During last weeks annual awards banquet, in Portland, the Oregon Professional Photographers Association (OPPA) honored yours truly as their 2014 Photographer of the Year

"RAPTOR CANYON" Best Color & Highest Score Awards "RAPTOR CANYON"

 In both the OPPA quarterly and the end of the year Invitational competition I was honored to have my Raptor Canyon image score 96 points.  Which allowed it to take Best Overall Landscape Image of the Year, Best Color Image of the Year and Best Fine Art / Landscape Division of the year awards.  I've never enjoyed such success with any single image in my 53 years as a photographer. What a great way to end the year.  And, yes it certainly didn't hurt to have 3 of my 12 submitted competition images score 90 and above when it came to doing the calculations for the Photographer of the Year selection.

OPPA Crystal Camera: Photographer of the Year award

OPPA, a state chapter of the Professional Photographers of America (PPA), in addition to coaching, mentoring and educational events, hosts quarterly image competitions in the categories of Portrait, Landscape, Commercial and Wedding photography.  Near the end of the year each photographers total scores are tabulated to determine their aggregate totals to determine each photographers standing among their peers. Additionally, they host an Open Invitational Photographic Competition in late Fall that is open to all photographers, members and non-members, in the State of Oregon.

There are 130 OPPA member photographers in Oregon, a fair number of whom value the experience, education and knowledge gained from entering into formal competition with their images.  In the professional arena an image must score a minimum of 80 points to be considered "worthy of a Merit".  Images are scored on a 1 to 100 scale based on a 12 category criteria. *( such as: Impact, Composition, Technique, etc, etc).  

OPPA used 5 judges this year that came from Staten Island,NY, Plano,TX, Olympia,WA, Eugene,OR and Newport,OR.  (yes, I served as one of the Judges in this years Invitational competition.  I've Judged for over 20 years and have taught amateur and professional photographic organization "How to Judge" workshops for almost as long.)

This years Invitational garnered 160 competitive images.  It took our judging panel a little over 11 hours to evaluate all this work and I have to say, the photographers in Oregon are turning out some VERY, VERY NICE WORK !.  One of my "from the gut" responses to an occasional image is....... Boy, I wish I had done that !  That kind of image usually ends up well above the minimum 80 points that is required to merit.

I always encourage new and emerging photographers to "Get involved in competitions !"  While it might be painful from some times, there isn't a better way to learn to create meaningful images. Give it a try, take a chance.     

Vern

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** (Early next year you will see Raptor Canyon featured as one of my "Images of the Month" at which time I will share all the details of where this unique canyon is located and the background on the Navajo proprietor of the canyon. What the vision was prior to going there, while there and the techniques I used to capture this unique image. Much more to come.....stay tuned )

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At the banquet

Me, Paulette, (Daughter Deni and her husband Mike)  they made up my entourage for the evening.  It was GREAT to share it with family.

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I want to thank all the photographic community, specifically OPPA members, and the Yaquina Arts Association Photo Group, here in Newport for all their support and photographic enthusiasm.  And, especially, my wife of 50 years, Paulette, for supporting me in this obsession.  She has been, and is, my number one cheerleader.  THANK YOU ALL........... Vern