The Professional Photographers of America (“PPA”) is the largest and longest-standing nonprofit photography association, and a valued and reliable resource for education, professional development, and community for more than 30, 000 professional photographers from more than 50 countries around the world.   Among other events, the PPA hosts an annual International Photographic Competition.  (I’ll be honest — it can be a bit nerve-wracking and agonizing to participate in photography competitions.  Nevertheless, I have found that the benefits gained from participation — critique-driven refinement of photography techniques and attention to detail; honed editing skills; an appreciation for image presentation aesthetics;  and, with any luck, recognition of one’s work — ultimately outweigh any downsides.)

With respect to the PPA International Photographic Competition specifically, photographers may submit a total of four images to be judged by a panel of esteemed professional photography jurors.  If each one of a photographer’s four entries receives a merit award from the jury, the photographer earns a Bronze medal.  During PPA’s 2021 International Photographic Competition, only 58 photographers were named Bronze medalists, and I am incredibly honored to be among them! I was disappointed not to be able to attend PPA’s Grand Imaging Award ceremony this year to see my images exhibited in person (this was the first time in many years that PPA’s annual conference and exhibition was held in the Washington, D.C. metro area!), but I am very grateful for the recognition, and am excited to be one step closer to my Master of Photography degree. 😊

This gorgeous little girl was 10 days old when she came to my studio for her session, and she was just perfect, as you can see from her images! I just love her sweet little smile in so many of her portraits, and how she looks so content and serene when she is sleeping.  And check out those cheeks and that adorable little hair whorl!  (Did you know that that is the official term for the circular hair swirl?  Always happy to drop some knowledge on you all in addition to sharing photos of gorgeous tiny humans! ;))
I also think that the mint and blush pastel tones that her parents selected for her session really complement her fair complexion (though she rocks the violet color equally well).  Given that this sweetheart was born in the fall, however, we also just had to incorporate some autumn-inspired images to pay homage to her birth season.  And, honestly, who doesn’t love an autumn floral crown?
Which color is your favorite?

I just love the pose below because of those peeking toes!

Look at that adorable little smile!  Is there anything cuter?

Doesn’t she look so peaceful?

Which image was your favorite?  Drop me a comment below!

Ok, I have a confession to make…I have been very neglectful of this blog in the last two years.  It’s not that I don’t want to share my beautiful clients with you (I really do do that on a regular basis on Facebook and Instagram!), but I am generally just super busy with photographing my little clients and editing their images. . .and with life (having two teenagers means that I spend a loooooot of time chauffeuring ????)!    But I am going to do my best to try to carve out some time each week to share more of my sessions here because, seriously, couldn’t we all use a dose of adorableness?
The session I am sharing today is one of my favorites from the past year.  This gorgeous little girl was *such* a good sleeper —  I don’t remember her waking up at all during her session! — and she was very smiley as well, as you can see from the images below.  I was also super excited that this sweet girl’s mama loves autumn tones as much as I do, and I think there is no disputing that they look perfect on her!   Which color is your favorite for this cutie?

Bethesda, MD/Washington, D.C. Photographer Named Bronze Medalist at International Photographic Competition

Tina Krafts of Tina Krafts Photography honored by peers and jurors for high-quality photography.

Bethesda, MD – Tina Krafts of Tina Krafts Photography in Bethesda, MD (Washington, D.C.) was named a Bronze Medalist during Professional Photographers of America’s 2020 International Photographic Competition. Krafts’ work will be on display at the upcoming Imaging USA, held virtually January 17-19, 2021. Imaging USA is one of the largest annual conventions and expos for professional photographers.

A panel of 36 eminent jurors from across the United States selected the top photographs from over 5,000 total submitted entries at PPA headquarters in Atlanta.

Krafts was named a Bronze Medalist by earning a merit—a mark of quality and honor—for each of the four images included in her entry case to the International Photographic Competition. This is the most prestigious competition of its kind, where images are judged based on a standard of artistic excellence, not against each other. In 2020, Krafts was one of only 170 Bronze Medalists.

About PPA:

Founded in 1868, Professional Photographers of America (PPA) is the largest and longest-standing nonprofit photography trade association. It currently helps 30,000 professionals elevate their craft and grow their business with resources, protection, and education, all under PPA’s core guiding principle of bridging the gap between photographers and consumers.

Contact:
Tina Krafts
Tina Krafts Photography

www.tinakraftsphotography.com

tina@tinakraftsphotography.com

I have had the pleasure of photographing so many gorgeous babies this Fall, including little Miss S (I mean, seriously, look at her sweet little face and amazing hair!).  There were so many things that I *loved* about her session. . . I loved that this sweet girl was fairly alert during parts of her session, as it allowed me to capture some of her incredibly adorable expressions (be sure to scroll all the way to the bottom).  I loved that her parents appreciate autumn tones as much as I do, especially because I think that the burnt orange color — one of my favorites — was made for this cutie.  And, most of all,  I loved that it was evident from the moment I met her family that this little girl could not possibly be more loved.  (She will undoubtedly have her daddy wrapped around her little finger in no time at all. 😉 )
I truly couldn’t be happier for this lovely family!