https://www.thepixelmixer.com/PUBLIC-GALLERIES/CURATED-COLLECTIONS/COMPETITION
Mid-September the Professional Photographers of America held their annual International Photographic Competition where photographers and artist from all over the country submit there best work to be judged for Imaging Excellence and the Grand Imaging Awards. This year, over 5000 prints and digital images were submitted for review.
This was the first year that I participated in this event. As a digital artist and photographer, I had hesitated to jump into print competition because like so many, I wasn’t sure my work would make the cut. Over the past several years I’ve been told that “I could never be a professional photographer” because I didn’t have a studio; I’ve been told that I could never teach post processing at a PPA event because “I haven’t paid my dues yet” (whatever that means); and I’ve been told I can’t register as a “professional” in a local guild because I don’t have a photography business tax ID number. Barriers.. barriers.. and more barriers.
But.. I generally don’t let other people’s opinions of me or my work defeat me. While their comments hurt and set you back a first, you have to just pull yourself up by the boot straps and know that your work is worthy and keep trying to get better. Competition gives you that validation. And while the print competition process is not perfect (as it too is riddled with human subjectivity and opinion), in the end, you will improve your craft if you keep competing. So if you are not competing, WHY NOT???
So.. no I don’t own a studio or have customers to impress. And I don’t market that I received this or that award for my work. I compete because I’m an artist — and I need to create. Creatives do what they do because they have an inner drive to create. Not because there is a gold triangle or a pin or some type of title waiting at the end of the process. Those things are goals. The awards set the bar for those of us that strive to overachieve in whatever we do, but they don’t define WHY we create. So create we do…
My first year, in the Artist Case, I went 3/4 with all three of the merits also getting selected for Imaging Excellence. Here are my Artist selections:
Because you can only submit 4 images into a category, I entered my other 4 artworks into the Photographic Open – Illustrative Nature category. These are also digital paintings, the only requirement in the PO category is that the artist must photograph the image. That is why there are no guide images at the bottom. The Lilac Roller I captured during my Africa trip last January and the other birds were from our local zoo. (The main elements in the artwork above I also photographed, only the leaves and small elements were stock.)
In the Photographic Open – Illustrative Nature category I was 4/4 (four entered and all 4 received merits) with 3 of those images being selected for Imaging Excellence. If all four merit and of those merits, three are also selected for Imaging Excellence, the case is PLATINUM. Here are my Illustrative Nature selections:
With 2021 in the books it’s time to begin getting ready for next year’s competitions. I have already started several artworks; and have about 8 ready for critiques and the fall or spring state competitions. Hopefully next year we can be 4/4 in both Artist and PO.. That is the goal. Goals are good!
I’ve also updated my Smugmug Gallery to include a Curated Art Section. I’m still working on this part of my Gallery, but the competition page is complete. I’ve included the Press Release that PPA provides for us to use and I’ve also include the above images and a slide show. I designed the webpage so that future years IPC results can be added as galleries as I continue to progress in the IPC competitions.
https://www.thepixelmixer.com/PUBLIC-GALLERIES/CURATED-COLLECTIONS/COMPETITION
You can also see my work on the PPA GALLERY at this official link. Just type BUTLER or Terri Butler into the Name field and hit the Search Button.
Enjoy!!
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