WPJA Third Quarter Contest Results

First Place! Yes! Check it out:

http://www.wpja.com/wedding_photography_galleries/contest/07/q3/14-01.htm

JUDGES COMMENTS: Love the feeling of the wedding couple all dressed up and out in the wilderness in the rain. The groom protecting the bride from wet is a lovely and symbolic gesture and the two walking into the wild together is a nice metaphor.

Like a scene from a wide-screen movie, the bride is led away into the mist. It’s a kind of purposely timeless image.

A beautiful painting by working with the weather elements and presenting Something poetic with substance.

A bit too romantic and looks a little less spontaneous than i would have liked but a great sense of place

Wow, if only I knew who said what. It is amazing to think such great photographers looked at my work. More on that later. I would like to respond to that last comment. The Judge is correct to be weary of wedding images. Though the WPJA stresses very strongly that NONE of the images are to be set-up, (except portraits) you do have wonder about some of the entries. Especially given that, as wedding photojournalists, we are entirely self-regulated when it comes to ethics. That said, let me take this opportunity to state, this image was not set-up. The bride and groom were headed out into the wilderness near Breckenridge for a portrait session, but this was taken before the session started. I snapped the frame while in my car getting my gear together, and wrapped up to protect it from the rain. It was actually shot through my rain-soaked car window, and that is what give it the more muddy look. I WISH I were a good enough portrait photographer to think of photos like this, but instead, I just have to hang out and wait until a great moment happens, then grab it.

I also snagged a 20th place..

http://www.wpja.com/wedding_photography_galleries/contest/07/q3/03-20.htm

While your there, be sure to check out all the winning images. I love being a part of the WPJA because there is so much talent in that group. The winning images are always very inspiring.

Okay, now, the most important part of this contest is found here:

http://www.wpja.com/wedding_photography_galleries/contest/07/q3/judges-01.htm

The Judges. For those of you who follow photojournalism, they need no introduction. For those who dont, let me just say, these folks are at the VERY tip-top of a very competitive field. I can say I am humbled to think that they looked at my images, but that would be an understatement. Check out their work, as always, by clicking the VII photo link on the right side of my blog.