Alberta Co-Portrait Photographer of the Year: Jenny Alston

This year the PPOC-AB was proud to select two winners for the Alberta Portrait Photographer of the Year: Jenny Alston and Kim Ruff.  Today, we'd like to introduce you to Jenny Alston from Lethbridge, AB.  Congratulations Jenny on a job well done!

"I am self-taught, but after a few years in my business, I looked at the industry and where I was and I instantly developed an insatiable desire to expand my knowledge.   I have attended a number of training sessions with internationally recognizable names in our industry.  I have been doing this professionally since 2003 (soon to be nine years!!).  Weddings are my first love, but boudoir - is a close second.  I specialize in seeing connection.  I feel I don't communicate effectively through my camera if my heart can't speak in the conversation as well.  

I can narrow down my progress to a few key turning points in my career.  The first in being pushed and challenged to enter international print competition during a workshop a few years back.  He and his team truly cared that we were growing.  That was the turning point where I stopped chastising myself for being the artist, feeling like a square peg in a round hole most of my life, and truly embraced my gifts for what they were.  I felt an explosion of growth from that.  The second was when I moved to Lethbridge and had to dig in my heels and work hard to succeed in this tough photography market as an emerging, yet established business in this new, saturated city.  I sharpened my business skills and I further relied on the well of creativity within me.  I shoot for myself a lot more now and that has resulted in amazing results, as well as another explosion of learning.  I'm adding new techniques and adding to my repertoire and vision all the time when I get up early to photograph a sunrise, or other genre of photography.

I keep current on what is going on, especially print competition, but I purposely don't stalk blogs or websites.  I want a unique look and I want my images to be a product of my own creativity.

I am focused on providing art.  I want epic images on my client's walls or albums.  I want imagery that I would have loved to have (if I hadn't hired a cheap photographer myself when I got married in the 1990's).  I am creating images that generations that follow will be viewing.  These images will outlive the subjects in them...my name will be attached to them.  They have to be timeless and interesting!  I love low-light, or interestingly-lit sultry imagery.

On the business side, I love social media, blogging and my main business-side love is marketing.  I absolutely love the creativity that comes with marketing.  Finding ways to cut through the noise of society.  LOVE it!!  

I started entering WPPI print competition in 2009 and continued with WPPI and the PPOC when I joined in 2010.  With the emergence and wide use of Facebook, images are up for all the world to see.  I saw pictures labeled as "stunning" that weren't so stunning.  My eyes for good light and composition had been opened by that time and I thought to myself, "people tell me my images are good - I want to make sure they are!"  I didn't want to believe my fanbase as my only thermometer.  I wanted print judges to also tell me I was on the right track.  I have paid my dues with receiving criticism in print competition.  I learned from everything they ripped apart.  I wanted critique... I didn't care how much I loved my images or how much it hurt to hear.  I wanted the naked truth because I wanted to get better and progress with my vision and technique.  To this day, I am on the edge of my seat listening to hours and hours of print competition.  I love hearing what they say and seeing the innovative and unique imagery.

It is true that you get out of it what you put into it.  In a world where there are photographers in every family, photographers on every street (at least where I live  :-)...the PPOC gives multiple avenues to stand out.  You can get accredited.  This tells the public that I didn't get my camera five minutes ago and now I'm a photographer - I had to pass a standard.  In print competition, winning awards and titles can be very useful in marketing...yet another way to stand out.  It is a way to say my industry believes in me too.  Showing that I care enough about my industry to be a part of it also shows longevity and validity.  Being in such a saturated market, I have had clients who have been exasperated in the search to find a photographer they can trust to be good at their craft.  The pendulum is swinging the other way and the public wants to know how to find good photographers and aren`t just settling with the neighborhood friend all the time anymore - being a part of our industry in some official way shows them we are serious.

I choose my mentors carefully because I want to be honest to the art my soul wants to provide.  I watch our industry carefully - new techniques and new products.  I want to remain an artist, rather than turning trendy - yet I want to remain relevant and I want to have my images stand out.  When I photograph weddings, I want them to be timeless, I don`t want the wedding images to be out of date the following year because I've laid the latest action on them.   I can also say branching outside of my experienced genre during my own photographing time has reaped many rewards.  My assistant and I photograph about twice a month and try new things - just for our own education.  Find a buddy, shoot with them...reach into your own well of creativity as well as looking to other genres, industries and other images for inspiration, as well as, study the art of the old Masters.  Develop a true artistic appreciation of everything in your world.  Fill your own creative well and it will benefit you.  I love seeing the world through artist's eyes.

 

I will NEVER say I know everything.  I will forever and always be searching for that new nugget of education or inspiration.  I have my sights on more titles in the print competition world, my CPA, my MPA and giving back to young people.  I give free photography workshops to teenagers.  They are at such an age that if I can mentor them, or make them feel good about themselves or confident in any way - I might be affecting generations behind them.  I was given these gifts for a reason and I know that it wasn't to keep them to myself.

I will always push myself.  always..."

To view more of Jenny's work, please visit: Imajen Photo

Image of the Day - Susie O'Connor

This image was created by member Susie O'Connor from Cold Lake, AB.  To view more of Susie's work, please visit:  Images Studio

Nature Accreditation - Hiroaki Kobayashi

A nature accreditation portfolio encompasses all that is natural, including plants, animals and landscapes.  It does not however, include man made subjects, landscapes that have been modified by man, domesticated animals or plants, or any situation where the "hand of man" is evident.  Member Hiroaki Kobayashi from Calgary, AB successfully earned an accreditation in nature in February of 2012.  Hiro is also a relatively new member!  Congratulations Hiro and thank you for becoming an active member!

"I have been taking photos as s hobbyist for about 20 years.  I came to Canada about 11 years ago with Leica M3 and CL. These cameras got stolen just over night about 3 years ago so I had to switch to digital camera. Digital photography brought me up to next level and photography has been truly my passion. I used to like shooting street photography, but now I visit mountains almost every weekend. I am residing in Calgary so why not to take the geographical advantage. Also now I am more into studio lighting and photographing fashion photography type of the portraiture.  

I have seen the photo-book, collections of the wining photos by PPOC members. I was shocked by the quality and originality of the photographic arts. So I thought being accredited is the first step to challenge myself to the next level. Now I can try competitions. 

For photographers who want to establish business like me, PPOC provides plenty of information and learning opportunities. Also joining the community set my mind to professional level. I think it encourage me to raise a bar to create quality images. Darwin Wiggett comes first. Also I admire Darryl Benson's works.

To view more of Hiro's work, please visit: Wide Bright Pass Photography

Image of the Day - Shelley Vandervelde

"Round About" was created by member and master photographer Shelley Vandervelde from Calgary, AB and received a score of accepted.  To view more of Shelley's work, please visit:  SVP Photography

PPOC- Alberta Best in Class - Wedding Album: Michael Shandro

I am self taught in photography, but I have a computer networking diploma and a Bachelor of Commerce. Shandro Photo was started 6 years ago, and my favourite thing to photograph is people.  My studio's primary focus is weddings but not in a boring old stuffy way ;) I like to have fun with it!  We are a husband/wife team, my wife Hayley photographs weddings as well.

I submit to print competition to help change the face of photography in the PPOC. I want to introduce modern photographic techniques and styles into our community and show the judges what is relevant.  I choose the images that I like best, not what I think will place well at competition.  Sometimes this has great reward and sometimes I walk away with nothing.

The reason I remain a PPOC member is that I enjoy the networking, the educational opportunities, and the insurance benefit.

I think the secret to strong wedding photography is personality, and pushing the boundaries.

What is next for Shandro Photo?  A ridiculous amount of travel!  Hawaii, Vegas, Vancouver, New York City – all before wedding season hits.  We work so much in our business that we need to get away often. We have an extremely busy wedding season coming up, and we have also recently launched an album design company Salt and Pepper Album Design (www.saltandpepperalbumdesign.com) for wedding and boudoir photographers. To make this all work we have a nanny coming to live with us!

To view more of Michael's work, please visit:  Shandro Photo

Image of the Day - Stephanie Scade

This image was created by member Stephanie Scade from Edmonton, AB.  To view more of Stephanie's work, please visit:  Scade Photography

Accreditation Deadline is today!

Just a reminder that the accreditation deadline is today at 5pm EST!  Judging will take place April 21 at national convention.  Late entries will not be judged until the July entry.  Get those entries in!!!