pebble beach photographer

The 2017 Shoot & Share photo contest results are in, people!  I’m so excited to share with you that 7 of my photos placed in the top 30% or higher out of 332,000++ images submitted.  There are several interesting and amazing aspects to this competition.  You can submit up to 50 images, although I have to admit I did this all last minute and only submitted about 20 images.  I hope to put more thought into it for future contests!  Once voting begins, you are shown 4 photos of the same category at a time and you select the one you think is the best, then repeat with 4 more photos…you get the idea.  The photographers’ names are unknown during the competition, along with knowing how well you are doing with your own photos.  You can receive a heart if someone favorites your image (not the same as a vote though), which is the only indication that you are still in the contest…and even then, you do not know which photos have continued to the next round.

Here are my photos that placed.  This first one that was a finalist means that it made it to the final Round 12, which is the top 3.5% of all photos submitted (actual placement was 257th place).  This photo brings mixed emotions for me…super personal as it shows the gut-wrenching effects of the Soberanes Fire last summer.  This photo was taken in the Santa Lucia Preserve and showcases the close proximity and enormity of the fire.  In a single image, it shows the chaos, scariness, and the hard working air crews that were constantly fighting this fire.  I am humbled and honored that it would place as a finalist photo.  Thank you to those who voted for any of my images.  It was an inspiring competition to be a part of and I love seeing my photography growth compared to last year’s contest (4 images placed).

Every year Shoot & Share hosts a photo contest at the beginning of the year.  It is considered the one and only “free and fair” photo contest in which anyone can vote.  When you go to vote, you are shown 4 photos at a time (the 4 grouped together are always in the same category) and you select one of the four as your vote.  The photographer’s details/name are never revealed until the contest is completely finished.  Each time you vote, it rotates you through various categories.  In 2016, over 225,000 photos were submitted and I realized recently that I never shared my results!

Last year was the first year that I went for it and decided to submit any images.  The 4 photos below that I submitted placed in the top 20% and 30% of all the images entered (categories that placed include Children, Families, and Seniors).  Just thought I’d share – better late than never!!  I am anticipating finding out the results of the 2017 Shoot and Share contest sometime this week!  It is such an inspiring contest and such a great sense of community within the group.

Channing is a senior at Stevenson School this year.  There are no other words to describe Channing’s photos other than completely gorgeous!

This little session with mommy and her two boys was absolutely darling!  It’s been about a year since I last saw Skyler and has he grown, oh so much.  And meeting baby Zach was awesome!  What a chill little guy and such a cutie!  This momma is definitely blessed with her two boys.  So glad she captured this time with them!

This was another one of those families that I adore for so many reasons!  The smiles, the laughter, the fun…and they were so comfortable in front of the camera.  Then again, it’s easy to feel comfortable when you get to go to the beach and play during your session.  These photos are the first family photos this family has ever had taken professionally and I’m so glad they decided to go for it!

Oh, how I adore a family full of boys!  These four little boys were all so precious and sweet to take their photos!  Their momma and daddy have trained them well as they are already little gentlemen!  We had a great mini session at the beach, just a few days shy of them moving.  They wanted to capture one last time at the beach as a family of four.  How precious to have photos like this to remember such a beautiful place where they were blessed to live.