On April 10th-11th, The Professional Photographers of Louisiana http://www.ppla.net held it's annual Spring Seminar. This event is always two days filled with fun, music, lots of great talent, and so much to learn, that you want to be the first at every workshop so you do not miss a thing! There is always so much to learn at the workshops such as, Boudoir Photography, Lighting, simple, yet creative compositions, & hands on Portrait shooting with different types of lighting. There is so much that I enjoy bout this entire experience, but the one thing that I absolutely love about this Organization is that, even though there are several Master and Award winning Photographers, they are always willing to help answer questions and tell you exactly what you need to know to get that Perfect shot, and even if you don't quite nail it, they are there to direct you into the right path to perfect it, I think that alone speaks volumes. If you are into Photography, in Louisiana and would like to take your business to the next level, then please stop over on ppla.net and sign up, the opportunities are endless and the learning is always exciting.

On the first day of the Seminar, the annual Print Competition is held, and oh boy, how nervous that can be...well at least for me. So the weeks leading up to Spring, Competition is what I am thinking about, it's a total adrenaline rush. Each Photographer can submit a case of images, which consist of 6 images total. There are different types of categories to choose from, so I have been going back and forth with my Photog friends on what I should enter and so on...and it seems like the time has rolled by quickly and it is the night before already, and I still have no images to submit...or should I said I have so many images that I picked out for competition, but I have yet to find one that is worthy enough to enter, Ahhhh!!! the frustration, it is 11pm and the deadline if 12midnight....and I am still searching and editing...time Is flying and it is 11:30pm, wow, time waits for no one! Oh what the heck, my friends stop responding lol, I guess they are asleep...it it late, so I will just throw 2 images in there, now my thoughts are, "I have done just about all I can do for this image", "well this one will either be a flip or a flop", "Oh gosh the judges are donna crush me"...girl hit submit and take a breather!...so I did and went to bed.

So I wasn't able to get 6 images ready enough to enter, but I was able to successfully finish and enter 2 into the Print Competition. The score that we strive for is an 80, which is deserving of Merit, but if you get a 77, your on the right path, and getting closer. I will admit I was EXTREMELY nervous and I had already made up my mind that once my images are shown on the big screen, I will dart out of the room so fast that everyone will know that THAT particular image is mine lol....and here it goes...the competition started and I was magically glued to my seat, I would not moved, but the palpitations began...once my image showed up, and the numbers starting coming out, I felt relieved ....and I was so excited instantly and yet shocked! the first image showed up scored a 78 or 79, I was like whaaaat, hey, I'm in there....but when the second image showed up and the Judges said 83 or 84 {I don't quite remember which} , I was like OMG, Like really, I was overwhelmed with JOy...complete Joy to have had an Image that was Deserving of a Merit!!

 I AM SO EXCITED AND HONORED TO HAVE TAKEN HOME 1 AWARD FOR DISTINGUISHED PRINT AWARD!!!! 1 OUT OF MY 2, I'LL TAKE THAT!!!! look out next competition!!

I took what the judges said, I also asked questions after, and I will definitely be entering in State at Southern Exposure 2016!

Below are the 2 images that were submitted into the Print Competition

"The Orphan"

​This Image scored in the Above Average Category

"The Widow" Award winner for Distinguished Print

​This Image scored in the "Deserving of a Merit Category"