Airing Nov 19!  Join us to Watch the APNPI Image Competition Judging event!

Curious about the winners of our latest photography competition? Join us to watch the APNPI Image Competition Judging Event! We’re thrilled to share the official judging results video, where you can watch each award-winning image unfold and gain insight into what makes each piece stand out. In this post, you’ll also meet our panel of distinguished judges, who bring decades of expertise in newborn and maternity photography. Learn about their backgrounds, unique judging styles, and the criteria they used to evaluate this year’s impressive submissions. We hope you enjoy and are inspired by the artistry that continues to shape the photography community!

A warm congratulations to all of our makers for bravely entering this round of accreditation submissions! We hope you’ll find the judges’ feedback helpful in the advancement of your journey as maternity, newborn or baby photographers and thank you all for your submissions. Best of luck to all of our members who have submitted for this round of Accreditations!

*Are you an accredited member of APNPI and interested in our judge training program? Email us at admin@apnpi.com

Shailee Connolly is an accomplished professional photographer who specializes in Newborn and Maternity Portrait photography. Based out of her commercial studio in San Jose in the San Francisco Bay Area, California, she has received awards and recognitions for her work. In 2020 and 2022, she was awarded first place in the APNPI competition in the newborn category, as well as a PPA silver photographer of the year award in 2017 and a bronze photographer of the year award in 2018. Additionally, she earned second place in the Children’s Portraits Category of the Professional Photographers of America’s Western District print competition in 2017. Shailee holds bachelor’s degrees in Fine Art and Education, with a major in painting. Her previous career as a high school Visual Arts teacher in her hometown of Brisbane, Australia, gave her a solid grounding and passion for creating art in a variety of disciplines. When she became a mother in 2011, she transitioned her skills to newborn and maternity portrait photography. She has been photographing bellies and babies since 2013 and has been a professional photographer for over 10 years after relocating to the US with her family from Australia. Shailee always aims to create stunning, timeless images that her clients will cherish for a lifetime. Her style blends fine art with a more natural, organic approach to photography, and she works closely with her clients to ensure that their vision is brought to life. Her clients receive heirloom quality, archival printed artwork that they can proudly display in their homes.

Tara Graham:
I am mom to one wildly creative and stong-headed little boy. I started photography long before he came along though, having gone to college for Creative Photography, and then working in various studios doing portrait, commercial/editorial, and wedding work. One day I decided to tell my husband we were moving so I could have a home studio, and that really allowed me to grow my newborn business, having a dedicated space for it. I also love to photograph families! I love the interactions and being able to get those photos that parents say really captures their child’s essence or personality.

Trayc Dudgeon: I’ve been passionate about art my whole life and after taking my first photography class in High School I fell in love. I furthered my photography education at Humber Collage and 20 years later I am still just as passionate as the day I began. I’ve since become an award winning Accredited portrait photographer with PPOC (Professional Photographers of Canada) specializing in Maternity, Newborn, Children, Family as well as Corporate portraits and Weddings. I am also newborn safety trained and Internationally recognised as a qualified Newborn photographer with the APNPI, an international photography association. I have recieved several accreditations, awards and have become on of their mentoring photographers.

Tamarind Spender:
Tamarind’s passion for photography ignited at the age of 17 when she began working at Black’s Photography, where she fell in love with capturing the world through her lens. This passion led her to turn her hobby into a profession after the birth of her daughter in 2013, founding Azure Photography to show her daughter that following your dreams is possible. Starting from her home, Tamarind poured her heart into every shot, eventually expanding to a grand studio in downtown Guelph. Here, her vision of creating unforgettable photography experiences for her clients has truly flourished. For Tamarind, photography is more than a profession—it’s a way to freeze time and encapsulate the beauty of life’s moments. She specializes in capturing the authentic emotions of pregnancy, newborn sessions, cake smashes, and family portraits, believing that each stage of life deserves to be treasured and celebrated. Tamarind’s goal is to create a comfortable and genuine connection with her clients, crafting images that speak volumes and touch hearts. Whether you’re celebrating pregnancy, welcoming a new baby, or capturing family memories, Tamarind is dedicated to creating cherished moments that will last for generations.

1st Place Winner – Milestones – “Porcelain Doll” by Marcela Limon

2nd Place Winner – Child – “Pure Innocence” by Marcela Limon

The Story Behind the Winning Image

Ever wonder what goes on behind the scenes in some of these amazing images, particularly those that are competition winners?

Marcela Limon is a Certified Maternity and Newborn photographer servicing the San Francisco Bay Area from her beautiful studio in Alameda. She’s been specializing in motherhood images since 2015 and has won prestigious awards at international print competitions in the last few years, including APNPI, WPPI and PPA, where she recently earned her Master of Photography degree. She’s committed to newborn safety and that’s why she is Infant CPR trained and has had in person mentoring with renowned photographers from around the world. She’s always looking for education opportunities to make the industry better for both her colleagues and her clients.

To see more of Marcela’s work: https://lemonshoots.com/

To learn more: APNPI Image Competition

Did you know…

All members receive one free entry – so go ahead try it out, you have nothing to lose!

Each image is up for an award, whether it’s in the top 3 or not.  Every submission competes against itself to earn a Merit Award (score of 80 and above).

Merit Awards are prestigious accomplishments!  They denote a level that stands out above the Accreditation level.

Competing is an excellent way for members to sharpen their skills and elevate their work.

Members learn a ton from entering their images and receiving feedback from the judges.

For more info and to enter, visit: www.apnpi.com/image-competition

Hey, fellow shutterbugs and creative souls! Have you ever wondered what goes on behind the scenes when your masterpiece hits the competition floor? Well, get ready to peek behind the curtain, because we’ve got the inside scoop straight from the judges themselves!

In this blog post, we’re exploring the age-old question: What in the world do those judges actually look for? We get to hear from the pros to uncover the real deal. No fluff, no fancy jargon—just honest insights from the folks who hold the power to make or break your entry!

But hey, that’s not all! We know that gearing up for image competitions can sometimes feel like stepping into the unknown. That’s why we’ve got your back with our exclusive APNPI member’s library complete with a whole section dedicated to Image Competition, stocked with everything you need to sharpen your skills and boost your confidence. Whether you’re a newbie or a seasoned competitor, there’s a great bundle of resources waiting just for you.

So grab your favourite drink and get ready to crack the code of competition judging. And while you’re at it, don’t forget to swing by our member’s library—it’s your ultimate destination for all things competition prep and beyond!

APNPI Image Competition Judges on What They’re Looking For

Irene Bibee ~ the award-winning photographer behind Vine and Branch Studio in Prospect, Kentucky. With over 10 years of experience, Irene specializes in capturing the essence of Motherhood, Family, and Branding. Her keen eye and artistic touch have earned her acclaim in the photography world. Through her lens, she transforms moments into timeless treasures, creating visual stories that resonate with warmth and authenticity. Join Irene on a journey of visual storytelling, where every click captures the beauty of life’s precious moments.

Autumn Skoczen’s passion for photography has awarded her several international accolades and recognition. Specializing in maternity, newborns, and composite editing, She loves challenging herself with lighting, AI technology and diving deep in the evolving world of photography. She teach lighting, editing and business classes regularly as Autumn also shares a passion of helping other entrepreneurs and artists being their vision to life. She lives in Cleveland Ohio with her four kids and 2 dogs.

Claudia Aguilar is the founder of Captured by Claudia Photography. Her studio is based in Texas, where she photographs mothers- to- be and babies. Photography found her by accident almost 10 years ago when her husband bought her her first camera. Claudia has always liked to share her knowledge, she therefore offers mentoring to help photographers to succeed and make a living from their passion. Claudia is known to be the photographer that LOVES to use COLOR in her images. It simply makes her HAPPY!

Tianna Jarrett-Williams – Tianna is a maternity and newborn photographer based in Birmingham, United Kingdom where she has a small studio near to the city centre. Her love for this speciality grew from her past career as a professional and registered nurse and midwife. Whilst photography began as a hobby after the birth of her first daughter, she quickly fell in love with the craft and soon became consumed by the desire to be creative. After navigating a few specialities, Tianna settled on the art of pregnancy, motherhood and newborn photography because these genres in coalescence with her passion for women becoming mothers and their journey through motherhood inspires her daily. Whilst the primary focus is on maternity and newborn photography, Tianna does enjoy creative and styled projects with a special interest in culture which often can be appreciated in her work. Tianna lives with her two young children Zara and Olivia; and long term partner Ashley, near Birmingham.

Jennifer Gilbert CPA is a Nationally Accredited Family and Portrait photographer, as well as Accredited Judge, with the Professional Photographers of Canada. She has been photographing families at all stages of their lives since 2008 and recently celebrated her 15th year in business. Jennifer is based in Tottenham, Ontario, and her images are classic and timeless. Her clients love to hang artwork in their home from their session. She prefers to photograph families outdoors at a location that is special to them. She ensures each client feels special and takes them through a consultation and image reveal meeting.

Joanna has won several silver awards in the prestigious world-renowned image competition at WPPI and Portrait Masters. She has achieved her associate photographer accreditation for both and is working towards becoming a master photographer designation. Joanna has been featured over 20 times in Vogue Italia. Her work can also be seen in online magazines and articles such as Voyage Houston, ShoutOut Houston, and Houston Family magazine. In addition to these features, Joanna has taught on the Tomaiya Colvin Education platform, and has been interviewed by the Sue Bryce Portrait Podcast and Creative Collaborations.

Trayc Dudgeon ~ Trayc is an APNPI Mentor, accredited in Maternity, Macro, Sitters and Newborn Posed categories, serves as a judge and is an avid contributor to the APNPI community. She creates stunning imagery having been educated as a photographer at Humber College with over twenty years of experience in the field. Trayc is safety trained and internationally recognized as a qualified newborn photographer with APNPI. She is also an award winning accredited portrait photographer with PPOC (Professional Photographers of Canada). She’s been passionate about art and photography her whole life and was inspired by her first photography class in high school where she fell in love with the art form. Tracy is wife to her best friend, super proud mama to 2 amazing young adults and 3 fur babies.

Bryan is an award-winning wedding and portrait photographer based out of Fonthill, Canada. In 2014, he was awarded his Masters of Photographic Arts (MPA) designation by the Professional Photographers of Canada (PPOC), making him one of the youngest Canadian photographers to receive this level of achievement. Bryan is the lead content creator at SproutingPhotographer.com and the host of the Sprouting Photographer Podcast. He teaches at workshops across North America, including industry-leading conventions and conferences such as WPPI, Shutterfest and Canada Photo Convention. Bryan is also the CEO and Founder of Sprout Studio.

Charmekia is a maternity, newborn and family photographer based in Charlotte, North Carolina. She is a wife, mom to two beautiful children and takes pride in being an Air Force Veteran. She’s been a professional photographer for nearly 4 years and has always had a love for photography but quickly gravitated more towards newborns. It’s truly been an amazing journey perfecting her craft. Being a newborn photographer has brought her more joy than she thought she could ever have with a career.

Jessica specializes in creating maternity, newborn, and family portraits that are soft, natural, and that capture authentic emotion and connection. Her relaxed lifestyle approach and fine attention to detail ensure clients are photographed in a manner that is comfortable while producing images that are flattering and timeless. Whether in her cozy Toronto studio or on location, her full service approach helps her clients feel completely taken care of from the moment they book their session to the moment their art is in their hands or on their walls.

Shailee Connolly specializes in Newborn and Maternity Portrait photography. Based in the San Francisco Bay Area, California, she has received awards and recognitions for her work. In 2020 and 2022, she was awarded first place in the APNPI competition in the newborn category, as well as a PPA silver photographer of the year award in 2017 and a bronze photographer of the year award in 2018. Additionally, she earned second place in the Children’s Portraits Category of the Professional Photographers of America’s Western District print competition in 2017. Shailee holds Bachelors degrees in Fine Art and Education, with a major in painting. This, along with her previous career as a high school Visual Arts teacher in her hometown of Brisbane, Australia, gave her a solid grounding in and passion for creating art in a variety of disciplines. When she became a mother in 2011, she transitioned her skills to newborn and maternity portrait photography. She has been a professional photographer for over 8 years after relocating to the US with her family from Australia. Shailee always aims to create stunning, timeless images that her clients will cherish for a lifetime. Her style blends fine art with a more natural, organic approach to photography, and she works closely with her clients to ensure that their vision is brought to life. She specializes in heirloom quality, archival printed artwork that her clients proudly display in their homes.

Angelica Lawson – Sam is a published portrait artist specializing in Newborn, Maternity and Baby’s First Year portraiture in in Houston, Tx. She owns and operates A Little Taste of Heaven Photography, a full-service portrait studio. In addition to operating her studio full time, she is a educator and mentor. Sharing her knowledge of newborn safety, photography and business is her passion, and she feels extremely blessed to help encourage growth and education in the industry. She appreciates the people met, the stories told, the hours kept, and the capturing of some of life’s greatest milestones.

Alli Peck is a Canadian photographer who specializes in newborn and maternity photography. Her specialty is the expecting mother and the showcasing the natural beauty of pregnancy through photography, Alli has travelled the world teaching other photographers how to capture this precious time by the use of lighting, posing and editing photography techniques. Alli is a proud Ambassador for APNPI.

Caralee Case is a professional photographer based out of Idaho Falls, Idaho and is easily recognized for her use of vibrant, rich color, her attention to detail, and her ability to capture the essence and purity of new life. She is a part-time photographer and a part-time educator! Caralee has two amazing children, and a wonderful, supportive husband who are the joy and inspiration of my life and my business. She is a lover of family, food, fun and photography. Her enthusiasm for photography started with the birth of her first child. Caralee started her photography business in 2008 and it has been such a wonderful journey!!! She loves to meet new people, make children laugh, capture the beauty of new life, and share her passion for photography with others.