becoming a wppi master Archives

Sep

My Best Score!

This may be the first year ever I’ve entered all three competitions that the WPPI hosts in a calendar cycle: the First Half, the Second Half and the Annual 16×20 Print Competition. For whatever reasons (lack of time, lack of planning, lack of funds, being super self-critical, etc.) I’ve never entered all three of the image competitions in a single calendar cycle. It can be a rather steep investment. Last year alone, I spent nearly $600 entering the three prints in the print competition and didn’t even both to enter the other two.

WPPI Print Competition

This year is different. I’ve already entered four images into the First Half and four images into the Second Half Members Only Online Competitions—so, that’s eight total. And, I’m one-upping last year’s entries in the 16×20 Print Competition and submitting four! This may or may not be a total of 12 images entered for me, because under the WPPI rules, you do have a chance to re-enter images from the First and Second Half Online Competitions into the Print Comp. You can rework the images based on feedback you receive in your critique to try and improve your score—even if it merits.

[Tweet “I’ve Scored my Best Score Yet!”]

Each time I’ve entered one of these competitions, I am pretty consistent scoring in the 77 range. This time, one of my images fetched a 78! That one little point may not seem like much, but it is a huge deal to me! If the image had scored an 80, it would have merited and earned me a silver award and one point towards my honors of excellence rating. Scoring five points within four years gives me an Associate of WPPI distinction. If I earn another 15 points within six additional years, I become a Master of WPPI. For now, I’m content with slowly creeping up on that one silver award.

This competition sees thousands of entries from dozens of countries. This competition showcases and garnishes the very best portrait and wedding photographers in the world in categorical head-to-head competitions. Many say, this is one of the most competitive photo competitions in the world.

Competing at this level forces me to really open my eyes and be extremely self-critical. It’s been a very important part of my photographic evolution. Hearing Masters of WPPI judge the images in this competition is more valuable than any seminar or workshop I’ve ever attended, any YouTube channel I’ve ever watched or any book I’ve ever read. It has been a constant factor in my growth as a professional photographer and as a graphic artist. This competition motivates me to look beyond what is “good enough” and compels me to create fine art pieces.

The biggest takeaway that I have learned so far is that there is a major difference in shooting for clients and shooting for competition. However, when your goal is to shoot for and enter competition, your clients gain from that. They gain from the knowledge, skill, expertise and confidence you gain by becoming better. This is one way to invest in your craft and everybody wins when you invest in your craft!!

Please enjoy this short video about the WPPI Annual 16×20 Print Competition.

The post, I’ve Scored my Best Score Yet!, first appeared on Ata-Girl Photography Co.’s website and blog. Please feel free to comment here, or share this post with your friends via Facebook, Twitter or Pinterest. Please email me if you have any questions about this article or want to share a neat idea for a future blog post with me.

Mar

WPPI Print Comp Results

Well, my prints didn’t warrant a merit this year. The good news is that I didn’t cry. Seriously, though. I can’t break that 77 barrier and I thought I had a really good chance for this print competition.

WPPI 16×20 Print Competition

Bride or Groom Alone: Non-Wedding Day. This image scored a 77. The judges’ critique was that the lighting was flat, and they didn’t feel that the facial expressions were quite right. They suggested that I should have intoroduced some artificial lighting into the scene and shot “lots and lots” of images until I captured the perfect facial expressions. I do agree with the lighting, but I don’t agree with the facial expressions. I think my subject’s face expresses happiness and joy.

wppi_annual_16x20_print_comp_4S1_5429_creative_bridal

wppi_annual_16x20_print_comp_4S1_7564-Edit

This series of images was shot on a slope and that made post processing a little difficult for me in that, if I kept the slope in the image, it appeared that I shot this with a crooked horizon. Making the horizon a straighter line added a lot of duplicate cloning in the foreground which is now very evident to me. I may try to replicate this composite in the future and improve on all these points.High School Seniors. This image scored a 76. Upon entering, I knew I was taking a chance with the subject’s arm not being bent. Straight limbs are usually a no-no, but rules are meant to be broken. I did have a few other poses of this setup, but this one—with the straight arm, captivated me the most. It looked relaxed, and non-posed. I went with it and it was probably a bad decision because the judges did not like it. They did not like the pose, they said it looked unnatural. The also commented that the water was blown out. I’m not sure I agree with either, but art is subjective, so whatcha gonna do?

High School Seniors. This image scored a 75. This image was the very first image of the category and I think it may have been judged a little harshly because of that. The judges commented on the brightness of the water in the upper left-hand corner and wanted to see more of my subject’s mouth. In retrospect, I should have cloned in some darker water in that corner, but I kind of like the fact that I only see the upper lip and that it’s mirrored in the water.

wppi_annual_16x20_print_comp_4S1_9535-Edit

All-in-all, I respect the judges’ decisions, but I do think this is a very hard game to play. While one image may get judged harshly for breaking a rule, such as limbs cropped incorrectly for example, another image may score really well but have committed the same infraction. I just have to keep trying to reach my goal.

I did have a bit of a revelation during the first day of judging. Looking at all the magnificent images in the competition, I realized something. My revelation is that I should shoot specifically for competition. Instead of trying to garner competition images from my paid client shoots, I should rather try to produce a competition-worthy image from a styled and planned shoot with something very specific in mind. Client shoots are pretty stressful trying to get all the wardrobe changes and props incorporated, while still trying to produce multiple images the client will love. I think if I were to narrow down my goals for a shoot, ie. one or two specific images, I would have to time to tweak it and work out all the kinks that would prevent it from doing well in competition. Time to start brainstorming.

The post, The Annual WPPI 16×20 Print Competition 2016, first appeared on Ata-Girl Photography Co.’s website and blog. Please feel free to comment here, or share this post with your friends via Facebook, Twitter or Pinterest. Please email me if you have any questions about this article or want to share a neat idea for a future blog post with me.

Feb

Annual WPPI 16×20 Print Comp

Come March, it will be my third year in a row to attend the WPPI conference in its entirety. I’ve been making the annual trek to Las Vegas since 2014 and have found that it’s a great way to get a restart on creativity and motivation, get introduced to new products and ideas and learn ways to improve my photography knowledge and skill. Roughly, 20,000 photographers make the trip each year to get inspired, grow and learn.

In addition to attending the conference, I’ve also been trying to earn a silver award (80 or above) in their digital submission competitions since the fall of 2013. To date, my highest score is a 77—which I scored in the 2014 First Half competition. A 77 indicates an image is of professional average in skill and technique—but not above. I’m aiming for at least an 80 because: #1 it qualifies the image as above a professional average, and #2 it earns me a silver award good towards meeting my goal of becoming a master photographer. To obtain the status of a master photographer, I’ll need to covet 20 of these silver awards (or higher) within a ten year period, roughly.

This competition is one of the toughest in the world. The competition includes the world’s very best wedding and portrait photographers. My images will be judged against some of the most stunning wedding and portrait photographs the world has ever seen. I’m not looking to win; I just need an 80, please.

This will be my first time submitting actual print and matted images for the live critiquing that happens during the first two days of the WPPI. The images are judged in very precise circumstances. The room is nearly dark and the judges (who are master, double master and sometimes triple master photographers) use a viewing system that is daylight white balanced. The light intensity is the same as an exposure set at ISO 100, at 1/125 of a second at f2.8. Color, contrast, vibrancy and exposure are key elements. The images are also judged on impression/impact, originality, creativity, emotion, composure/framing, posing, lighting/exposure, uniqueness, in-camera artistry, degree of difficulty, post production, printing and matte/paper choice. Scores of 80 are not handed out frequently, but when they are, they receive an ovation from the audience.

I chose a master printermaker from New York named Jonathan Penney to print my images. His reputation in the industry is impeccable and I knew if I wanted to score well in this print competition, I’d have to reach out to professionals who have made their mark. Below is his representation of how the three printed images will look when they are submitted to the competition. I will not actually see his final products until the live judging. I’m excited to see them. I may cry. Especially if they score an 80.

WPPI 16×20 Print Competition

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I am entering this first image into the Creative Division: Bride or Groom Alone: Non-Wedding Day. This category is probably a little more competitive than some of the others, because it allows for models as well as actual bride and grooms. I chose to offer this piece in a three-image composite to convey the happiness of my bride and the movement in her dress.My last two entrees fall into the Portrait Division: High School Seniors. It was very difficult to narrow my choices down to these, but I feel captivated by the subjects each time I look at them. I’m hoping the judges do too.

If you’re even the tiniest bit religious, spiritual, ritualistic, reverent, impassioned, devout, blessed, hopeful or even into witchcraft, I would appreciate your prayers, positive thoughts, good vibes, well-wishes, karma, notions and magic spells on March 5th and 6th, 2016. Thank you.

Hi, I’m Tammy.
I'm a San Antonio-based wedding photographer for outdoor-loving couples who value real moments.

I am a San Antonio-based wedding photographer and I am absolutely in love with capturing the kinds of weddings where there are more hugs than handshakes, the dance floor rumbles all night long, and chairs are pretty much rendered useless after dinner. Whiskey bottles are passed around, most of the wedding party has been best-best friends since kindergarten, Grams is likely to lose her shoes and your partner is much more emotional than you are. These kinds of weddings are my jam!

Since 2010, I have excelled in helping each of my couples plan for one of the very best days of their lives! I’d love to share my very personalized wedding experience, my super-human organizational abilities, and my U. S. Army combat skills (when needed) with you too.

I want your wedding day to be as perfect as you do! I am all in with my whole heart!