Curiosity makes the world go round. It runs deep in our blood, like an instinct left behind from our most ancient ancestors. Without it we would never have gotten so far. Without it we would have passive minds, we could never have discovered people and land beyond our own, and we never would have developed into the observant and individual characters that we are today.

With curiosity, life is a great wonder, without it, it is dull and boring.
A curious mind is a healthy mind, and a child’s mind is the most curious of us all.

From birth we begin to make our own impressions on the world with how we sense, how we feel and how we interact fueling our interest for more. That unique spark that can be seen glowing in a child’s eyes each time they interact with a new wonder is a sight that every parent treasures. When they hear their parents voice for the first time, take their first few steps as a toddler, learn how to play in the school ground with new friends and design their first science project for class, that little glint of wonder is a stepping stone for further development.

2020 marks the 14th year of the “Capturing the spirit of science” photography contest run by the Sony Education Foundation. The theme of the contest is to capture the curiosity, awareness and exploration of children from the ages of 0 - 6. The Sony Education Foundation hopes that parents can observe their children in a different light and deepen their bond throughout the photo contest.

The Sony Education Foundation is an advocate for the importance of enriching science education and has been providing communities with opportunities to nurture and support the creativity that children develop alongside their own curiosity. Experts in childhood education and international research recognise the importance of having a “scientific mindset” for improving non-cognitive abilities in children. By continuing to partake in scientific ventures, children manage to keep their curiosity spark burning, rather than let it go out.

Photo Contest Application Guidelines

Focus: Photographs of children conveying their awareness and curiosity in a range of different settings, with comments from the parents on how they think the images convey the “spirit of science”.
Target: Preschool children aged 0 to 6 years old (at the time of March 2021) *Photographers must be either the guardians of the subject or have permission to use the images.
Format: a JPEG file (no larger than 10MB) or an L sized printed photo (with the applicant’s name on the back).
Method: Submissions can be entered via mail or through the internet.
If submitting by mail, entrants should download the application form and fill out the information before attaching it with the photograph and sending in the post. When submitting on the internet, applicants can enter both the photo data and information directly online.

*Entrants are limited to one unpublished photo per family.
*Group photos or collages will not be accepted.

Submissions will be accepted from Wednesday 1 July 2020 to Sunday 28 February 2021.
Announcements will be made on the website for the winners during late April 2021, following that, prizes will be sent out to the successful photo contest winners.
First Place: Sony action cam or digital single-lens camera (SLR)
Second Place: Sony digital compact camera
Third Place: Aluminium photo frame