Enchanted

Every year I enter four images into the Professional Photographers of America’s annual International Photographic Competition and it’s kinda a big deal. This year, Enchanted was one of the four pieces I submitted. It turns out, that this piece was the highest rated image of all the entries I submitted and the judges loved it! The backstory behind Enchanted is pretty good too, check it out:

It was the middle of winter when I literally stumbled on this scene. It was in an area that I though I would go to check out just to see what was there. Consequently, I had no idea what I was going to find. When I started hiking around, this scene started coming into view right away. It was magical, but I knew it was the wrong time of day. It was only about 1:00pm or so and the sun wasn’t going to be heading down for a few hours.

If you’ve been following my work for awhile, you probably know that I tend to stay away from photographing man made structures, as a result I set off to hike into the surrounding landscapes. I traversed snow banks up to my neck before turning back and following the river. Hiking into the icy cold stream, I shot a few pics before moving on. I knew, however, that the best composition I saw all day was where I started out.

And so I hiked back just as the light was starting to fade. I waited until the lights came on in the log cabin and just before night enveloped the entire sky I snapped away. The scene was perfect. I knew right away that I was shooting something really special. Enchanted is a perfect reflection of how I felt while photographing this scene that looked like something straight out of a Thomas Kinkade painting.

The Accolades Arrive

I usually only enter an image into one photography competition a year, however this one I entered into two. This was one of four pieces I chose to enter into the Professional Photographers of America’s 2016 Western District Competition. It was well received, earning a seal and being automatically entered into the International Photographic Competition, one of the most prestigious photo competitions in the world. Enchanted did well there too, earning a merit and being among all four images that I entered receiving awards. Most noteworthy, this particular piece helped me earn a Silver Medal in this highly regarded photo competition.

A few months after receiving the accolades from the International Photographic Competition, Enchanted went on to receive a bronze medal in the 2016 Epson Panoramic Awards. As you can imagine, it’s because of all this great recognition that I am extremely honored and humbled by these awards.