3rd place in Panorama
The WPJA contest judges presented Larry Stanley, a Montana, United States wedding photographer, with this Master Piece Award as recognition for top wedding photojournalism in the industry.
The leading documentary wedding photographers in the world enter their best photos to the Wedding Photojournalist Association's photography competitions. They want their wedding reportage photographs to be evaluated and selected by some of the most notable and respected working picture editors and photojournalists in the news industry (these are not wedding photographers or other WPJA members judging their work). Winning these competitions is a true accomplishment for a wedding photographer.
2006 Summer Judges
Photographer's Comment
Sometimes the most serene moments yield breathtaking images. I had just finished shooting on the side of this hill at the Paw's Up Retreat near Missoula, Montana. We called it a 'wrap' and the couple had turned and starting walking down toward the horses they rode in on, when her comes this truck barreling down the road below. My eye caught the potential of this image and I banged off 3 or 4 frames with delight. By far this was the best image of that hillside session. Yeehaw!!!!
Judges
- I liked the simplicity of this image and the car coming down the road, creating all the dust was the extra element that elevated this from a nice image to one that was a moment. Another fine picture that relies on layering to give us depth and a sense of place. We enter that landscape by following a zigzag line that starts in the grass to the couples right, goes left to the dusty road, which it follows right to the line of trees, which end on the left side of the frame at a small road that takes us right and out of the frame. That's a cool bunch of layers that makes this picture seem bigger than it is. And there's the nice moment of the bride's cocked head and the look from Mr. Cowboy, too. Nice.
The best and top wedding photographs from this category
WPJA contest judges have been recognized by their industry peers, winning top awards as staff picture editors, staff photojournalists, and newsroom mentors while working for these and other leading publications and journalism organizations.
Wedding photographer Larry Stanley, was awarded 3rd place for photo 52206 in the Panorama category for the WPJA's 2006 Summer.