2024 International Pet Photograpy Awards - Kristen Murray Photography results
It’s back! The International Pet Photographer of the Year Awards. (IPPA for short) Hosted by Unleashed Education, the IPPA is a great way to challenge yourself creatively and gain feedback from the best of the best in our little pet photography industry.
Last year, I entered 5 images into the awards, 2 placed Bronze, 1 Silver, and 2 Professional Standard. (You can check out those images, feedback, and my thoughts over on this blog post.)
This year I entered 10 images & like 2023’s post, this one is going to be the same format — I’ll tell the story of the image, the judge’s feedback, and then my thoughts.
Let’s get into it. . .
The story:
I co-host Woofventures Retreats, a dog photography retreat in Scotland with Ewan Cheyne of Mutley’s Snaps. This image was taken at the end of our on-location photo session. Scotland has some amazing trees and I came across this one while location scouting and made note of it that I’d love to put a dog in it. Our students had finished up their on-location shoot with our dog models, and on the walk back to the car park, I stopped at the tree and asked my (not so secret) favorite English Cocker Rue’s mom if he wouldn’t mind posing in this tree. Of course, Rue will do absolutely anything for his Chuck It ball and happily hopped right up on the branches to pose.
For the edit, I wanted something a bit dramatic (as I was also using this image for Unleashed Education’s Emerge Challenges, which required a dark & moody edit. It took Top 10 in that challenge, and I’m also thrilled to announce this image also placed in the Top 100 for IPPA.
Judge’s feedback:
“Stunning. The color of the dog fits perfectly in the tones of this image and the tree branches add so much interest and texture to this image. The lighting on the dog is beautiful and expertly handled. Well done. Gorgeous.”
“My eyes goes immediately to the dog's face, through clever and subtle use of leading lines and depth. Despite being a colour image, the image has a unique monotone feel due to the limited colour palette. The low key feeling of the image really works - just fabulous!”
My thoughts:
Honestly, if it weren’t for the Unleashed Challenge brief, I probably wouldn’t have edited it in this dark & moody style, as it’s not what I normally do. That said, I love it; and being forced to push myself creatively was much needed as well. Sometimes we get stuck in a creative rut and while I wont be changing my KMP style completely, I like knowing I can create a few different looks when the image calls for it is nice.
The story:
So. . . I’m sure if you searched hard enough, you’ll be able to find this image, but for now it’s under wraps as it’s currently still being judged by PPA. I’ve made it to Round of 32, now it’s just a waiting game until they judge in February 2025.
Score: 81 Silver
Judge’s feedback:
I’m going to come back and update this one, once PPA IPC judging is completed - Feb 2024. . . .
My thoughts:
81? Just barely a silver? Seriously?
The story:
Something I always tell other photographers, shoot through the chaos. This image was absolutely NOT what I set out to create, but ended up loving it so much. You can read the story of Rainy Day Reflections here.
Score: 81 Silver
Judge’s feedback:
“A dynamic and emotive portrait showing clear technical ability, and creative exploration. Compositionally this would benefit from a little more negative space to the left of the dog to allow the eye to follow the gaze without getting so close to the edge of the frame.”
“The image beautifully captures a serene and contemplative moment, with the animal’s expression conveying a sense of calm and introspection. It’s both captivating and moving, creating a powerful and emotional portrait. Great job!”
My thoughts:
Again, barely a silver? This image not only scored Top 16 at last year’s PPA International Print Competition, at the state level, it took home a merit, along with the Vanguard Award (best image by a first-time entrant) and Judges Choice Award at the Virginia PPA competition.
This just goes to show that competitions and awards can be extremely subjective and yes while judges are putting your image up against a standard, their own subconscious biases can sway your score.
So, if you’re also a photographer who entered and may be a little bummed about your scores, just keep that in mind.
The story:
Another one from our time in Scotland, Guardians of Glencoe features Rue & Alta in the burn (that’s Scottish for stream) behind the King’s House Hotel. Co-host Ewan (Mutley’s Snaps) was teaching our students off-camera flash and since I can’t contribute to that workshop (other than being a voice-activated light stand, and the fact that we promised our models images from the instructors) I dropped down into the water to snap a quick photo of the girls.
Score: 81 Silver
Judge’s feedback:
“These dogs are a wow, the setting and your subjects are handled so beautifully. Really, the only thing keeping me from going up another level in scoring is that one dog is looking at the camera, the other isn't. If they were both looking in the same direction, it doesn't matter what direction, it would send this to the next tier. Beautiful details, so moody. Great sense of place. Scale of dogs to scenery is perfect for a portrait.”
“Brilliant use of Mother Nature comes into play in this fine image. This image show so many different textures from the dogs through to the background, I feel that the background could have been better if it was sharper as it feels like the landscape is a big part of the environment and feel of the image. Both dogs need to be looking at the camera to provide more impact.”
My thoughts:
Maybe it’s just me. . . but I do think both dogs are looking at the camera. Yes, one’s body and face are angled away, but when you zoom right in, her eyes are staring at the camera.
There’s always an internal struggle with me photographing dogs in landscapes. For me, 95% of the time I want the dog to be the hero and the landscape the sidekick, not the other way around. I feel like this image accomplished that.
The story:
A Bird Hunter’s Best Friend. This is a self-portrait of Cedar and I and despite any critique, one of my all time favorite photos. This was taken post-hunt at the preserve that got me started in upland hunting and upland photography.
Score: 79 Bronze with Distinction
Judge’s feedback:
“What a strong portrait. These two seem to be inviting us directly to the hunt. Although posing is often difficult for dogs, it seems to be quite normal for this dog and does not bother him. The watchful look suggests a willingness to work and the proud look of the woman adds to the overall impression we get of the two main actors here. You have captured both characters wonderfully. Despite the really present warning colors, the color harmony in this photograph is really pleasing to the eye and creates a sense of balance and unity.”
”Great scene. There's lots of empty space to the right. This image might work better in portrait format. You would also avoid having so much grey and dry grass in the image. There's a large blade of grass right in front of the scene. Try to avoid this while taking the image. As it's so big, it's tough to clone it out.”
My thoughts:
Why does everyone think that Cedar is a he? 😭😩😅 She’s obviously a girl. And yes, I totally agree about the long blade of grass. In the moment, with a self-portrait, it’s really hard to catch everything. This was a completely authentic moment between us after a hunt and had I tried to set it up over again and get it super perfect, Cedar would have been over it and the moment ruined. (Not to mention fake.) I’ll take authentically imperfect over posed perfection any day of the week.
The story:
I photographed Brooks the Boykin out at the same preserve as Bird Hunter’s Best Friend. It was a dreary, overcast day, which might just be some of my favorite to photograph hunting dogs in. I know that delicious golden hour-drenched photos are often sought after for family portraits, there’s just something I can’t get over about the muted tones in winter coupled with bird dogs doing what they were born & bred to do.
Score: 76 Bronze with Distinction
Judge’s feedback:
“This is a dog with a job and a good work ethic, doing what they do best, so great to see. The movement inferred by the splashes of muddy water both set the scene, and give the image a dynamic feel. The tones feel natural and earthy, but the image could benefit from a little more drama in the processing. Would love to see something like this in the Documentary category, but of course it would need minimal editing. Great subject matter though!”
”The low camera angle and simple background has successfully isolated and focused our attention on this little working Cocker. The colour on the dog would benefit from being removed as it is a distraction from the natural feel of this image. The dog's ears are not up and if captured a second later would have resulted in the legs being more extended therefore enhancing the action element of this image consider the importance of a dog when working looking confident and powerful.
My thoughts:
Ok, what I’m about to say may sound harsh, but it’s not meant to be. . . Tell me you don’t know bird dogs without telling me you don’t know bird dogs. 😅 It’s a Boykin, not a Cocker and I’m going to go out on a limb and guess that “colour” was a typo for collar, because there is no color cast on the dog. The collar, on the other hand, is meant to be in the photo. Now, this is an international competition and our judges aren’t all from the US. I know that e-collars are banned in some other countries, but over here, they can be pretty standard across the country. Whether or not you use e-capability or solely GPS, it’s not uncommon for a bird dog to wear a GPS collar.
I can go down a full tangent on how a GPS/e-collar can save your dog’s life, but that’s another post for another day.
Secondly, if I were to remove the collar, that goes directly against the rules for the documentary category, which the other judge would like me to enter these into. . . Sometimes I feel like I can’t win with the rules around that category. Yes, I feel like most dog sport & hunting photos fit that category better, however, with the landscape and how you hunt birds in cover, I have to do a lot of editing to remove grasses that are in front of the dog’s face to make it a great photo. Which per the rules, you can’t do in that category. So I’m forced to put it in the portrait category (where you can remove distractions) but then it doesn’t make a great portrait contender because I still want to leave some of the real-ness in order to have an authentic photo. If I had my way, all working dogs would get their own category.
Also, in what world have you ever seen a dog run with their ears up and not being pushed back by the wind? 🤔 (No really, if you find this, please send it to me, I’d love to see.)
Again photographers, this is where you’ve gotta take judging for what it is, someone else’s opinion.
The story:
This is Sig and he sure makes a splash! I photographed him and his family at their farm last fall. Their property is right along the James River and Sig loves the water — of course he does, he’s a professional retriever after all.
The only thing I love more than (. . . as much as?) photographing hunting dogs is photographing dogs in water. So after donning my waders, I got in the water and had Sig’s dad throw the bumper at me.
Score: 78 Bronze with Distinction
Judge’s feedback:
“This image is a whole lot of splashy fun! The foreground splash is a great inclusion, however it does tend to dominate the image. Consider cropping in from the right to put the focus more on the dog. The image needs some straightening to make the water level. Sharply captured and great expression.”
”A really fun and immersive capture, the expression of the dog enhances the sense of movement and joy. The framing could be improved with a little more space below the dog and to the left.”
My thoughts:
While yes, they might be right that the foreground splash is dominating, capturing Sig’s splash timed right with the bumper hitting the water was a big highlight and I think what makes this image work.
The story:
Oh Cedar, your little bunny leaps just kill me. This image was taken on our way out to the Virginia mountains on our first grouse trip. (No, we didn’t get a single one, ha) Cedar wasn’t even a year old and had LOTS of energy to burn. We had been driving for a few hours and decided to take a break and let Cedar play in a field next to the parking lot. The sun was setting and made the tree line glow a fiery orange that matched Cedar’s coat so well. I grabbed my camera and just started photographing her and Daniel playing. At one point, he held her in a sit (she didn’t really have “stay” down then) and ran out of frame when I called for her. She bounded over to me with so much enthusiasm and lept right on top of me.
Score: 70 Bronze
Judge’s feedback:
“Great action shot. Well done on going very low. The colours are beautiful. Unfortunately, the image is sharp on the nose and not on the eyes.”
”A great moment captured, be mindful of the background being brighter than the highlights of the subject.”
My thoughts:
This photo is one that I keep as artwork in my van. I love everything about it, but mostly Cedar’s exuberance that shows through. Originally, I didn’t see where the focus was on the nose, but I see it now. Pretty sure I just overlooked it due to my attachment to the subject.
I tried removing the bright spot, but couldn’t make it look natural. I’ll always go for “imperfect but natural” over editing that looks like it’s been edited. (aka I’m never going to “bad taxidermy” an image, even if it costs me points.)
The story:
Start ‘em young, raise ‘em right! Can you tell me anything more perfect than a working puppy with natural instincts and ability? This little GWP is Maxie, and she was only 12 weeks old, already pointing and carrying quail around. I met her at a preserve down in Georgia and hot damn if I didn’t almost bring her home with me.
Score: 71 Bronze
Judge’s feedback:
“This is an engaging portrait of a working dog, doing their job well. The crop feels a little tight especially on the bottom and left, allowing some more space for the subject to "breathe" and perhaps see a bit more of the environment would be good. The lighting on the dog's face is uneven, considering brightening and warming the dark side to match the bright side a little more, to help that expression shine and stop the viewer's attention wandering down to the bird, which is much brighter and more detailed and so draws the eye.”
“A well presented depicition of a working dog. The focus has missed it's nose and hit the leg of the bird. More attention to detail in this area would help elevate your award work.”
My thoughts:
The crop is a bit tight, but that’s how it was in camera; when working with a puppy (especially one with a bird in it’s mouth) I had to be quick before she ran off and I sacrificed taking the time to back up more in order to capture the expression. Her face is darker on one side due to sidelighting — something I completely steer away from during an outdoor portrait session, but not something I can really control during hunt sessions. You make due with the best the dog is giving you in the moment unless it’s a fully finished dog and the bird is holding tight. Again, it goes back to is this in the portrait category or the documentary category. . . That said, I do agree it could use a bit more work in post to make Maxie’s face brighter or tone down the bird to bring the viewer’s eyes more to her face.
Yep, I’m not seeing what that second judge is seeing. . . the focus is sharp on the quail’s leg, but the leg is on the almost same plane as the pup’s eyes which are also in focus.
The story:
This was taken during a backyard session for Robin and his mom. We had just finished a big play session and Robin was finally calm enough to get some snuggles in. Astrid picked him up, they touched noses, and he just smiled. (And yes, I may have been just a bit jealous in that moment; I love the sweet smell of puppy breath!) Robin has some big shoes to fill after the unexpected loss of her first lab, and this portrait just radiates puppy love and hope.
Score: 70 Bronze
Judge’s feedback:
“Gorgeous natural shot. The human's expression is beautiful. The puppy is panting, which means we can't really know if it's relaxed or just a bit tired. Try to get a little more distance to the background to make it less distracting.”
“Lovely interaction between subjects here and expression on the woman's face, the choice of crop tight at the elbow is slightly awkward and as her hand is the brightest part of the image it draws the viewers eye away from the subjects faces”
My thoughts:
Yeah, the crop is a bit weird, I’ll give ya that. . . but the “puppy panting” comment. . . ? Again, the judges don’t know the story and yes it’s very easy to become a bit sensitive to the scores because you can’t give them a rebuttal. I recognize that I’m also a bit sensitive because this photo gives me the same feeling as when I held Cedar as a puppy. Grieving the loss of Kona; filled with the wild excitement of things to come; all the while feeling guilty from that happiness. Grief is a weird thing, y’all, and no matter I’m going to continue to look at this photo with love and hope of new beginnings.
So, which one’s your favorite photo? Do you agree more with the judges? I’d love to hear what you think so leave me a note in the comments.
A huge congratulations to the finalists and winners and the biggest thank you to the judges this year. Want to see the overall and category winners?
And now for a little shameless promo:
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Pet Photographers, I’ve got 2 special things in store for you!
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Not ready to pack your bags? Join me for a FREE group coaching call on December 17th, 2024. Click here to register for the call & pre-submit any questions.
