I have been accepted to the WPJA – Wedding Photojournalist Association

Wow, what a summer, what a year! To think that it was just a year ago that I started my path to photographing professionally sounds crazy.

I found out last week that I had been accepted into the Wedding Photojournalist Association [WPJA for short], as well as the Artistic Guild of the Wedding Photojournalist Association. These were no small feats, I had heard from countless other photographers that the WPJA had strict standards and was really hard to get into. Some of those photographers had even been rejected the first few times they tried. But I was determined to give it a shot and I am so glad I did because I am happy to report that I was accepted!

From their website:
“The Wedding Photojournalist Association grants membership to the most talented professional wedding photographers in the industry–photographers who focus solely on using their photography skills in documenting weddings.”

Another really great thing about this membership, beyond the recognition factor, is the ability to enter their quarterly photo contests where I might be able to earn further recognition with my art! I am so grateful for all of these awesome experiences. As I wrap up my first wedding season of photography, I see that there really is a whole new world for me  in the arts, and that I can indeed call myself a professional photographer.

And because no post would be complete without a photo – here’s a neat little image of the Boardwalk Hotel and Casino sign in Las Vegas. The casino was closed down at the time this was taken, January 2006, and just a few months later it was imploded and torn down. [And I included the banner from the WPJA too].