When you're buying a camera or any item of photographic equipment, the service you receive is as important as the price you pay.

Whether it's informative buying advice, swift delivery and equally swift action if things go wrong, good service is a precious commodity that should be shouted from the rooftops.

That's where the What Digital Camera Good Service Awards comes in, by recognising and rewarding those retailers who go that extra mile. There are three categories: Best Online Retailer, Best High Street Independent Retailer and Best High Street Multiple Retailer.

To vote is easy; all you need to do is complete the competition form on the voting page of the What Digital Camera website.

Competition ends: 14th January 2011.

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

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 as well as a customer of Grays of Westminster, your name will be entered into a special silver anniversary prize-draw to win a 45mm f/2.8P Nikkor AIS chrome lens, with HN-35 lens hood, 52mm NC filter, and lens pouch, boxed, new (RRP - £440.00).
The four runners-up will each win a signed hardback Grays of Westminster Book - In the Company of Legends.

There will be a number of special silver anniversary offers for our customers throughout this period. This is in addition to our regular up-to-date news on Nikon equipment (digital and film, new and second-hand), and announcements of seminars, workshops, special trips and events. 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 gillian.greenwood@nikonownermagazine.com with 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 PD59. Offer ends June 30th, 2010.

With kindest regards

Gillian Greenwood
Features Editor and Events & Training Coordinator

.

London, United Kingdom - Britain’s most decorated press photographer, Mike Maloney, OBE made history when he was given permission to take a group of amateur photographers on a two-hour shoot in the Great Chamber of the House of Lords on Saturday 13th February 2010.


This unique event was sponsored by the world famous London-based Nikon-only shop Grays of Westminster and hosted by Britain’s highest decorated press photographer, Mike Maloney, with the permission of Black Rod - a senior officer in the House of Lords, responsible for security, controlling access to and maintaining order within the House and its precincts.

The photographers attending competed to win a Nikon D300s camera worth £1,600 – to be awarded to the attendee who takes the best shot of the day, and the opportunity for the top images to be used by the House of Lords Works of Art Committee.


The attendees submitted three of their favourite photographs and the judges, led by Mike Maloney - who were looking for those which displayed originality and which visualised a unique perspective, making their images stand out from the rest – then chose the winners:

1. Andrew Downes
2. David Blundell
3. Diana Church
4. Michael Curtis
5. Susan Forester
   

The proceedings of the day came to a conclusion with a 3-course dinner at Elena's Etoile Restaurant in Charlotte Street, London where there was a presentation of the winning images and awards which included a Nikon D300s for the winner, kindly donated by Nikon UK.


“To have been invited to work with Mike Maloney on this very special photographic occasion at the House of Lords was indeed an extraordinary honour during this, our 25th Anniversary Year,” said Gray Levett, founder of Grays of Westminster.

Mike Maloney also commented on the event: “This was an historic moment in photography. It had never happened before and it is unlikely that it will ever happen again.”

Over the years, Grays of Westminster has organized a number of similarly unique events and photo shoots including a 2-week tour of Japan with a visit to the Nikon factory, and a trip to Nikon Thailand and Angkor Wat in Cambodia. Grays of Westminster is currently celebrating its twenty-fifth year of business.

Mike Maloney has won over 100 major photographic awards and is the only “Fleet Street” photographer to have been awarded the OBE for services to photojournalism. Three times-voted Press Photographer of the year, he was Chief Photographer for Mirror Group Newspapers before turning freelance in 2002. He also has numerous Royal tours to his credit, as well as photographing world leaders like Clinton, Reagan, Gorbachev and Yeltsin with resulting invitations to dine at both The White House and the Kremlin.

A report on the workshop that includes photos of the event plus the winning shots can be seen in the Grays of Westminster blog here:
http://graysofwestminster.blogspot.com/2010/02/house-of-lords-photographic-shoot-with.html

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, please contact:

Gray Levett
Grays of Westminster Exclusively…Nikon
40 Churton Street
Pimlico
London
SW1V 2LP

Main: 0207 828 4925
Fax: 0207 976 5783
E-mail: info@graysofwestminster.co.uk
Web: http://www.graysofwestminster.co.uk
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