2016 Shoot & Share Contest Awards {Cumming Family Photographer}
With this being my second year entering the Shoot & Share Contest, let me just say how much FUN it is! The entire contest is quite a process, as it runs over the course of a month and this year had 10 rounds of voting, each round eliminating the bottom percentage of images from each of the 25 categories. Unlike most photo contests, it is completely anonymous and voted on by professional photographers and photo admirers around the world, open to anyone who wishes to jump in and see some incredible work. This year, at least 50,000 unique voters from over 130 countries participated!
The most impressive thing about the contest, I found, was that there were more than DOUBLE the number of images submitted this year over the number in the contest last year. In 2015, there were about 110,000 images. I was blessed, honored and thrilled to receive recognition that 5 of my images placed in the top 30% and I even had one make it to the final round as a FINALIST (top 7%). This year, in 2016, over 225,000 images were submitted! With the pool being SO large, I wasn't counting on making it as far as I did last year.
As the voting rounds pushed on and the pool was culled to so many stellar images, I'd anxiously wait for my little "favorites" indicator to go up just to know I had at least ONE photo left in the contest. This little feature allows other voters to "save" images that they love so they can go back later to see the camera, settings, and see more of that photographer's work. I knew I had one photo make it to Round 8, but once they released the final results, I was floored!
No, I didn't make it to the Finalist round that I did last year. However, I had a total of 19 images that received the honor of making it to the top 30% or better of the images submitted!
Top 10%: 5 images
Top 20%: 5 images
Top 30%: 9 images
I know I've grown immensely in my art over the past year and it is so reassuring to see others perceive that growth as well. So a big THANK YOU to my beautiful clients who have allowed me the privilege to capture your memories and transform them into art.
And now, I'd like to proudly display the images that received recognition!
Toddler/Preschoolers: Top 7% of 18,329 images submitted
Toddler/Preschoolers: Top 7% of 18,329 images submitted
Newborn: Top 10% of 12,302 images submitted
Toddler/Preschoolers: Top 10% of 18,329 images submitted
Toddler/Preschoolers: Top 7% of 18,329 images submitted
