For those of you are new to PPOC and the salon, and what it’s all about.  PPOC is Canada’s most recognized professional photography association,   with thousands of members all across Canada.  We have different  levels of expertise from Observer members to masters of Photography who hold several bars. This is an amazing feat to accomplish and I can only hope to get there some day.

I have been a proud member since 2007 and I wouldn’t be where I am today if it were not for this association, and the members within.  I have learned so much and gained so many amazing friends from across Canada and the US because of it.

This year I decided to step up my game when it came to my imagery, and taking a chance on submitting into my associations National Salon.  What is the Salon you ask?  It’s basically a huge Image competition, but it’s not limited to a first, second, third, place. You have to be accepted into the show with a mark of either Accepted, Merit, or Excellence. Think of it more like being accepted into National gallery of images,  where many pieces get put on display.

I’m not going to lie, it’s freaking hard to be accepted. Its intimidating as all heck, when you put your images up against some of the best in the country – many of these photographers are award winning photographers and it shows.  I’ve entered many Salons where NOTHING gets accepted and sometimes my images even get trashed.  But thats the beauty, without those images being torn to bits, I would never have learned what I could do better.   And oh boy,  did I have room to grow.

However, this year I feel like it’s the start of something new.  This year out of the 4 images I submitted, I had THREE, count them 1-2-3 images Accepted into the salon.  HOLY COW!!!!

Could I have done better, Absolutely. I even paid for an audio critique so I can see what some of those judges really thought about the images, and how I can push m y work further.  Never stop learning. even the best images can always be better.  I cant wait to see how much this pushes my work 2021 and beyond.