The International Photography Awards™ conducts an annual competition for professional, amateur, and student photographers on a global scale, creating one of the most ambitious and comprehensive competitions in the photography world today. IPA is a sister-effort of the Lucie Foundation, 501(c) 3 non-profit, charitable foundation whose mission is to honor master photographers, discover and cultivate emerging talent and promote the appreciation of photography worldwide. The annual programming of Lucie Foundation is funded largely though the International Photography Awards, including the signature event, the Lucie Awards.
International Photography Awards (IPA)
One Tree Hill
Tree on Hill With Afternoon Sidelighting, Valley Ford, California
Though landscape and nature photography is typically of static subjects, what I enjoy most about tree photography unlike say rocks for example is that trees lend themselves to a visual storytelling. I prefer to leave my photos to interpretation however.
Year Photographed: 2020
Awards: 2022 IPA International Photography Awards - Professional, Nature, Trees Category - Honorable Mention
Vineyard Dreams
Yountville Vineyard Sunset, Napa Valley, California
One of the premiere wine regions in the world for Cabernet Sauvignon, Yountville AVA is comprised of 19 vineyards, 8,000+ acres and more than 1,000+ acres of planted wine grapes.
Year Photographed: 2019
Awards: 2021 IPA International Photography Awards - Professional, Fine Art, Landscape Category - Honorable Mention
Top of the Staircase
Fog Rising Through Hoodoos at Sunrise, Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah
The Grand Staircase is a large geological feature spanning much of the Colorado Plateau area which spans across several southwestern states. Sedimentary rock layers of various ages ranging from hundreds of millions of years old to tens of millions of years old can be seen in this vast desert of the American southwest. Bryce Canyon is located at the top of the Grand Staircase which is called the Paunsaugunt Plateau. The Grand Canyon is located at the bottom of the Grand Staircase which has about 40 layers of sedimentary rock.
Just as I was framing up this photo a guy came by to admire this scene. He asked to look through my viewfinder so I obliged after taking a few frames. He remarked that this was "National Geographic level stuff".
Year Photographed: 2019
Awards: 2021 IPA International Photography Awards - Professional, Nature, Landscape Category - Honorable Mention
Dancing Queen
Japanese Maple Tree at UC Berkeley Botanical Garden, Berkeley, California
With California largely shut down to due to COVID-19, outdoor activities and gardens are largely the only activities allowed. My family and I managed to time our visit to see this asian garden at peak fall color. Others seemed to have the same idea as I had to wait 1.5 hours until closing time for people to clear out of the bottom of the sunken garden for me to make this photo without people in the frame.
Year Photographed: 2020
Awards: 2021 IPA International Photography Awards - Professional, Nature, Seasons Category - Honorable Mention
Sleepy Hollow Farm
Sleepy Hollow Farm, Pomfret, Vermont
This quiet, pastoral scene was once owned by the legendary Aerosmith guitarist, Joe Perry. While some photos of idyllic-looking locations belie the actual experience of the surrounding areas, Sleepy Hollow Farm really does encapsulate the spirit of Vermont.
Year Photographed: 2019
Awards: 2020 IPA International Photography Awards - Professional, Nature, Seasons Category - Honorable Mention
Black Tears
"Black Tears" Oil on Water at USS Arizona Memorial Site / Pearl Harbor, Oahu, Hawaii
The site of the Pearl Harbor attack, the USS Arizona is still leaking oil to this day. Visiting this location has a very sobering feeling.
Year Photographed: 2016
Awards: 2020 IPA International Photography Awards - Professional, Fine Art, Abstract Category - Honorable Mention
Smugglers' Notch
Fall Colors at Smugglers' Notch, Mount Mansfield State Forest, Vermont
Due to the signing of The Embargo Act of 1807 by President Thomas Jefferson, it was illegal to trade goods with Great Britain and Canada. Since Vermont was adjacent to Canada many people continued to smuggle goods and livestock over the present-day Smuggler's Notch. Fugitives used to run from the law by climbing over Smugglers' Notch and escaping to Canada. The Notch was also a hotbed of alcohol sales during the Prohibition Era with a vast quantity of liquor coming from neighboring Canada. Its safe to say that Smugglers' Notch has truly earned its' notorious name. As for myself? I smuggle fall color photos.
Year Photographed: 2019
Awards: 2020 IPA International Photography Awards - Professional, Nature, Seasons Category - Honorable Mention
Historic Alameda Theatre
Historic Alameda Theatre at Night, Alameda, California
Built in 1932, the historic Alameda Theatre features the Art Deco architecture of Timothy L. Pflueger. This was the last movie palace built in the Bay Area. Other grand movie palaces' in the area include Paramount Theatre, Fox Oakland Theatre and Grand Lake Theater which are all located in Oakland.
If it weren't for the COVID-19 shelter-in-place rules there's no way I would have been able to make this photo without people at dusk on a Friday night.
Year Photographed: 2020
Awards: 2020 IPA International Photography Awards - Professional, Architecture, Buildings Category - Honorable Mention
Ansel's Playground
Snake River Overlook at Sunrise, Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming
Limited Edition of 25 Prints
Ansel Adams (1902 - 1984) popularized this location with his "The Tetons and the Snake River" photo in 1942. On this late spring morning 76 years later, I was blessed with some fleeting magical lighting conditions. I own a copy of Adams' print in my office for inspiration but to be honest I prefer my own at this point. I hope you do too.
Year Photographed: 2018
Awards: 2020 IPA International Photography Awards - Professional, Nature, Landscape Category - Honorable Mention
Puddles
Low Tide Reflections at Robert Crown Memorial State Beach, Alameda, California
As my artistic vision has evolved over the years, I find myself gravitating toward the less obvious compositions. Anyone can identify a good sunset and point straight at the horizon. It's more difficult to find unconventional compositions that most people would overlook. The subject matter here is not immediately obvious which is part of what drew me to this scene.
Year Photographed: 2014
Awards: 2019 IPA International Photography Awards - Professional, Landscape Photography Category - Honorable Mention
Domaine
Vineyard Fall Colors Aerial, Yountville, California
Domaine is a French word that refers to a vineyard that makes wine from its' own grapes. This is an important distinction as many brands of wine have grapes sourced from multiple vineyards and varieties other than their own.
Year Photographed: 2021
Awards: 2022 IPA International Photography Awards - Professional, Nature, Aerial/Drone - Official Selection
Forest In The Mist
Monterey Pines In Fog, Pebble Beach, California
Sitting in my car at the beach in the dark, pre-dawn, I contemplated whether I would stick around for what seemed to be foggy seascapes. Then I recalled the forests I had seen on previous visits to Monterey Bay. I couldn't recall exactly where I had seen them but I had a general idea so off I went through the progressively thick fog until I found a place that looked promising. Here I liked the outlines of the Monterey pine forest set against the thick pea soup-like fog. The challenge is to simplify enough of the chaotic scene yet show the character of the forest.
Year Photographed: 2021
Awards: 2022 IPA International Photography Awards - Professional, Nature, Trees - Official Selection
Classic New England Church
Foggy Fall Morning, Stowe, Vermont
Few experiences in landscape photography are more profound than photographing a fall sunrise. The morning air is cool yet contrasted by the warm tones of fall foliage. Vermont is one of the premiere places in the world for viewing fall color.
Year Photographed: 2019
Awards: 2022 IPA International Photography Awards - Professional, Architecture, Cityscapes - Official Selection
Kancagamus Fall Color
Full Spectrum of Fall Colors Along Kancagamus Highway, White Mountain National Forest, New Hampshire
New Hampshire is famous for the fall color displays and this day along Kancagamus Highway did not disappoint!
Year Photographed: 2019
Awards: 2022 IPA International Photography Awards - Professional, Nature, Seasons - Official Selection
River Runs Through
Madison River at Sunrise, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming
One early morning I was heading back to West Yellowstone in Montana when I was stopped in my tracks by the fog rising above an S-curve in the Madison River. It might be a bit hard to see on the internet but there is a large deer feeding in the mid-ground within the fog which was icing on the cake for me.
Year Photographed: 2018
Awards: 2022 IPA International Photography Awards - Professional, Nature, Landscape - Official Selection