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.

Get Your Free WPPI Expo Pass Now

wppi_register_600x281

If you’re heading to the WPPI Wedding and Portrait Photography Conference and Expo next month in Las Vegas, you can get a free expo pass now, courtesy of LexJet.

Go to the WPPI registration page and, when prompted, enter promo code EXIV167364.

While you’re at the WPPI Expo, be sure to swing by booth #116 and say hello to the LexJet crew. We’ll be featuring the latest PRO Series printer from Canon, LexJet Sunset fine art papers, photo papers and canvas.

You won’t want to miss it! If you have questions about WPPI, give us a call at 800-453-9538.

Prints That Win: Homestead

Veteran Michigan photographer, Kari Douma, has paid many visits to the winner’s circle at print competitions. Ever since her first competition in 2007, she has been capturing numerous show-stopping photographs that catch the judge’s eyes.

Her photograph, “Homestead,” is no exception. She won the Sunset Print Award at the PPA Northeast District in the spring, and was named the third-place winner at the National Sunset Print Awards in November. Coming across the scene captured in “Homestead” happened almost by chance.

An unseasonal spring snow in Montana inspired her to go for a ride in search of the perfect landscape. “We were driving on two track roads out in the middle of nowhere when I saw the scene and captured it,” she says. “I loved it so much that I wanted to come back at sunrise the next morning but I still liked the original one better from the day before.” After some slight editing in Photoshop, “Homestead” was primed to be a winner.

Prints That Win: You Light Up My Life

Photographer Tim Shaffer has been behind the lens at many a wedding. In fact, he shot his first nuptial event when he was 17, before embarking on a career as a newspaper photographer. Later, in 1991, he opened his professional studio, and hasn’t looked back. Today, he and his wife, Dana, run The Classic Image photography studio in Fort Plain, NY, where they specialize in weddings, senior portraits, family photos and more.

Prints That Win: The Boxer

Photographer Ben Tanzer may have left a theater degree behind, but he certainly kept his flair for the dramatic. In his “Identity Series,” he transforms himself into iconic characters, for self-portraits like “The Boxer,” a grungy interpretation with 1920’s style that recently won the Sunset Print Award at the Plymouth Center for the Arts Fine Art of Photography.

Tanzer_Ben_TheBoxerThe conceptualized image is a clear shout out to Cindy Sherman-esque photo and editing work. “I’ve always been drawn to Cindy Sherman — she was one of my first crushes ever, as a photographer,” Tanzer says. “The Boxer was my first piece for the Identity Series … I just became really interested in what it means to be human … and how we define ourselves by what it is that we do.”

For the competition print, Tanzer did some Photoshop work with overlays and brushes to create the gritty look, but says, “I don’t do a lot of what I call ‘liposuction editing.’ Just dodging and burning to emphasize certain areas.”

Tanzer_Ben_The_LadyIt’s a technique that he perfected in the second of the Identity Series in which he portrays a female karaoke singer in a low-cut, cleavage-bearing red dress.

The final competition print of “The Boxer” was a 9-by-9-inch square “Instagram cut,” as he calls it, that fit the mood of his self-portraits, thanks to the self-involved, “selfie” flavor the crop provided. The image was printed on Epson Cold Press Bright White 100% cotton rag paper.

While Tanzer, currently a production assistant for a Texas animation studio, has participated in photography shows for eight years, he’s been entering print competitions for just two years, and is looking to do more.

“There are a whole bunch of competitions out there,” he says. “And there are a lot of people around the country who care about this as much as I do.”