Warriors Portrait Earns Bronze Medal in 2025 International Photographic Competition

It is an absolute honor to have received national recognition for outstanding artistry, craftsmanship, and technical excellence in photography at the International Photographic Competition this winter.  Among 2,018 submissions to the International Photographic Competition, Warriors was one of 32 images in its category to be recognized with a Bronze Medal in the International Photographic Competition hosted by the Professional Photographers of America (PPA).

Warriors was created as part of a commission from Paul and Denise.  We wanted to craft a portrait that celebrated the unwavering love, commitment, and dedication between these three siblings while capturing their strength and power as individuals and collectively.  When we were designing this portrait, I was struck by Denise’s reflections on her children.  “I see them as warriors. Fierce, kind, they know who they are,” she told me.  “Each carry their own pocket of heavy, and they carry it well.  I could not do it with the grace that they do.”  

To me, the success of every portrait is dependent on telling the extraordinary story of the subjects.  Denise and Paul’s story was about their children, their warriors, but also about their family in this special moment in time.  Paul observed, “this is the last attempt to embrace them as a unit. It will never be just like this again.”  Since our session in 2021, there have been international adventures, unexpected hurdles, and joyful wedding plans.

It is with tremendous pride and gratitude that I share this important recognition for a work of art that hangs in the home of dear clients and friends.  Warriors is an enduring celebration of the steadfast relationship between three siblings raised by courageously dedicated parents to take on the world and eternally have one another’s backs.