We had a terrific group at Thursday’s After Hours.  The prints submitted for the print competition were just fantastic.  Thanks to our Judges for your insights.

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Thanks to PMPA member, Brian McLernon

for hosting us at this West Portland Studio and giving us a preview of his May Workshop.  Click on the photo above to see all the photos.  (Thanks Danny for the candids)

Mark and Dawn, pictured here, along with several others, each had prints which Merited in March.  It was one of our largest and most well attended competitions.  Terrific Prints!  Click photo above to see all the images. (thanks Danny for the candids)

Congrats to Mike Anderson, Lisa Dillon, and Mark Fitzgerald whose prints were all awarded Merits at the PPA Western District Competition!! (image above, Abandoned, by Lisa Dillon & Soul Boat, by Michael anderson)

PMPA member and Director of Workshops,  Mark Fitzgerald was awarded  a perfect 100 score and “Best of Show” a the
Professional Photographers of America International
Photographic Competition Western District competition.  PPA’s Western Division comprised nine western
states and the 3 Canadian provinces.  Mark’s
print,  titled "Sleepless in
Seattle", was the only one from over 600 entries to receive the honor of a
perfect score.

Mark tells us "I first shot from this location in 2009.
I was touring the city with a local photographer who took me to the spot just
before sunset. I got a nice shot of a wider view of the skyline with Mt,
Rainier in the background, but didn’t feel it was the best the location had to
offer. I filed it away in the "go back to shoot category", but only
recently managed to schedule a photo trip to Seattle to reshoot two locations.  I spent a couple of days in Seattle with a
fellow Portland photographer photographing mostly in the downtown and Pioneer
areas. I love shooting in Seattle. It’s a very photogenic city with a range of
interesting locations and subjects.  I can’t
wait to go back again later this year to continue my exploration of the Emerald
City.

Mark is the author of numerous photographic books and a
nationally known lecturer, so we asked if receiving a perfect score and “Best
of Show” would change his ever evolving approach to photography.  Mark says “though I have a long history in
professional photography and did quite a bit of shooting in the early days,
about ten years ago my career shifted to a support role for other
photographers. I enjoyed my focus on teaching and writing, but missed creating
my own images. I got serious about shooting again 4 years ago and have been
doing a lot of personal work since. I’m glad I’m doing my own photography again
because I truly enjoy the creative outlet. More importantly, it’s made me a
better teacher and writer because I’m continually learning new things as I work
with my own images."

Two other PMPA members Mike Anderson and Lisa Dillon were also awarded Merits at the PPA Western District. 

I’m looking to share studio space in the Pdx area with other photographers who have a small hourly need each month for studio use. Either a studio that’s up in running that would like to share some expenses or I’d be interested in spearheading a new location/warehouse setting, lots of set areas and splitting the costs among 4 to 6 shooters. Doreen Wynja, 503 816 0942.

Click the Member Login link at the top of any page at www.pmpa.net

Type in your email and password, there’s also a link if you forgot your password

Click the link, See my profile

Scroll down and click the button next to Merits

Start filling in your Merits

I hope to see all of you at the annual December Awards Banquet to see who earned the PMPA Photographer of the Year.