Chris Keeley
Wowzah! What an honor to have earned the title of Photographer of the Year. Never once since I joined NHPPA in 2018 did I think such a title would be mine!
When I joined, I thought my work was top tier. What I discovered was just how much room I had to grow. I was annually disappointed my first few years entering in print competition, expecting to do better. Each year, I learned a little more.
True to what long-time NHPPA members had told me, print competition naturally enhances your craft. The rules for technical excellence become second nature, and you unlock your creative visions with a solid foundation to support them.
I am proud to say that six of my eight entries this year were client images, meaning I photographed these images in my daily work in serving my clients. Contrary to what I was once told, you can excel in competition with client work; you do not need personal projects or models to do well. You need only maximize the opportunity before you. Not every opportunity will be merit worthy, but learning to identify those that are is a hallmark of growth in competition.
In fact, five of my entries were photographed during the constraints of real live weddings. FIVE! To reiterate my sentiment above, when you lean in and apply yourself to print competition, you will find that it directly strengthens your day to day photography.
With that being said, my biggest piece of advice to people entering in print competition with the desire to grow: embrace technical excellence. Learn the rules -- especially composition, white balance, and basic lighting patterns. Too often there are wonderful images in competition that fail simply because they are missing the essential technical underpinnings of a strong image. Rules can be broken, but one must do so knowingly and with purpose.
Master technical excellence first. Anyone can. They are hard and true rules printed in books taught in workshops. The Certified Professional Photographer (CPP) is a great pathway toward this goal. Then employ creativity.
I'll conclude by referencing one of my favorite quotes that has been attributed to Picasso. "Learn the rules like a pro," he said, "so that you can break them like an artist!"
