Nikon’s 100th-anniversary festivities have already included several events to celebrate the company’s history, but now the imaging giant is turning to the future by offering young photographers Nikon photography scholarships. Today, July 27, Nikon announced the Nikon Storytellers Scholarship, as well as an upcoming list of photography’s rising stars, that will launch later this fall as part of the company’s centennial celebration.
“For the past 100 years, Nikon has been at the forefront of optical innovation and exploration, said Kosuke Kawura, Nikon’s director of marketing and communications. “We have never been more excited about the future of imaging and are committed to supporting the next generation of photographers and creators that are eager to capture and share their world.”
Criteria for the scholarships won’t be announced until fall, but the program will award 10 photographers $10,000 each. The scholarships will be available for residents of the U.S. and Canada, and the funds will be available before the 2018-2019 school year, Nikon says.
“Nikon understands the dedication it takes to pursue and become successful in creative fields,” Kawura added, “and we are honored to play a role in supporting students’ achievement in academic excellence.”
Later this year, Nikon will also launch a 100-day campaign that highlights a new photographer every day on the company’s Instagram channel. The #Nikon100 is designed to celebrate rising stars in photography — and give photo fans more artists to follow.
More details on both campaigns will be coming in the fall. Nikon says fans can find more details once they are released by following the company’s Instagram, Facebook, Twitter or Snapchat (@NikonUSASnap) accounts.
The new programs come on the heels of the announcement of the development of the Nikon D850, a new full-frame camera with 8K time-lapse capability, shared on the company’s official anniversary date of July 25. The company’s anniversary has also included the launch of special commemorative products, including gunmetal editions of the D500 and D5.
Nikon also paid homage to its history with a display of prototype cameras from the company’s past. In Italy, Nikon set a new world record for the largest camera image constructed using humans, specifically 1,454 of us. The company’s annual photo contest also had a special category to celebrate the anniversary.
