Major changes have been announced for Whistler's Pro Photographer Showdown. The renowned photography expose has moved away from its invitation-only format, and has opened up for the first time to submissions from all action-sport & lifestyle photographers in the world. In addition, organizers have put a winner-take-all $10,000 cash prize on the line for the photographer voted 'Best of Show.'

The 9th annual Pro Photographer Showdown will be held during the 2006 TELUS World Ski & Snowboard Festival, April 14-23 in Whistler, British Columbia, Canada. The deadline for its worldwide call-for-submissions is February 15, 2006. Five selected photographers will be notified on February 20, 2006 and flown to Whistler for the gala presentation on April 19, 2006. Highlights of the Showdown will be featured in an international television special to be aired in 50 countries in the fourth quarter of 2006.

Recognized as the pre-eminent event of its kind in the world, the Pro Photographer Showdown celebrates excellence in action/lifestyle photography through a unique presentation forum for five selected photographers. The artists present the best work of their careers in 9-minute choreographed shows for 2000 people in Whistler and an international television audience. The Showdown is open to the complete spectrum of action/lifestyle genres.

The new open format is the result of merging two sister events - the elite Pro Photographer Showdown and what was formerly the Pro Photographer Search. The Search was originally designed as a qualifying event for emerging photographers, the winner earning the single wild-card seat to present alongside the invited veterans in the Showdown. The new open call-for-submissions for the Showdown was created to manage the rising demand from professional photographers from around the world who have expressed their interest in being invited to the Showdown. By combining the Search and Showdown, it reduces the number of steps a photographer must take to earn entry into the Showdown and creates a more formal jury process for the selection of photographers.

Photographers interested in being selected for the Pro Photographer Showdown must submit a 3-minute DVD presentation of their images set to music to the selection jury by February 15, 2006. The submissions are to be reflective of the work that would comprise their full 9-minute production in the Showdown. Submissions will be reviewed by an esteemed panel of former Showdown winners, photo editors and industry leaders, and voted on by ballot to determine the top 5 invited artists.

Throughout its nine year history, the Pro Photographer Showdown has featured stunning photography from renowned surf photographers Aaron Chang, Jason Childs, Jeff Divine and Warren Bolster; skateboard gurus J. Grant Brittain and Jon Humphries; acclaimed mountain bike photographer Sterling Lorence; ski & snowboard legends Eric Berger, Paul Morrison, Blake Jorgenson, Mark Gallup, Scott Markewitz, Dave Heath, Vianney Tisseau and Mattias Fredriksson, among others.

"This marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter in the Pro Photographer Showdown," says Doug Perry, President of W1, producers of the TELUS World Ski & Snowboard Festival. "We have always had overwhelming interest in the Showdown from photographers all around the world, and know that a winner-take-all prize of $10,000 will encourage both rising stars and veterans to build incredible shows in 2006."

The TELUS World Ski & Snowboard Festival is a grand 10-day celebration fusing music, arts and sports, April 14 - 23 in Whistler, B.C. Festival highlights include the World Snowboard Open, World Skiing Invitational, Brave Art, Masterpiece in Motion, Kokanee Freeride, Filmmaker Showdown, World Backcountry Freeride Jam, Demo Park, Words & Stories and Canada's largest free outdoor concert series.

Entry procedures for the Pro Photographer Showdown are available online at www.whistler2006.com.