INTERNATIONAL AWARDS WON

I am always interested in seeing the results of the International Society of Professional Wedding Photographers (ISPWP) quarterly contests. This group represents some of the best wedding photographers in the world. The association announced it's Spring winners and there I was. I placed 17th overall in this associations talented international field with a first in "Framing the Subject," and placing fifth in the "First Dance" category.

Below are the photos which placed for the quarter.



This image was from Tara & Tom's wedding. I spotted this immediately and had to take advantage of the proximity of the cake, couple and dinosaur. How often do you get to incorporate a dinosaur at a wedding....really.



I really love this photo and the energy it shows. This was Megan & Paul's first dance and everything fell into place this day for myself and the cool couple.

Thank you for taking the time to look at some photos.

MORE AWARDS.....WOW!

I recently joined the International Society of Professional Wedding Photographers and entered their quarterly contest. I entered three images and can you believe it, they all placed. I really like it when that happens.

The image below is of Sarah getting ready on the big day at the The Carolina Inn in Chapel Hill. I opted to focus on the dress in the background instead of the bride. I am always looking for an image which places you in the space.

2nd | The Wedding Dress



Below is Sarah, once again, four weeks prior to her wedding at The Carolina Inn in Chapel Hill. She was looking for something unique and traditional while inside the hotel. I found this spot in one of the ballrooms which made for a dramatic image. Thank you Sarah!

4th | Bridal Portrait



I love the chaos in this next image. All hands are on the bride which makes you feel the energy of the moment. This was one of my favorite images of the year.

13th | The Wedding Dress

WPJA CONTEST WINNERS

I consider winning in the Wedding Photojournalist Association's quarterly contest a New Year's gift for myself. Wins are more difficult to get since the WPJA's international membership has exploded. I have been a part of this organization since 2004 and really enjoy being a member.

The judges are extremely accomplished photojournalists whose work I have admired over the years. I am honored to have them look at and consider my work as one of the best in the world.

The image below won first place in its category. The photograph is of Donna Ford and her assistant with Sweet Memories delivering a cake. The other two images placed in the top 20 in their respective categories.



JUDGES COMMENTS: A very nice silhouette balanced perfectly. It is a very hard subject to get a nice picture of and you could tell the photographer worked very hard on this.

JUDGES COMMENTS: Wonderful composition. B&W works well with the graphic elements. Nice job.

JUDGES COMMENTS: One of the great aspects of telling the full story of the wedding day with a journalistic approach is being there to show things that the wedding couple would not be able to see. Let's face it, setting up tables is dull. The photographer edits all of those dull hours with his or her eyes and offers the peak moments. This is one of those moments worth seeing.

JUDGES COMMENTS: Nice job of capturing the moment just before the cake is placed on the table. The framing is well-done and the backlight highlights the forms beautifully.



JUDGES COMMENTS: Interesting use of the reflection to represent the crowded reception while at the same time emphasizing the quiet escape of the three men at the table. Did they retire to that table to escape the noise, or better to observe what was going on? The question is posed by the picture but not answered.



You can see more award winning images by visiting the WPJA's website.

CONGRATULATIONS CHRISTOBAL!

The 2nd Quarter Wedding Photojournalist Association (WPJA) Contest results are in and while I did not snag a win this time, Christobal did. In fact, he won several, including a 1st place in the Reception category, 4th place in Dancing and a 12th in Cake Cutting. This makes him number one in the standings for this quarter. Great job Christobal, you rock!

AGWPJA CONTEST RESULTS

There's always a little friendly competition around our house at contest time and this time Christobal beat me (just a little). He won an 8th place award in the latest contest of the Artistic Guild of the Wedding Photojouranlist Association. It's a great shot from Kathleen and Bill's wedding. The other image is one I shot from Candance & Kurt's wedding in Texas a few months back, which won 13th place in the ceremony category.

WPJA CONTEST RESULTS

So the results are in (actually they have been for a few weeks) and one of my photographs placed in the Emotion category of the latest WPJA contest. This is an image I shot right before the ceremony at Kathleen and Bill's wedding. When I told her about the contest results, Kathleen said, "Every time I see that picture I get a flutter of the nerves I was feeling at that very moment."

ALL SMILES

Kathleen has been all smiles this week for a great reason. On Saturday the WPJA announced their Winter 2006 Contest results and guess who won? Kathleen! Yep, she placed third in the Scene Setter category. Her image went up against the best wedding photojournalists across the globe and to place in a competition like this is a great honor. She was surprised, but I wasn't. The image is beautiful and I knew it was a winner when she entered it. I am very proud of my multi-talented better-half and couldn't live without her. Wow, great job!