vivo partners with National Geographic to host professional mobile photography competition

BEIJING, June 7, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — Today vivo officially launched the VISION+ Mobile PhotoAwards 2021 (hereafter referred to as VISION+ Mobile PhotoAwards), in partnership with National Geographic, and announced the opening of all registration channels. As a pioneer and innovator in mobile imaging, vivo is working with well-known industry partners in countries around the world – including ZEISS and National Geographic – to develop a mobile imaging ecosystem through the VISION+ Project. This initiative aims to encourage the joint creation of images, public education and the exploration of aesthetics. vivo’s ultimate goal is to encourage more users to embrace the joys of creativity and to accelerate the development and recognition of mobile imaging.

The VISION+ Mobile PhotoAwards is an important part of the overall VISION+ Project, aimed at promoting mobile photography. The competition will serve as a platform for global conversations surrounding mobile photography and encourage participation from professionals, enthusiasts and mobile phone users.

"This year marks the second edition of the VISION+ Mobile PhotoAwards. Through the competition, vivo aims to drive innovation in imaging technology while allowing more people around the world enjoy using technology to create eye-catching content," said Spark Ni senior vice president and CMO of vivo. "This is vivo’s user-centric vision and cultural responsibility as a technology brand – we will make professional and enjoyable imaging technologies widely available so that more people can enjoy the joys of creativity."

vivo is partnering again with National Geographic to spark a boom in mobile photography

As a key part of the VISION+ Project, the VISION+ Mobile PhotoAwards was first launched in 2020 by vivo and National Geographic. The competition received more than 135,000 mobile photography submissions and presented 38 awards to finalists from nine countries and regions including China, the United Kingdom, France, Spain and Russia. Creators from many different backgrounds and cultures submitted a rich tapestry of works, showing the diversity and vibrancy of life around the world, including lively portraits, quaint folk life and magnificent landscapes.

In response to a wealth of rich, creative content and enthusiastic feedback from the public, vivo and National Geographic have once again come together to officially launch the VISION+ Mobile PhotoAwards 2021.

A professional and authoritative mobile photography competition

This year, the VISION+ Mobile PhotoAwards features an incredibly authoritative and professional judging panel, including six internationally acclaimed photography experts and academics from diverse disciplines. They include Martin Parr, Documentary Photographer; Jonas Bendiksen, Documentary Photographer; Xiao Quan, Portrait Photographer; Laura Serani, Curator, Les Rencontres d’Arles; Bertram Hoenlinger, Photography Expert, ZEISS; and Michael George, Photo Consultant, National Geographic. The judging panel will evaluate photography entries from their respective professional viewpoints and offer comments and guidance to help talented creators better express themselves through mobile photography.

Aside from an updated lineup of judges, this year’s VISION+ Mobile PhotoAwards will introduce more categories across three groups, including the Open Group, Youth Group and a new Professional Group. vivo encourages smartphone users to identify the categories they are most passionate about and show-off their creativity.

The Professional Group includes three categories: News, Creative and Documentary Projects, encouraging professional photographers to interpret and express their feelings on modern culture, social trends and the defining moments of the year. The Open and Youth Groups emphasize the beauty of daily life, human emotions and memories. The Open Group includes six categories: Portraits, Night, Sports, Nature, Life and Places. The Youth Group is a Special Feature that focuses on the subject of Surroundings.

The competition will feature 33 awards across all categories and winners will receive awards and creative support from vivo. Apart from general awards such as cash prizes, smartphones and certificates, vivo will also collaborate with industry partners to provide winners with opportunities in commercial photography, urban outdoor exhibitions and the publication of photographic works. vivo’s goal is to empower the long-term development of winners and aid in the discovery and appreciation of exceptional mobile photography.

Anyone can be a creator with human-centric, professional photography capabilities

Smartphones are making photographs easier to capture than ever before. vivo, as a pioneer in mobile photography innovation, is continuously analyzing and responding to the changing needs of its 400 million users worldwide. vivo has collaborated with ZEISS, our global imaging strategic partner, in pursuit of this goal. By combining vivo’s understanding of its users with ZEISS’s expertise in optics, we are enhancing the mobile imaging experience for the general public, including replicating the Biotar portrait style on the vivo X60 series. Moving forward, vivo and ZEISS will continue to strengthen joint research and development efforts to launch even more intuitive and easy-to-use imaging functions, helping people everywhere capture life’s precious moments.

It is vivo’s firm belief that the defining photographs of an era should not be created by a single group, but by users around the world and from all walks of life. While solidifying our strengths in professional imaging, vivo also hopes to invite more people to join us in using their phones to capture human-centric photos full of warmth, energy and meaning. Let’s all join hands to celebrate the joy of humanity through powerful images, and help more people enjoy the creative process in an era when anyone can be a creator.

Please visit the official website of the VISION+ Mobile PhotoAwards for more information: visionplus.vivo.com/en.

About vivo
vivo is a leading, product-driven, global technology company, with its core business focusing on smart devices and intelligent services. vivo is committed to connecting users around the globe, through design of exciting and innovative smartphones and companion devices, as well as services which integrate technology and design thinking in unique and creative ways. Following the company core values, which include innovation, consumer orientation and benfen*, vivo has implemented a sustainable development strategy, with the vision of becoming a leading, long-lasting, world-class enterprise.

With headquarters in China, supported by a network of 10 R&D centers in Shenzhen, Dongguan, Nanjing, Beijing, Hangzhou, Shanghai, Xi’an, Taipei, Tokyo and San Diego, vivo is focusing on the development of state-of-the-art consumer technologies, including 5G, artificial intelligence, industrial design, photography and other up-and-coming technologies. vivo has also set-up five production hubs (including brand authorized manufacturing center), across China, South- and Southeast Asia, with an annual production capacity of nearly 200 million smartphones. As of now, vivo has branched out its sales network across more than 40 countries and regions, and is loved by more than 400 million users worldwide.

*"Benfen" is a term describing the attitude on doing the right things and doing things right – which is the ideal description of vivo’s mission to build technology for good.