Canon and Ron Howard Partner for a Unique Photography Contest

There's a new photography contest from the folks at Canon that has a very interesting twist to it. Most photo contests start and end with the contest itself. Photos are submitted, winners are selected and that's all there is to it. That may be fine for some, but Canon is taking it further. Once the winners are picked, they'll be used as the basis of a short film directed by the legendary Ron Howard.

Photos can be submitted in one of eight different categories - Setting, Time, Character, Mood, Relationship, Goal, Obstacle and the Unknown. Each photo that wins will affect the direction of the film and influence the final product.

"When Canon approached me to partner on the 'Long Live Imagination' campaign," says Howard, "I was moved by the opportunity to collaborate with the masses, tapping into consumers' creativity and using their photos as building blocks to produce a film."

You can find out more about the contest - named Project Imagin8ion - at YouTube.com/Imagination.