I’m proud to announce that two of my images have received awards in the latest [AG]WPJA - Artistic Guild of the Wedding Photojournalists Association - contest.

What is the AGWPJA? This is the description from their site:

“The Artistic Guild of the Wedding Photojournalist Association [AG]WPJA is comprised of outstanding wedding photographers (WPJA members), who are at the forefront of the wedding photography industry when it comes to enhancing images. The chief objective of the [AG]WPJA is to provide members with a platform where the finest enhanced, manipulated and/or artistic wedding photojournalism in the world is spotlighted and promoted for the bride and groom.

The [AG]WPJA is a separate division of the Wedding Photojournalist Association (WPJA). Whereas the WPJA upholds strict guidelines that forbid excessive picture manipulation, the [AG]WPJA encourages and fosters creative image enhancement, with the vision of promoting Fine Art Wedding Photojournalists.

The [AG]WPJA establishes and upholds high standards that are taken into consideration during the judging process for our wedding photography contests. Using all artistic tools at their disposal, members skillfully enliven their work in post production processing.”

The only way to become a member of the AGWPJA is to place in one of the contests. Besides me, there are only 5 other photographers from Pennsylvania in the Guild.

Some of the world’s best photographers enter these contests, and it is a huge honor for me to win.

Both of the winning images were in the ‘Getting Ready’ category. The first image, from Kim + Tom’s wedding, took 5th place, and the second, from Kristy + Bob’s wedding, took 18th place.

Lauren + Ryan were my last wedding of 2007, and I can’t think of a better way to end the year.

Theirs was a destination wedding in New York. For me, when I think destination wedding I think Mexico, the Bahamas, Hawaii - someplace warm and sandy. But, when you are from Charleston, SC like Lauren + Ryan, New York is most definitely a destination!

I got to spend the whole weekend with them shooting the rehearsal dinner, ice skating in central park, and of course the wedding. It was so much fun! They had a very non-traditional intimate wedding with their closest friends and family. The whole weekend was amazing, and Lauren, Ryan, and their families were absolutely wonderful.

Here are a few from the rehearsal dinner and ice skating:

And some from the wedding:

I have to offer a sincere apology to my regular readers (both of you) for my lack of posts lately. Like everyone else, the end of the year tends to be extraordinarily busy.

A couple weeks ago I shot Jason + Aimee’s engagement session. Jason has been one of my best friends since my freshman year of college. He’s like a brother to me, and because of that I tend to be rather protective. When he first told me about Aimee, she sounded too good to be true.

He was totally right about her.

Aimee is fantastic, and they are perfect together. I couldnt be happier for both of them.

Congrats guys!