This January, I entered an international photo contest. I’ve never submitted work before so this was both exciting and nerve wracking! 413,000 photos were entered from 175,000 Entrants and Voters, 81 million contest votes were cast. Photographers entered and voted from 160 countries.

We were encouraged to go all in and enter 50 photos. It was really hard narrowing down my favorites from the year. I submitted a diverse array of photos across a few categories. The contest is completely anonymous, the photos appear in a 4 photo grid for each voter to vote on. Each photo gets seen 48 times in each category and goes through a series of elimination rounds.

Of my 50, one placed in the top 10% of the personal projects category and another in the top 20% of that category. Last year, I got to participate in the Vagina Monologues at the Madison Circus Space. I read a piece that was completely out of my comfort zone, listened to incredible pieces by other women, and watched powerful women do circus performances to the monologues. The shows sold out and raised a ton of money for DAIS.

For these photos, used to market the shows, these super strong women were holding onto a spinning pole while another woman read the powerful piece, “The Flood.”

 

1 made it to the top 30% of the Family Photos Category. This was a gorgeous beach session with Samantha and her super sweet family for their 9 month photos. This photo is one of my absolute favorites from this year!

 

2 placed in the top 30% of Babies/Toddlers (Children under 3). The first is Samantha and Scott’s little boy, Harvey at his 3 month session. She had this gorgeous aviator hat and vintage plane from his bedroom.

 

The second is sweet Solomon! This was a second session, our first try was that unbearably cold early fall morning, when winter decided to come super early, mom and dad tried so hard to warm up this sweet boy. So, we tried again at Bloom bakeshop with a sprinkle donut and Leanna’s top-notch knitting skills – she hand knit that yellow sweater.

These last photos almost made top 30% in their categories.

This photo of Jenn and Adam, they dressed up with their kids and we had a blast. This was just a relaxed moment, caught in the wind on the bluffs at Governor’s Island and it ended up being my favorite!

In the springtime, my children were setting up the fairy garden in the front yard and leaping off the giant rocks out there. My daughter, Lola had her wonder woman shirt on, it showed her cute toddler belly and the cape was flapping behind her as she jumped.

I adore this family photo of Ambra, Corey and their boys. They were sweetly looking at the camera and smiling with flowers in their hands. Then, they just melted, in the same direction, hands over their foreheads. It was so cute!

Finally, this photo of my sweet son, walking across the frozen lake at sunset. I just love it. From the birch trees to the pinks of the sunset, to the bright red of his coat.

Thank you to my family, clients and friends who I’ve worked with this year! For my first contest, up against some of the best photographers in the world, I’m pretty pleased with getting anywhere in this contest. (It was also super fun and addicting to vote!) After seeing the gorgeous work of other photographers, I have so many ideas for the upcoming year.

It’s such an honor to capture your sweet moments! I look forward to what’s to come in 2018!