One Year’s Progress

I absolutely love what I do. Photography is so subjective. People’s tastes are all unique. Photographers have to have general guides as to what makes a great image versus a sub-par image. Those guidelines are the 12 Elements of a Merit Image through the PPA, Professional Photographers of America. Participating in print competitions last year gave me a way to get consistent, professional feedback on my images. Participating again this year let me see one year’s progress very clearly!

Last year I was terrified to jump into competition with the best photographers in the world. This year I was still anxious and excited, but calmer. This time I felt like surely I had learned something and I wanted that measured. I looked forward to getting my scores to find out. Had the classes and seminars, the trips to hear master photographers speak and teach and the critiques I received made any progress in burning these 12 elements and their understanding into my brain?

Well, One Year’s Progress has taken me from winning the 2018 IPPA Rookie of the Year award last year to 2019 Court of Honor (top 5 general photographers,) IPPA’s Elite Photographer pin for 4 of my 6 images earning merits, and 2019’s IPPA Best Male Portrait. I must have learned something along the way. I’m not where I want to be yet. I want to land a few 100’s, get my images in the Loan Book and see how far I can ultimately go.