Sometimes you get a pleasant surprise. This image of a stream in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is a favorite of mine. The sunset light was magical for just a few minutes, and I was very lucky to have been in the right place at the right time.
Because I like this image so much, I decided to enter it in the annual Professional Photographers of America image competition. I have entered scenics before, and they rarely do well. While the judges seem to like scenics, they are not wowed by them. Often they get just a ho-hum score, and frankly that is what I was expecting.
So I was happily surprised when this image was selected to become part of the organization's Permanent Loan Collection. I can only assume that the quality of the light was a big part of why the image did well. Whatever the reason, I am thrilled that one of my favorite images was a front-runner with the judges.
If you have an image you love, even if you fear that the judges might not respond well to it, go ahead and enter it. You never know when a surprise win will come your way!
TECHNICAL DATA
Shutter Speed 2.5 seconds. Aperture f/32. ISO 100. Lens: 70-200mm f/4 IS set to 93mm. Camera: Canon 5D Mark III. Gitzo tripod with Really Right Stuff ballhead and Wimberley Sidekick.
TODAY'S QUOTE: "I'm not in competition with anybody but myself. My goal is to beat my last performance." --Celine Dion
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