This is a great achievement, as the judges have narrowed down the finalists from thousands of photographers who submitted their images.

The winners will be announced at a gala event at the Vodaworld Dome, Johannesburg on the 12th of August.


About Jonathan Banks

Jonathan Banks graduated with a BA honours in “Photographic Studies” in June 1993. He won the Jessops student of the year award and went on to gain sponsorship with Kodak with whom he produced several bodies of work for a touring exhibition.

He has freelanced with many of the broadsheets, and world class magazines and now divides his work between a stable of blue chip clients and a handful of publications.

His recent achievements include:

• July 2010 - Selected for the Foto8 Summer Festival
  
• April 2010 - Featured as a winner in the Top Knots Awards in the PDN magazine
• March 2010 - A semi finalist in two categories in the Nikon Africa International Awards
• Dec 2009 - Runner up in the Travel Photographer of the Year - Festivals
• Dec 2009 - Scooped a Silver in the Photojournalism category of the International Aperture Awards
• Dec 2009 - Received a Bronze in the Weddings category of the International Aperture Awards
• July 2009 - Achieved an honourable mention in the International Photography Awards in the Culture Pro category

For more information, check out his websites: www.jonathanbanks.co.uk and www.photo-banks.com.

About the Africa Photographic Awards

The Africa Photographic Awards celebrate photography, the most powerful and widely used communication medium in today’s society. It awards professional and aspiring amateur photographers using any make of camera, for photographic excellence, on an international stage.

The distributors of Nikon in South Africa’s support of the Africa Photographic Awards shows its commitment to photography, the public perception of the art, and a commitment to social prosperity via The Tomorrow Trust.

The distributors of Nikon in South Africa’s CEO, Stefan van der Walt elaborates : “We want to create a greater awareness of the importance of the role of photography in our society and to promote it as a career and rewarding hobby for life. Photography is the most powerful and widely used medium of communication today whether for recording history, for capturing memories or as an expressive art form.”

[Africa Photographic Awards information was taken from: www.africaphotographicawards.com]

I am pleased to announce we now have the AF-S 24mm f/1.4 Nikkor back in stock in limited supply. For a brief period of time we are happy to offer this high-quality wide angle lens for £1799.00, a £150.00 reduction form RRP for the first three enquiries. We only have a very small quantity of these lenses so if you were thinking of getting one, this may be the best time to do so.


The AF-S 70-200mm f/2.8 VR II is also back in stock and customer feed-back on results all rave about the quick and sharp updated Vibration Reduction. Ideal for both DX and FX cameras, the VR II version of this lens tackles any vignetting problems noted on full-frame Nikon bodies that may have been experienced with the VR I, and works with the full range of Nikon AF-S teleconverters. The lens is currently £1629.00 and available to order today for next day special delivery within the UK.

Grays of Westminster Special Offers

You may also be interested to know that we have reduced prices on the following items, available while stocks last:

D3X + AF-S 14-24mm f/2.8 + AF-S 24-70mm f/2.8	£7299.00
D3S + AF-S 14-24mm f/2.8 + AF-S 24-70mm f/2.8	£6039.00
VERY LIMITED STOCK - Please be prepared to wait for some items to come into stock
D700 + AF-S 16-35mm f/4 VR	£2640.00
AF-S 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5G IF-ED DX	£585.00
AF-S 14-24mm f/2.8G IF-ED	£1279.00
AF-S 16-35mm f/4G ED VR	£879.00
AF-S 200-400mm f/4G IF-ED VR II	£6150.00
AF-S 300mm f/2.8G IF-ED VR II	£4095.00

(Please note that some products may be in limited supply and therefore please telephone the shop directly to confirm stock and place an order).

Nikon Owner Magazine News

A year's subscription includes automatic entry into all of our prize draws this year, a 3-year international warranty on all new equipment bought from us and an 18-month warranty on all second-hand items, technical support directly from Simon Stafford, considered by many to be the Nikon expert in the UK, and a 10% discount off Think Tank bags and products.

Your membership also entitles you to reductions off Nikon Training Days and discounts on our numerous events, seminars and workshops.

On that note, congratulations to the winners of our two prize draws. A long-standing subscriber from Cheshire , has won the lovely 45mm f/2.8P AIS lens, and a new subscriber from Kent has won the Coolpix S1000pj. The runners-up will receive a signed copy of the book Grays of Westminster - In the Company of Legends. This months prize is £180.00 worth of training vouchers from Nikon UK and we will announce the winner next month.

We have many more prize draws coming up as part of our Grays of Westminster 25th Anniversary celebrations this year and as a Nikon Owner subscriber you will of course be notified as and when they arise.

Digital Nikons Wanted for Cash
If you are planning to upgrade your Digital SLR we are currently offering cash and part exchange for all Digital SLR camera bodies and lenses. Please call our Buying Department for an evaluation if you are interested in upgrading and receiving a free estimate.

As always, do not hesitate to give us a call if you have any queries related to your Nikon equipment or regarding any of the above mentioned items.

Kindest Regards,

Becky Danese

Grays of Westminster - Exclusively... Nikon
40 Churton Street
Pimlico
London SW1V 2LP
Tel: +44 020 7828 4925
Fax: +44 020 7976 5783
Website: http://www.graysofwestminster.co.uk

Hampshire – Throughout the month of August 2010, award-winning Hampshire-based wildlife photographer, Michael Huggan, Royal Photographic Society Associate with Distinction (ARPS), will be exhibiting a collection of his photographs at The Allen Gallery, Alton, Hampshire. The free exhibition is entitled, “Wildlife and Wild Places’.

Dr Mike Maloney OBE, Britain’s most decorated press photographer, will be officially opening the exhibition at 7:00pm on Friday 6th August 2010 (by invitation only).


“The Allen Gallery serves the local community and promotes different skills locally. As a local photographer, I was extremely happy to be asked to display my pictures for the month of August. I decided to call the exhibition ‘Wildlife and Wild Places’ because my photography has grown from purely wildlife to everything that surrounds it. Of the places I have visited (Africa, India, the Camargue in France and parts of the American dessert), one must take into account the locations, people and their environment. All these elements, together, make the final picture,” explains Michael.

On display will be images, canvas prints and cards of locations, wildlife and customs of Africa, India and the US. The exhibition will also include images of ‘Marwari’ horses in India and of the American Mustang horses of New Mexico.

‘Wildlife and Wild Places’ is on at The Allen Gallery, Church Street, Alton, Hampshire, GU34 2BW Tel 0845 603 5635, from 10:00am Tuesday 03 Aug 2010 to 5:00pm Saturday 28 Aug 2010. Admission is free.


About Michael Huggan
Long-time Nikon user and Royal Photographic Society Associate with Distinction (ARPS), Michael Huggan lives in Four Marks, Hampshire. His photographic experience covers a wide range of subjects but he is most well known for his wildlife work, for which he has won many awards, most notably a Royal Photographic Society gold medal in 2007. His photography, available as limited edition pictures, calendars, note cards and exhibition-range framed pictures can be viewed at http://www.michaelhuggan.com/assignments.php. Michael also recently launched a new instructional website for budding wildlife photographers: http://www.wildlifephotographyinfo.com. Michael is a supporter of the Born Free Foundation.

For more information, please contact:

Michael Huggan, ARPS
Michael Huggan Photography
Cranford House
Alton Lane, Four Marks
Alton
Hampshire
GU34 5AJ

.
At Grays of Westminster, we are very keen to buy your mint, or near mint, Nikon digital camera equipment. For example:

Cameras

Nikon DLRs: D3s, D3X, D700, D300s, D300, D200 an others.

We also want to buy your Nikon Autofocus lenses.

AF-D Nikkor Lenses

10.5mm f/2.8F DX, 14mm f/2.8D IF ED, 16mm f/2.8D Fisheye, 20mm f/2.8D, 24mm f/2.8D, 28mm f/2.8D, 28mm f/1.4D, 35mm f/2D, 50mm f/1.8D, 50mm f/1.4D, AF-S 50mm f/1.4G, 85mm f/1.4D IF, 85mm f/1.8D, 105mm f/2D AF-DC.

AF-D Zoom-Nikkor Lenses

18-35mm f/3.5-4.5D IF-ED, 24-85mm f/2.8-4D IF, 24-120mm f/3.5-5.6D, 28-105mm f/3.5-4.5D IF, 28-200mm f/3.5-5.6D, 35-70mm f/2.8D, 70-300mm f/4-5.6D ED, 80-200mm f/2.8D ED AFN, 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6D ED AF VR.


AF-S Silent Wave Nikkor Lenses

24mm f/1.4G ED, 35mm f/1.8G,50mm f/1.4G, 12-24mm f/4G IF-ED DX, 17-35mm f/2.8D, 17-55mm f/2.8G DX IF-ED, 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5G IF-ED, 28-70mm f/2.8D AF-S, 70-200mm f/2.8G VR, 80-200mm f/2.8D, 200mm f/2G VR IF-ED, 200-400mm f/4G VR IF-ED, 300mm f/2.8G VR IF-ED II, 300mm f/4D IF-ED, 500mm f/4G VR IF-ED, 600mm f/4G VR IF-ED, TC-14E II 1.4x, TC-17E II 1.7X, TC-20E II & TC-20E III 2x teleconverters

AF Micro-Nikkor Lenses

AF-S 60mm f/2.8G ED Micro, 60mm f/2.8D AF Micro, AF-S 85mm f/3.5G VR DX Micro IF-ED, AF-S 105mm f/2.8G VR Micro, 105mm f/2.8D AF Micro, 105mm f/2.8G VR AF-S, 200mm f/4D AF ED Micro, 70-180mm f/4.5-5.6D AF ED Micro, 85mm f/2.8D Perspective Control Micro-Nikkor.

Please telephone us on 0207 828 4925 or email info@graysofwestminster.co.uk with a list of your unwanted Nikon equipment.
.

As part of the celebration of Grays of Westminster’s 25th Anniversary this year, we are delighted to let you know that if you are a current subscriber to Nikon Owner, your name will be entered into a special silver anniversary prize-draw and the first two names chosen will each win a training voucher from Nikon UK worth £180. This can be spent on any training course that Nikon provides!

The four runners-up will win a signed hardback Grays of Westminster book - In the Company of Legends.

If you are not a current subscriber to Nikon Owner, please read below to find out how you could qualify to enter the prize-draw.

What is Nikon Owner?
Nikon Owner magazine and Interactive Website is considered by many to be the world’s number 1 user group for Nikon owners. It was initially founded with the purpose of assisting Nikon users to make full use of the Nikon equipment they own, to give advice on a wide spectrum of photographic queries and problems, and at the same time to offer ideas to bring about an increase in photographic skills. Subscription to Nikon Owner magazine and interactive website provides a bridge between theory and practical, technical know ledge and accomplishment. As a subscriber to this group, you will receive an array of offers and assistance, as well as the unique photographic publication:

Nikon Owner magazine
From the cold reaches of the Arctic to the muted ocres of The Palio, from the panoramic sweep of an alien landscape to the microscopic detail of a leaf in bud, Nikon Owner magazine is both inspirational and informative. It is a superb, glossy full-colour 60-page quarterly magazine that is 100% Nikon. Each issue delivers bench-mark technical reviews of the very latest Nikon equipment, thought-provoking interviews and articles with world-class images. With its mix of stunning images, illuminating articles to assist and enlighten the photographer, and the very latest reviews on Nikon equipment, it is the essential magazine for the Nikon user.

Nikon Owner subscriber benefits additionally include:

• Private user name and password to subscribers’-only website which includes a lively forum, message board, technical equipment reviews, events’ page and use of a photo gallery.
• Simon Stafford’s Technical Helpline: free technical consultation and support from Simon Stafford who is considered to be one of the top Nikon experts in the UK ; you will be able to benefit from his formidable knowledge and have all your technical questions fully answered by email. This service is exclusive to Nikon Owner subscribers.
• FREE 3-year warranty on all new Nikon products from Grays of Westminster within your year of subscription.
• FREE 18-month warranty on second-hand Nikon from Grays of Westminster within your year of subscription.
• 10% off Think-Tank bags purchased at Grays of Westminster.
• Special trips: past visits have included a two-week trip to Japan and a personal tour of the Nikon factory, a visit to Nikon Thailand , Angkor Watt, Cambodia.
• Substantial discounts on events and training sessions such as Mike Maloney’s House of Lords Photographic Workshop, Heather Angel’s Wildlife & Natural History Workshops, Neil Lucas's Definitive Time-Lapse Event, Chris Weston’s Photographic Courses, Simon Stafford’s Flash, Portraiture and Macro Seminars.
• 10% off any training courses run by Nikon UK.
• A range of complimentary meetings and outings organized by local Nikon Owner Groups.
• Nikon Owner Grand Christmas Dinner at the Institute of Directors, Pall Mall, London.

Please email me your name, daytime landline and mobile telephone number if you are interested in finding out more or speak to any of my colleagues between 10.00 a.m. to 5.30 p.m. Monday to Friday on 020 7828 4925 or 020 7828 8971; alternatively for International calls, telephone + 44 (0)20 7828 4925. The cost of an annual subscription to Nikon Owner: Special price: £59. Please quote PD2:59. Offer ends July 31st, 2010.
With kindest regards

Gillian Greenwood
Features Editor and Events & Training Coordinator

Nikon today announces its continued sponsorship of The Open Championship, the world’s oldest golf tournament, which is celebrating its 150th year. Nikon will be sponsoring The Championship, which is taking place between 15-18 July, at St Andrews, Scotland, for the 17th consecutive year, and has lined up some exciting activities and promotions to reflect this special anniversary for the tournament.


Nikon will also be setting up a retail unit displaying all of the latest Nikon DSLR and COOLPIX cameras, with expert advisors on hand to help people looking for a camera to capture the stunning scenery and important moments of what promises to be a memorable Championship. There will also be a gallery showing some of the iconic images captured by leading Nikon professional sports photographer, David Ashdown, which have characterised Open Championships through the years.

As with previous years, Nikon will be providing a dedicated photography service depot on site for the army of professional photographers that will be present at St Andrews from all over the world, where they can loan equipment or check their equipment in for cleaning or repair services.

The Open Golf Championship is one of Nikon’s most significant worldwide sponsorships, having been a patron of the event since 1993. The company is committed to continuing its patronage until 2012 and beyond, ensuring a prominent brand presence at what remains one of the biggest events in the sporting calendar.

Commenting on Nikon’s ongoing sponsorship of The Open Championship, Birgitta Olson, General Manager of Marketing Communications at Nikon Europe, said: “Golf has provided sport with some of its most inspiring images and therefore we see our sponsorship of the oldest and most prestigious golf tournament in the world as a very natural fit. We understand the unique challenges involved in shooting high quality golfing images in what are often testing conditions, and therefore we are continuing to provide photographers with the very best equipment and technical support they need.”

We now have only very few places left for Heather Angel’s Wildlife and Natural History Workshop on Saturday 24th July, 2010 with a special Nikon Owner discount off the price of the course. Enrolling on the workshop as a current Nikon Owner subscriber will cost £185 and allow you the benefit of a discount of £60 off the normal price of £245.

Nikon UK will be joining Heather Angel for her Wildlife & Natural History Workshop; the event is sponsored by Grays of Westminster, and will be held at Saint Hill Manor in West Sussex . Heather will also be joined by representatives from Think Tank Photo bags.

Heather Angel workshop venue: Saint Hill Manor

Heather Angel, the internationally re now ned wildlife photographer, has been the recipient of a large number of awards and prizes from all over the world for her widely acclaimed lectures, writing and workshops. In addition, she is a regular contributor to the worldwide photographic press and the distinguished author of over 50 books. She is an enthusiastic tutor of wildlife and nature photography, and this very popular one-day workshop at Saint Hill Manor, East Grinstead, West Sussex is perfect for both the newcomer and experienced photographer alike. The schedule includes lectures, demonstrations and the chance to handle and use a very wide range of new Nikon camera equipment. The workshops regularly attract visitors from all over the U.K. , Europe and throughout the world.

An overview of the schedule for the day:

09.15 Registration with coffee and tea served on the terrace of the Manor

10.00 -11.15 Heather Angel talk – what makes a memorable image?

11.15 Break for mid-morning refreshment: tea, coffee, mineral water on the Terrace.

11.45 - 12.45 Nikon Total Imaging System – John Clements.

13.00 Lunch: an elegant lunch overlooking the beautiful gardens of Saint Hill Manor and a wooded lake.

14.00 onwards there will be a choice of four sessions:

Practical Macro session with Heather Angel inside and in the garden

Outside Practical session with John Clements

Photoshop Techniques with Giles Angel (aimed at different levels as the afternoon progresses)

Practical Macro session with Heather Angel inside and in the garden

Outside Practical session with birds of prey both tethered and in flight with Julian Ford

By popular request, the birds of prey are back – ideal subjects to achieve stunning action images – both as stills and HD video with the latest DSLR Nikon cameras.

16.15 Afternoon Tea and Coffee or cool drinks served on the Terrace.

16.45 Practical Session with Heather Angel outside. Heather will demonstrate various gadgets for aiding outdoor photography and demonstrate how she works in the rain.

17.00 Workshop closes.

18.30 Dinner at the Manor. A special complimentary thank-you dinner to all those attending the workshop has been organised by Grays of Westminster and the staff of Saint Hill Manor.

For a more detailed schedule, please visit: http://www.graysofwestminster.co.uk/workshop/

Please note that although Nikon cameras and lenses will be available for attendees to try out during the day (in fact these workshops are an excellent opportunity to handle and try out Nikon equipment before making a purchase), attendees are asked to bring their own kit – macro lens, long lens, flash and tripod – to get the best from the practical sessions.

Copies of Heather's books – including Wild Kew, which is the basis of the 2010 summer exhibition at Kew Gardens – will be available over the weekend.

Booking details:
The ticket includes refreshments, lunch and the evening meal, costs £245 per person for the whole day's events and can be booked online here: http://www.graysofwestminster.co.uk/secure/angel-workshop.php

For more information on the Heather Angel workshop or Nikon Owner, please contact me, Gillian Greenwood Features Editor / Events and Training Coordinator. You are welcome to do so by either emailing me at gillian.greenwood@graysofwestminster.co.uk with your name, daytime landline and mobile telephone number if you are interested in enrolling in Nikon Owner or the workshop or call me or any of my colleagues after 2.00 p.m. Monday to Friday on 020 7828 8971 or for International calls, telephone + 44 (0)20 7828 8971. The cost of an annual subscription to Nikon Owner is currently only £59. Please quote HA59 if you would like to apply by telephone.

What is Nikon Owner?
Nikon Owner Magazine and Interactive Website is considered by many to be the world’s number 1 user group for Nikon owners. It was initially founded with the purpose of assisting Nikon users to make full use of the Nikon equipment they own, to give advice on a wide spectrum of photographic queries and problems, and at the same time to offer ideas to bring about an increase in photographic skills. Subscription to Nikon Owner magazine and interactive website provides a bridge between theory and practical, technical knowledge and accomplishment. As a subscriber to this group, you will receive an array of offers and assistance, as well as the unique photographic publication:

Nikon Owner Magazine
From the cold reaches of the Arctic to the muted ocres of The Palio, from the panoramic sweep of an alien landscape to the microscopic detail of a leaf in bud, Nikon Owner magazine is both inspirational and informative. It is a superb, glossy full-colour 60-page quarterly magazine that is 100% Nikon. Each issue delivers bench-mark technical reviews of the very latest Nikon equipment, thought-provoking interviews and articles with world-class images. With its mix of stunning images, illuminating articles to assist and enlighten the photographer, and the very latest reviews on Nikon equipment, it is the essential magazine for the Nikon user.

Nikon Owner subscriber benefits additionally include:

• Nikon Owner magazine is a superb, glossy full-colour 60-page quarterly magazine that is 100% Nikon. Each issue delivers bench-mark technical reviews of the very latest Nikon equipment, thought-provoking interviews and articles with world-class images.
• Private user name and password to subscribers’-only website which includes a lively forum, message board, technical equipment reviews, events’ page and use of a photo gallery.
• Simon Stafford’s Technical Helpline: free technical consultation and support from Simon Stafford who is widely recognised as one of the world's foremost Nikon experts; you will be able to benefit from his formidable knowledge and have all your technical questions fully answered by email. This service is exclusive to Nikon Owner subscribers.
• FREE 3-year warranty on all new Nikon products from Grays of Westminster within your year of subscription.
• FREE 18-month warranty on second-hand Nikon from Grays of Westminster within your year of subscription.
• 10% off Think-Tank bags purchased at Grays of Westminster.
• Special trips: past visits have included a two-week trip to Japan and a personal tour of the Nikon factory, as well as a visit to Nikon Thailand, Angkor Watt, Cambodia.
• Substantial discounts on events and training sessions such as Mike Maloney’s House of Lords Photographic Workshop, Heather Angel’s Wildlife & Natural History Workshops, Chris Weston’s Photographic Courses, Simon Stafford’s Definitive Flash, Portraiture and Macro Seminars.
• 10% off any training courses run by Nikon UK.
• A range of complimentary meetings and outings organized by local Nikon Owner Groups.
• Nikon Owner Grand Christmas Dinner at the Institute of Directors, Pall Mall, London.

About Grays of Westminster

The legendary award-winning Grays of Westminster, currently celebrating its twenty-fifth year, is a charming period shop, specialising exclusively in Nikon. It offers what is probably the widest range of new and second-hand Nikon in the world. It is situated in a quiet location in central London and offers a fast and reliable mail-order service on any Nikon item – available to all world-wide destinations. Tax free shopping to non-European Community residents is also available.

For more information on Grays of Westminster, please contact:

Grays of Westminster
40 Churton Street
London
SW1V 2LP

Main: +44 (0)20 7828 4925
Fax: +44 (0) 20 7976 5783
E-mail: info@graysofwestminster.co.uk
Web: http://www.graysofwestminster.co.uk
With best wishes
Gillian Greenwood
Features Editor /Events and Training Coordinator