I talk about how much I love my job all the time.  I get to hang out with super cool teens and capture amazing images of them that elevate their self confidence while getting to know them and being creative at the same time.  But another reason I love my job is something I probably don't talk about very much and that is the community of photographers I call my photog family at Professional Photographers of Iowa (PPI for short).  PPI is a non-profit organization of creatives who work to uphold the standards of the photography industry through education and networking.  Members of PPI openly share expertise and ideas as well as support and encourage each other.  Together we are the voice of our industry in the media and to the public and, most importantly, we like to have fun. And boy do we ever!  PPI hosts educational classes and gatherings for pro photogs all over the Midwest with the largest one being Winter Convention held in our state every year.  Not only is Convention a time to hone my craft and connect with friends but it's also the time where I participate in Print Competition and have my work judged according to the highest industry standards.  This year my print case included 4 senior albums that were all named deserving of a merit, which is a score of 80 or above, and earned me a spot in the Top Ten Master Photographers of Iowa!  Not only that but 3 of them were awarded 1st, 2nd and 3rd place in the Master's Non-Event Album category!  Check out who's images I entered and how they did below!  Want to know more about Print Comp and what it takes for a print or album to be deserving of a merit?  Click here to learn more about the 12 Elements of a merit image.  

All of my entries were senior albums and included all my fave images from that particular session.  Below you will see one spread from the album and links to view blog posts from that session if I've done one already.