Competition Season

This time of year, all the PPOC regions run their competitions. Like many others, I can submit up to four images. There's also the World Photographic Cup submission window. It's a great opportunity — the regional competitions let you test images as potential candidates for National Salon in 2027.

From 2025 - My first ever Excellence image

Why bother? Because, like much of what PPOC offers, it gives you the chance to have your images judged. That process is emotionally difficult, but it comes with real benefits: it pushes you to become a better photographer. It forces you to look at your own work critically and pick apart what isn't working — in individual images and in your photography more broadly. With PPOC you also earn image merits, but the bigger value is the critical feedback itself. You won't always agree with the judges, but their input is genuinely useful for improving your images — even when it's hard to hear.

My second Excellence image

Out-of-region competition is mostly useful for testing images as National Salon candidates. In-region competition is where you compete for awards — Best in Class, Photographer of the Year, and so on. None of it is easy, and the competition is stiff. You can have a strong image, and someone else can have one too.

I love shooting wildlife, but it is challenging.

Years ago, I used to give talks on the importance of personal projects. I still believe in them, mainly because they push you creatively. There are plenty of ways to do that — a photo a day, a photo a month, online challenges, monthly meetup groups, image competitions. They all work. For me, what matters most is having a deadline. Right now I'm running two projects: the Unleashed Education Emerge challenge (a six-month program) and image competitions.

I really love this image