Downtown Tauranga has launched the Trustpower Photographic Competition and Exhibition for the third year in a row, and is now seeking entries with a prize pool of $10,000 up for grabs.

Spokesperson Sally Cooke says this year, one theme sits across the exhibition. 'The year's theme is ‘finding beauty',” she says.

'We're asking photographers, from amateur to professional, to find and capture moments of beauty. They may find them in the most unexpected places and moments, and the moment they capture might just be the one that wins them a place in the Trustpower Photographic Exhibition.”

With the competition now underway, organisers are expecting another flood of entries after last year's competition saw over 2000 photographs submitted.

'The exhibition is believed to be New Zealand's largest outdoor photographic exhibition,” says Sally. 'When it opens on The Strand walkway every year we get so much amazing feedback. People just love it. It's such an attraction for the city centre.”

This year, the competition is also being opened up nationwide and photographs can be of anywhere in the world.

'We wanted to bring some exciting and diverse new elements to the competition this year. It is a privilege for us to host it in Tauranga, and this time we look forward to some amazing photographs from around the world, to inspire and delight those who see it.”

Judges will select the top 20 winning entries to appear in next year's 11-week exhibition on The Strand. The top three will take out $5000 for 1st place, $3000 for second place and $2000 for third place. Entries remain open until January 10th. For full details, visit: www.downtowntauranga.co.nz