Gizmodo Shooting Challenge: Win A Nikon D7200 DSLR And Lens!

This post was originally published on the 15th of February.

Welcome back to Shooting Challenge, where Gizmodo readers show off their photographic skills and have the chance to win an amazing Nikon camera and lens. Entries close at 10am this Friday 19th February, so get snapping…

The Prize

This time you’re playing for the fantastic Nikon D7200 DSLR with an AF-S DX 18-140mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR lens. Together, these two are worth $1,750!

As we’ve said previously, the Nikon D7200 is the best non-professional DSLR on the market. It boasts a 24.2 Megapixel DX-format CMOS sensor, combined with a 51 focus points to deliver incredibly sharp low-light images. Once you’ve taken your pictures, enjoy them on the crystal clear 1229k-dot 3.2in LCD screen, or share them with Wifi and NFC.

The AF-S DX 18-140mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR lens is a perfect companion for the D7200. The 18-140mm focus range allows for incredible creativity, from wide angle landscape shots, through portraiture and telephoto snaps, all in a compact lens size. Even better, the built-in Vibration Reduction will allow you to shoot handheld at shutter speeds up to four stops lower than other lenses — this is especially useful in the low-light conditions the D7200 loves.

The Challenge: Low Light Photos

Given the low light credentials of the Nikon D7200 and the AF-S DX 18-140mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR lens, we want you to take great low light pictures this week. Get creative with your brief, too — low light could mean a darkened room, a twinkling city skyline, or even just the stars.

Low light offers a different perspective on what we see every day, the colours and shadows bathing our subjects are altered, artificial light illuminates what we otherwise might not notice. What is banal during the day could be special at night, or disappear completely.

It also opens other aspects of photography, like light painting and long-exposures. We’ve published a couple of guides on long exposure and light painting, shooting the night sky, as well as general low light photography.

Consider what you will use to keep your camera steady, how you can best utilise existing light, white balance, ISO, shutter speed, and the strengths and weaknesses of your camera. Remember: you can use your DSLR, smartphone, point-and-shoot — anything that has a lens and provides EXIF info on your photo.

Make sure your EXIF data is visible before uploading otherwise we can’t accept the entry!

How Judging Works

  • Entries for the Shooting Challenge will close at 10am AEST on Friday the 19th of Feburary.
  • After entries close, Gizmodo editors will choose their four favourite entries to go through to the next round.
  • On Monday the 22nd, the best four will be posted for one week of reader voting.
  • The winner will be announced at 10am AEST on Friday 26th February.
  • The Rules

  1. We have altered the terms and conditions [PDF] for the Shooting Challenge. Linking friends from your social networks to the Gizmodo voting page is encouraged, however, the use of vote farming sites is against the rules and those caught will be disqualified. Please be respectful and constructive if leaving a comment about a photo.
  2. The work must be your own.
  3. Photos need to be taken the week of the contest (February 15-19 inclusive). No portfolio shots please.
  4. EXIF info must be visible to us — check for it before you submit! Photos won’t be accepted without valid EXIF data.
  5. Explain (briefly) the photography equipment, settings, technique and story behind the shot.
  6. Include your shooting summary (camera, lens, ISO, etc) in the body of the email along with a story of the shot in a few sentences.
  7. Entries must be submitted via the entry form below.
  8. Don’t forget to name your image attachment properly!
  9. Save your files as JPGs, and use a FirstnameLastnameMobile.jpg naming convention.
  10. Please ensure your image is at least 800px wide and no larger than 1.4MB.
  11. One submission per person.
  12. Don’t skip the story part because it’s often the most enjoyable part for us all beyond the great photos!

Submit Your Entry

(Still need Inspiration? Check out the previous Gizmodo Shooting Challenges.)

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