14 DAY TRIAL // On the occasion of the first Microsoft Pro Photo Summit, the Redmond Company has announced the winners of the Microsoft Future Pro Photographer Contest that has gathered more than 13.000 submissions from no less than 92 countries around the world. The jury that had the final say in the matter was comprised of digital photography industry heavyweights such as Corbis Corp., Digital Photo Pro Magazine and Lepp Institute of Digital Imaging and they decided to award the Grand prize to Alin Popescu, Slobozia, Romania. The rest of the prizes went to: Nature & Landscape: Yeang Ch'ng, Boston, Mass, People & Portraits: Ho Young Choi, Santa Barbara, Calif., Fine Art: Carly Short, Kettering, Ohio.
Among the summit's ceremonies, Microsoft announced the launching of Icons of Imaging program, designed to offer recognition to professional photographers and digital imaging leaders of the globe. People like Bambi Cantrell, Reed Hoffmann, Denis Reggie, John Shaw, Matthew Jordan Smith and Art Wolfe are the ones that have inspired Microsoft's initiative to reunite in one site their best photographic works.
"We are delighted to have such a world-renowned group of professional photographers join the Icons of Imaging program at the launch," said David Vaskevitch, senior vice president and chief technical officer for Business Platform at Microsoft. "The incredible imagery of these professionals has touched many people and inspires the creativity of other enthusiast and professional digital photographers alike."