Snap up a place in city photo marathon

This is a great idea and sounds like a lot of fun - Liverpool's first 'Photo Marathon' competition, that will have snappers running around town to capture the events of one day in the city. All enthusiastic photographers are invited to take part in the pay-to-enter fundraising competition - The Big Issue In The North Trust’s Photo Marathon challenge, to give it it's full title. Those who sign up will have eight hours to take eight photographs, on two of four topics that are being kept secret until the day of the event, Saturday 16 July. Volunteers will be stationed at Parr Street's Studio 2 on the day of the marathon, to download photos as they are submitted. From 10am entrants have four hours to snap the first four topics before returning to base in person, where they must have an entry card stamped before receiving their next four topics at 2pm. Entrants are asked to make a donation of £15 to The Big Issue in the North Trust to enter the marathon, which is being judged by local academic and professional photographers. The money raised will be used to support vendors of The Big Issue in the North magazine. Prizes include a Diana F+ camera with flash worth £80 from Lomography, a studio workshop session (use of studio equipment under supervision) courtesy of JJM Studios, and 2 free tickets to a gig of choice including a photo pass from The Masque. The first photo marathon ran in Manchester last year and more than 100 people took part, raising over £700 for The Big Issue in the North Trust. It hopes that by expanding into Liverpool this year even more people will get involved and more money will be raised to help support vendors of the magazine. Local photographer Jen Kweeday has organised this year’s Liverpool Photo Marathon. She said: “I was delighted to be asked to organise this event and I hope that it is a huge success. We have already received so much support already from Studio 2, our judges and the sponsors who have donated prizes. I am hearing that participants are looking forward to the day and can’t wait to take part.” While the final judging is taking place Jen has arranged for local band The Midnight Ramble to play an acoustic set to entertain the competition entrants. “We want to create a laid back atmosphere and to entertain the crowd while this is happening," she said. The Photo Marathon will take place on Saturday 16 July from 10am to 6pm at Studio 2, Parr Street, Liverpool. To enter, go to www.justgiving.com/BIITNphotomarathonliverpool