Budding professional photographers have the chance to win $5,000 as well as an opportunity to have their work published.

The first annual Bermuda Essential Photographic Competition was officially launched last week to encourage locals and tourists, both young and old, to look at Bermuda through new and different lens.

The competition held by Mediacom Ltd. expects photographers to capture the character and beauty of the Island, stimulate a sense of collective identity about Bermuda through visual representation and create a collection of new imagery and new perspectives of Bermuda, said an official statement.

The Department of Tourism was invited on board to the project and tourists are actively invited to share their imagery and participate as well said President Walton Brown Jr.

Minister of Tourism Dr. Ewart Brown said: ?This is an innovative approach to creating compelling visual imagery of our island and I want to encourage all of you- budding photographers and professionals- to participate.

He continued: ?It is an exciting opportunity for both locals and tourists to capture on film the qualities that make Bermuda so special and will encourage everyone to look at the Island in new ways?.

The contest runs until 31 August and will be judged by five local judges in mid-September.

The grand prize winner will walk away with $5,000, the winning youth will be awarded $2,000 and the winning tourist will receive a three-night stay in Bermuda and $1,500 in spending money.

In addition the best photos will be published in ?Bermuda Essence?, a collection of new imagery due out in November.

Only one submission is allowed per person, and work must be original and not previously published.

Registration fees ? of $25 per adult and $10 per youth (under 18) ? must be submitted along with photo prints and digital submissions to the MediaCom building at 17 Parliament Street by 5 p.m. at the end of August.