WPPI 2011: what a year!

After four weeks in a row on the road, I'm so glad to be home. This week at WPPI was a great way to cap off my travels, at least for a few weeks. At the tradeshow on Monday I spoke at the GraphiStudio booth and worked at the Burrell Imaging booth. Both companies are such fantastic partners and we're thrilled to work with them. On Tuesday I had the opportunity to teach a MasterClass on Getting Published and the impact it can have on your business. I was excited to have Rebecca Crumley, Weddings Photo Director at The Knot on hand to help teach the class. And later that day I was honored to sit on a Panel at the Kodak booth with Don Burrell, Michael Taylor, Monica Sigmon, and from Kodak, Joe Paglia.

After fulfilling my responsibilities at WPPI, I headed home a day early, skipping the final day and the awards ceremony. We are celebrating Campbell's birthday this weekend and Joy has been working really hard on planning her party, mostly by herself. It's going to be great!

Last night as we sat in the kitchen working on our computers, text messages started coming, one after another. I was thrilled AND VERY SURPRISED to hear that I had won First Place in the Portrait: High School Seniors category and Third Place in the Wedding: Wedding Details category. Additionally, one of my other prints received an accolade of excellence.

Here they are:

Bethany & Torrie, first place, Portraits: High School Seniors


Manolos, third place, Weddings: Wedding Details (haven't heard this from official sources, just from a handful of friends who attended.... it could just be a mean trick! Hahaha)


Melissa & Brandon, Accolade of Excellence

I've always felt like the best award we as photographers can receive is a thrilled client, an emotional reaction, or even a referral. But when the top wedding and portrait photographers in the industry review our work and chose to recognize it at the largest international photography convention in the world, it's a nice reminder that we're doing something right when it comes to progressing creatively and advancing our art. Unfortunately, too many photographers of my generation don't care about that, but I've always felt it's important as an artist and we owe it to ourselves.

A big thanks to master printmaker Jonathan Penney for printing my competition prints. You are a true artist and your brilliance is unmatched.

Thanks to George and Arlene and the fine folks at WPPI. Thanks to our clients, you are truly the best clients we could ever imagine. Thanks to all of the photographers who have inspired and mentored us throughout the years. Your wisdom and counsel have proven so incredibly valuable. And a special thanks to my beautiful family for giving me permission to spend each day pursuing my passion and living out my dream.