We are so incredibly excited to announce the awardees for our first annual Best of Images Contest! Our judges critiqued 729 images submitted across 5 categories (Boudoir, Child, Newborn, Senior and Wedding) through a numbered system, ensuring no judge was aware of the submitting artist’s name and could judge impartially. Each judge individually scored each image on the following criteria:
FIRST IMPRESSION
Quick, first glance impression of the image.
TECHNICAL EXCELLENCE
Evaluation of technical excellence of image. Includes proper exposure, well-proportioned composition, and pleasing white balance.
VISUAL EXPRESSION
Evaluation on use of light, choice of location, posing, styling and aesthetically pleasing composition to visually express the subject matter.
EDITING PROFICIENCY
Evaluation of editing proficiency to enhance the aesthetic appearance or better express the subject matter.
Each of their scores was tallied to reveal each images final score. The Top 25 images in each category, all with an overall score of 70 or higher, were awarded placement within the issue. (The Boudoir Category will be published with 12 images as the balance of images did not meet the score requirement.) In addition, our Editor-in-Chief, Heather Tindall, hand selected 2 images from each category to be awarded in a 6th category aptly named, the Editors Choice Award.
Words cannot express the thanks that we have for our judges, Vickie Black of Senior Style Guide Magazine, Brittni Schroeder of Mozi Magazine and Jessica Klaus of Beyond the Wanderlust. These editors gave their time and skill to us as judges and were so thankful for their time and effort!
The winning images will be published in the December 2014 issue of Denim+Grace Magazine releasing on December 15, 2014! So, in anticipation of the issue launch, here are the awarded photographers in alphabetical order based on category:
TOP OVERALL SCORE
Amanda Holloway
BOUDOIR CATEGORY
Shawn Black
Renee Bowen
Nicole Cook
Kathleen Peachey
Cheyenne Ward Goodman
CHILD CATEGORY
Jamie Bard-Dube
Jennifer Callahan
Fran Cooper
Brianna Cox
Nicole DuMond
Jamie Faulkner
Keri Hamilton
Lisa Holloway
Debbie Koehler
Julie McGann
Jessie Newell
Kathleen Peachey
Malisa Phillips
Julie Pottorff
Cori Strong
Kellie Trenkle
NEWBORN CATEGORY
Amanda Buechler
Christina Boyd
Jennifer Callahan
Jamie Faulkner
Keri Hamilton
Stefanie Harrington
Lisa Holloway
Debbie Koehler
Kristen Montgomery
Jessie Newell
Kathleen Peachey
Nafa Ribeiro
Tiffany Walensky
SENIOR CATEGORY
Chelsea Atkins
Kristie Bradley
Nicole Cook
Brooke Daniels
Megan Evans
Lauren Harris
Amanda Holloway
Lisa Holloway
Sarah Lane
Christina Litle
Amie Reinholz
Cori Strong
Katrina Weingart
Melissa White
Kalyn Yeager
WEDDING CATEGORY
Nicole Baas
Amanda Coker
Renee Collazo
Brianna Cox
Maison Engel
Nicole Gravatt
Natalie Greenwood
Katie Hughes
Easton Reynolds
Jennifer Smith
Karey Ronnow
Cheyenne Ward Goodman
Allison Wheeler
Melissa White
EDITORS CHOICE CATEGORY
Renee Bowen
Natalie Greenwood
Keri Hamilton
Debbie Koehler
Christina Litle
Kathleen Peachey
Amie Reinholz
Laura Reynolds
Cori Strong
Allison Wheeler
Congratulations to all the selected photographers!