One of the ways that I keep my creative eye as fresh as possible is to continue to stick my neck out for criticism or praise through juried print competitions.  The mother of all competitions is the Professional Photographers of America’s International (PPA) Print Competition.  Each year members of the PPA (which currently numbers over 18,000 internationally) are allowed to enter four total images to the competition.  Normally these images have been judged several times prior at a state and regional level through affiliate PPA organizations.  The goal of the print competition is to challenge an artist to continue to grow creatively and technically.  This process is critical in the grow or die world of photographic art.  It can be a very humbling experience, putting your images beside the best and brightest photographic artist in the world.  When you are lucky enough to win – it can also be one of the most exhilarating experiences in the world.  The judging for 2007 has just been completed and again this year the PPA judges liked my work.  Out of over 5,000 entries, Two of my images were selected to represent the PPA in their Loan Collection and one was selected for the general collection.  The Loan collection is the PPA’s “best of” collection.  The collection contains 400 images which will be published in the 2007 Loan Collection book by PPA.  The collection also becomes a traveling collection and is displayed in gallery’s around the world, inspiring and encouraging photographers and admirers of great photography.  I am honored to be included again in this prestigious collection.  Every day I work hard to create images that could easily be included in this collection for every client.

This years images will become part of my “Healing Art” collection.

Let me know what you think about them?

P.S. – check out one of my previous Loan collection images by clicking here  This image is one of 26 total images selected by the Professional Photographers of America for their web site.