Every Image Matters- A Photographic Tribute

Photographs have the power to transport us to different places in time or to places we only dream of. Sharing images of how we see our world connects us with others, allowing us to imagine places we may never visit and people we may never meet.

It doesn’t matter if you’re a novice without an ounce of photography knowledge or if you are a master of the art, even a slightly out-of-focus or poorly composed photograph can become an irreplaceable and cherished keepsake if it captures a loved one or a place that no longer exists.

Although technology may shift our focus to a digital age, the need for physical, printed photographs remains. Like a song or a particular scent, a photograph can evoke emotions and transport you to a time you may have forgotten. You can’t hang a framed digital file on your wall to be enjoyed, so printing moments captured in time are truly priceless.

LexJet’s Sunset Print Awards has recognized excellence in the creation and printing of photographic images since 2009, celebrating and sharing many noteworthy photographs. As a tribute to the art of photography and our amazing photography customers, here are some past Sunset Print Awards winning printed images that have captivated audiences.

 

Please visit us here to learn more about the LexJet Sunset Print Awards and how you may register to win and have your images recognized.

 

Celebrate National Camera Day and Get Recognized

Today is National Camera Day, a celebration to honor the invention of the camera. According to the National Today website, “the word photography is based on two Greek words that, when put together, mean ‘writing with light.’”

What better way to get out and celebrate than by capturing the perfect image to submit to the summer edition of the Sunset Image Awards.

From today through Sept. 3, submit up to three (3) images in one of four categories: Wildlife/Landscape, Portrait, Wedding, and Fine Art/Composite. As we did with the Click & Win Awards, you will be able to watch as the judges go through and select a winner for each group.

The four winners will receive a choice of their favorite Sunset media and we will also promote the winning images on LexJet and Sunset social media. Whether you are a hobbyist or a professional, we want you to have fun with this opportunity.

Visit our submission page for more details and to enter your photos. Now go out and celebrate National Camera Day.

For more information on Sunset media, contact a LexJet sales specialist at 800-453-9538 or visit LexJet.com.

Kimberly Smith Brings Home Gold During the Click & Win Image Awards

Earlier this year, LexJet hosted the Click & Win Image Awards as part of the Click & Print Event. In the weeks leading up to the awards, photographers of all levels of expertise submitted images for the chance to win trophies and cash prizes, as well as experience what it’s like to participate in a photo competition.

By the time the judges made their final decisions, Kimberly Smith walked away with First Place in the Portrait category, with “Cameo”.  She also received First Place and Best in Show for “Well, Hello There!”, her entry in Fine Art/Composite.

Once the winners were unveiled, Smith received some great feedback from Judge Cheri Hammon. “We really enjoyed the story of this [image], we loved the humor and the color pallet,” she said. “It was really well done.”

“Come Out, Come Out., Wherever You Are”

As for how the award-winning image came to be, Smith says she was inspired by some photos of birds she took while at the zoo and didn’t realize what she had until she was going through her photos. “I noticed this bird was bent over, looking at me through its legs like ‘Oh, hi! I didn’t see you there!’,” she says. “I knew that I had to do something with it.”

After she started working with the image, Smith wanted to add something that would explain why the bird was peeking through its legs. “I wanted him to be looking at something, but I didn’t want it to be another bird, I wanted the focus to be on him,” she says. “I added the butterflies because it had to be something that flies and could be up there.”

Her Best in Show piece wasn’t the only winner she captured that day at the zoo. Her second-place piece, “Come Out, Come Out, Wherever You Are” was also influenced by a bird, although, a much larger and more intimidating species. “I took a picture of some type of African Crane and the way he looked at me was creepy,” she says. “I wondered what kind of story I could tell with him. I could see him ripping through the side of a tent, just stalking somebody. He was scary.”

“High Society”

Fortunately, “High Society”, an artistic piece that took third place in Fine Art/Composite is a little lighter. That image showcases a spunky giraffe with several bowties and a flower dangling from his mouth.

“I’d been commissioned for a giraffe piece, but I wanted to see what else I could do with some of the other images. I really liked this one and I thought he needed a bowtie,” she says. “I remembered photographing a dog with a bowtie for another client. When I cut the bowtie out, a little fur came with it, so I thought I’d give the giraffe a fuzzy collar. I just kept going because he had such a long neck. I added the flower because I thought he needed something in his mouth.”

“Cameo”

After sweeping the Fine Art category, Smith took the top spot in Portrait with her image “Cameo.” Although the image gives an old-time feel, it was created from a 2021 Senior photo shoot. “She loves old hats and stuff, so I photographed her with the hat,” she says. “I wanted it to be high-key, and I wanted it to be that old-fashioned look.”

Because Smith has a specific artistic look to her work, she needs the perfect media to complement it. Whether she’s teaching at the Texas School or submitting her work to State PPA competitions, Smith uses the Sunset Bright Velvet Rag 315g. “It’s the only one I get and the only one I tell people to use,” she says. “The light airy look just looks so good on that paper.”

Kimberly Smith did well at the 2021 Click & Win Image Awards, as well as Oklahoma and other Open competitions around the country, but for those photographers who are just learning about competitions, the Click & Print Event and the Image Awards offered insights from professional photographers who have spent years honing their craft. If you’d like to learn more from our keynote speakers, visit the showroom floor to catch them on-demand.

LexJet Welcomes National Sunset Print Award Winner Kari Douma

LexJet’s headquarters in Sarasota, Fla., welcomed 2015 National Sunset Print Award Winner, Kari Douma, to our offices and home town as part of her first place prize for her image, “Aged Gracefully.”

The Grandville, Mich., photographer posed with her husband, Vince, pictured in center above, with LexJet’s Tom Gruss and Rachel Gamberg.

Congrats to the Week 4 #LJPhoto Winner

Dennis Hammon 2

This week’s #LJPhoto contest winner by Dennis Hammon is just pretty foxy, don’t you think? We’re happy to announce that this image is the winner of the final weekly highlighted photos, so Dennis will have a plush Epson beach blanket headed in his direction soon.

Even if you didn’t win one of the weekly prizes, you can still be in the running for an Epson Stylus Pro 4900 with UltraChrome HDR Ink (a $1,995 value). With its 10 color ink technology, the 4900 is ideal for high-quality photo printing. All you have to do is post a photo with #LJPhoto on FacebookTwitterInstagram and LinkedIn. You have until 11:59 p.m., Sunday May 31, 2015.

On Monday, we’ll be choosing a random winner from all of the nearly 300 submissions we’ve received throughout May, celebrating National Photo Month. So stay tuned to our blog and social media pages.

Special thanks to Epson for sponsoring this contest. If you have questions, please give LexJet a call at 800-453-9538.