I am sooooo excited about the recent awards that I was honored with winning a few weeks ago at the Maryland PPA’s award banquet.
In the past, I sat through many Print Competitions watching, observing, learning and taking notes, too scared to enter my own. Listening to Master Photographers critique people’s images was really insightful, truly opened my eyes. When I started competing, it was still insightful, and eye opening, only now, with HUGE butterflies in my stomach! The MDPPA has 3 competitions during the year and then a competition at their Annual Convention. I made an effort to submit images during the 3 competitions and I was overjoyed each time and increased my knowledge each time as well.
So….this year I won Portrait Photographer of the Year!! ♥ This award is given to the individual who accumulates the most points in monthly competitions. I also was presented with Best Portrait of a Woman from our Annual Competition. Another award that I was really excited about winning was a Judge’s Choice! There were 5 judges at the Convention Print Competition and 145 entries submitted. Each judge gets to choose their favorite image and award the maker with a Judge’s Choice….and one of the judges chose one of my portraits!! I was thrilled, excited, humbled and overjoyed!
I want to extend a big huge thank you to my clients that I’m privileged to photograph! Documenting special occasions, milestones, and events whether it’s a wedding or a child’s playdate is such a pleasure for me. I’m really one of those people who can say I LOVE what I do. Whether I’m photographing in a photojournalistic manner or creating a formal portrait, whether my subjects are sitting, standing, walking or dancing, in my Studio or out on location, the essentials of proper lighting and posing need to be innate and competing with my peers helps me become a better photographer for my clients. So, THANK YOU to my current clients, I’m looking forward to continuing our relationship and serving you throughout the years. To those of you that I haven’t had the pleasure of creating your portraits yet, I hope to have the opportunity in the future! 🙂
For those of you interested in knowing what the judges look for in images, here is a list and brief explanation of the 12 elements (taken from the PPA website):
The Twelve elements listed below are in accordance to their importance.
Impact is the sense one gets upon viewing an image for the first time. Compelling images evoke laughter, sadness, anger, pride, wonder or another intense emotion. There can be impact in any of these twelve elements.
Technical excellence is the print quality of the image itself as it is presented for viewing. Retouching, manipulation, sharpness, exposure, printing, mounting, and correct color are some items that speak to the qualities of the physical print.
Creativity is the original, fresh, and external expression of the imagination of the maker by using the medium to convey an idea, message or thought.
Style is defined in a number of ways as it applies to a creative image. It might be defined by a specific genre or simply be recognizable as the characteristics of how a specific artist applies light to a subject. It can impact an image in a positive manner when the subject matter and the style are appropriate for each other, or it can have a negative effect when they are at odds.
Composition is important to the design of an image, bringing all of the visual elements together in concert to express the purpose of the image. Proper composition holds the viewer in the image and prompts the viewer to look where the creator intends. Effective composition can be pleasing or disturbing, depending on the intent of the image maker.
Presentation affects an image by giving it a finished look. The mats and borders used, either physical or digital, should support and enhance the image, not distract from it.
Color Balance supplies harmony to an image. An image in which the tones work together, effectively supporting the image, can enhance its emotional appeal. Color balance is not always harmonious and can be used to evoke diverse feelings for effect.
Center of Interest is the point or points on the image where the maker wants the viewer to stop as they view the image. There can be primary and secondary centers of interest. Occasionally there will be no specific center of interest, when the entire scene collectively serves as the center of interest.
Lighting—the use and control of light—refers to how dimension, shape and roundness are defined in an image. Whether the light applied to an image is manmade or natural, proper use of it should enhance an image.
Subject Matter should always be appropriate to the story being told in an image.
Technique is the approach used to create the image. Printing, lighting, posing, capture, presentation media, and more are part of the technique applied to an image.
Story Telling refers to the image’s ability to evoke imagination. One beautiful thing about art is that each viewer might collect his own message or read her own story in an image.
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Pam Long Photography 
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