Portrait photography can run the gamut in type and style—everything from the traditional “head and shoulders” shot to lifestyle and environmental, candid and street, glamour and boudoir, maternity sessions and more.

This week, we are kicking off the New Year by celebrating some eye-catching portraits and photos by WPPI winners from our conference brand’s Second Half competition. We also outline one WPPI judge’s approach to choosing award-winning images.

According to WPPI Content Director Arlene Evans, the goal of WPPI’s Second Half Online competition is to “encourage, educate and motivate wedding and portrait photographers committed to their craft.”

[Read: WPPI’s Second Half Competition: How 3 Judges Approach Submissions]

Second Half entrants receive written critiques from three judges for each digital image submitted with an option for an audio critique. The judges’ feedback prepares entrants for the next phase of the awards program and helps them progress on their journey of growth and prestige within their community.

Kelly Brown is a portrait photographer based in Australia, specializing in newborn and baby portraiture. She is also a prolific WPPI speaker and judge, and won the Grand Award in Portraiture at WPPI in 2020. As a judge, she acknowledges that there are so many different elements that go into creating an award-winning photo. She says she likes to assess each one in the following order when judging the WPPi Second Half competition:  

• Impact – Does the image grab and hold my attention?
• Story Telling and Subject Matter – Does the image draw me in to discover a message without distraction?
• Creativity and Style – Does the creativity and styling add to the story?
• Composition – Is the composition holding my attention with leading lines, alignment and lighting to guide me to where the photographer intends me to look?
• Image or Print Presentation – The overall finish of an image is highly important. Are the Mats and borders complimenting or distracting?  Does the paper choice show all the tones and details?
• Lighting – Does the direction and quality of light create depth and enhance the image?
• Color Balance – Is the color balance harmonious in the image and/or does it create dramatic effects? 
• Photographic Technique – Is the subject/image sharp and correctly exposed? Has the posing been done well? And is the camera angle and focal length complementing for the style of image?

In the gallery above, you can view six of the Second Half winning images that caught our eye this week:

“Grandma, Tell Me More” by Switzerland-based child/family portrait photographer Dai Bui won First Place in the Portrait Division – Group + Families.

“I’ve always felt connected to family portraits and even more extreme this year,” says Bui. “I did a few submissions in three different categories this time and I’m proud that all of my four images were awarded in the Second Half competition.”⁠
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As is standard with all of our conference brand WPPI’s competitions, constructive feedback is always included. For Bui, this included notes about the strength of her “creativity, impact, storytelling, strong concept, great composition, great color grading, beautiful details and lighting.”

“Bridal Delights” by Sydney, Australia-based wedding photographer Sam Sitto won First Place in the Wedding Division – Bride or Groom Alone: Wedding Day.

“Just Ducky” by fine-art newborn, baby, and child photographer Cassandra Jones won First Place in Portrait Division – Children + Teenager.

“Power Mama” by Sweden-based, fine-art portrait photographer Martina Wärenfeldt won First Place in Portrait Division – Maternity.

Wärenfeldt says the challenge of the image was in the styling. “Due to the clean graphic design of the pattern in the dress, I had trouble figuring out how to style the shoot,” she says. “Normal flowers would be too soft, but I still wanted something ‘flowery’. Not until the day before, the plan hit me: paper flowers!!” 

Wärenfeldt says she spent half the night on Pinterest instead of sleeping and then went shopping the next day for baking items. “I made big paper flowers from cake sheets and a headpiece from cupcake holders (my husband had earlier constructed the ring for me). The roundness of a baby belly and the ring was fitting, I thought.”

“Climber” by Alex Jung won First Place in Creative Division – Landscape + Travel.

“Retired Clown” by Chicago photographer Rachel Owen won First Place in Portrait Division – Animals + Pets.

See the entire gallery of winners here.