Epson to help promote new forms of expression via digital printing and help create a rich, fun digital culture. Last fiscal year there were a total of 45,668 entries, making it the largest* worldwide contest restricted to digitally printed photos and graphics.

"Digital image innovation: Targeting the convergence of imaging domains." With this as the cornerstone of the company's medium- to long-range corporate vision (SE07), Epson aims to support richer communication and bring color to the lives of people around the world by providing new digital imaging solutions that combine still and moving images. The "Epson Color Imaging Contest" is designed to reflect this aim.

The contest has now grown well beyond Japan to become a truly international event. This year there were a total of 105,033 entries, and 51,477 entries were from 11 countries and territories in Asia, including Korea, China, Taiwan, Malaysia, India, Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand, The Philippines, Vietnam, and Hong Kong. About one-third of all awards are going to non-Japanese entries.

Grand Prize Award Winners

Epson Color Imaging Contest 2004
Grand Prize: Hiroaki Nagatsu, 3 million yen and an Epson product

The contest featured the following changes this year:

1. Epson Color Imaging Contest 2004
We introduced a new Grand Prize Runner-Up award -Second Prize- (2 million yen cash prize; one winner), while keeping the Grand Prize (3 million yen cash prize; one winner) from last fiscal year.

2. Family Snap Award
We introduced a new Event/Sports Award (100,000 yen cash prize; two winners) and a Marvelous Photo Award (100,000 yen cash prize; two winners). We further increased the number of awards by adding special awards such as the Funny Snap Award (50,000 yen cash prize; 10 winners).

3. Nature & Human Life Photo Award
Last year we held a Nature Photo Award contest. This year we added a new Human Life Photo category, the primary themes of which were human subjects and manmade objects. The addition of the Grand Prizes (1 million yen cash prize; one winner) in both the Nature Photo and Human Life Photo categories helped bring the total number works selected to receive a prize to over 130.