Wayne, NJ—JVC launched the Perfect VIP Experience sweepstakes, offering Stone Temple Pilots fans the opportunity to win a grand prize ticket package for each stop on their anticipated summer/fall 2010 tour. The prize package includes two VIP concert tickets—located within the first 10 rows—a JVC Everio or Picsio video camera, and a meet-and-greet photo opportunity with one of the band members after the show. Prize winners will be encouraged to use their JVC camcorders to take videos and still images at the concert that may be featured on the Stone Temple Pilots Facebook page. Fans can enter to win the Perfect VIP...

Ottawa, ON—Corel’s Quest for the Best Creativity Challenge looks to showcase some of the best inspiring work made in Corel software, whether created by professionals or enthusiasts. “With Corel’s Quest for the Best Creativity Challenge, we’re looking to discover and celebrate some of the extraordinary individuals who use Corel software in unique and inspiring ways,” said Nick Davies, senior vice president, Corporate Marketing, Corel. “As we celebrate our 25th birthday, it’s the perfect time to shine a spotlight on the talent and skills of our community as we thank them for their loyalty and longstanding support.” Corel users are invited to...

Ridgefield Park, NJ—Samsung and The Jimmie Johnson Foundation announced they will partner together for the 2010 Samsung Helmet of Hope program, allowing fans and media members to nominate their favorite children’s charity to receive special recognition and a $10,000 monetary grant. For six consecutive Sprint Cup race weekends, NASCAR champion Jimmie Johnson will select two charities that focus on children in need, one from fan submissions and one from media submissions. The logos of the chosen charities will be featured on Johnson’s helmet. To kick-off the program, Samsung selected Feeding America’s “Kids Café,” an important program that works to address...

The nice thing about new services is that they bend over backwards to lure new customers. Take SnapHaven, a new online photo backup service. As part of their inaugural effort to lure new customers, they're offering unlimited photo scanning for photo prints up to 8 x 10-inches in size to anyone who signs up for a membership (prices start at $49.99 a year). You just pay shipping and handling. The SnapHaven service offers unlimited photo uploads into password-protected galleries as well as a "lifetime guarantee" that your photos will be "accessible and downloadable for 99 years." Whether that claim holds true...

Melville, NY—Makoto Kimura, president of Nikon Corporation, announced that entries for the prestigious Nikon Photo Contest International 2010-2011 will be accepted between September 1 and November 30, 2010. The worldwide contest provides an opportunity for photographers of all skill levels to contribute to photographic culture. Winners will be named in June 2011. Since its inception in 1969, the competition has steadily gained popularity with photographers from every corner of the globe, with more than 320,000 photographers submitting more than 1,310,000 photos. In the 2008-2009 competition, more than 18,000 photographers from 153 countries submitted more than 51,000 photos, marking a new record...

Portland, OR—Lensbaby unveiled the winners of the recent challenge the company posed to its community—to come up with a new shape for their Creative Aperture kit. Lensbaby photographers from around the world took action and submitted their best images taken with a Lensbaby lens and a homemade aperture disk for a chance to win a place in the new kit. Five photographers were selected, and the grand prize winner, with the winning photo showcased on the product packaging, is Troy Eiffert from Kalona, Iowa. Ivan DeWolf, Jerrid Jones, Andrew Kua and Bjorn Rannestad were also chosen and will have their creative...