Meet the APNPI Judges: Leaders in Maternity, Newborn, and Family Photography!
As the next round of APNPI Accreditation approaches, we’re thrilled to introduce our highly qualified APNPI Judges! These industry leaders have completed APNPI Judges Training and are recognized experts across diverse styles and genres in maternity, newborn, and family photography.
Accreditation Applications Are Now Open!
If you’re a QNP Certified member, this is your chance to take your career to the next level. Apply for accreditation in one of our 12 categories to showcase your expertise and elevate your professional standing.
Looking for Submission Tips and Feedback?
Join our popular Feedback Friday sessions! Held in our membership community on Facebook, these sessions offer personalized critiques of image submissions from our APNPI Judges. This valuable experience helps you refine your submission, ensuring it meets accreditation standards. It’s also a fantastic way to get comfortable with image critiques before the final submission deadline. Stay updated on our Facebook group for session announcements.
Accreditation is a key step toward building your reputation in the photography industry. Don’t miss this opportunity to submit your best work, gain recognition, and receive expert guidance from our prestigious judging panel.
We can’t wait to see your submissions and celebrate your achievements!
Alicia Barrett
“When reviewing accreditation submissions, I’m looking for strong technical execution, consistent style, and thoughtful storytelling that reflects the category. Each image should demonstrate a clear understanding of lighting, composition, and posing where applicable. I love to see creativity balanced with professionalism—images that evoke emotion while maintaining high technical standards. Most importantly, ensure your work represents your best and shows your unique artistic voice.“
Alicia Barrett is an award-winning and internationally accredited photographer based in Clarenville, Newfoundland. Specializing in newborn, family, and wildlife photography, she brings a creative and heartfelt approach to every image she captures. Alicia operates a full-service portrait studio and is known for her whimsical storytelling, technical expertise, and dedication to safety and excellence in her craft.
Trayc Dudgeon
“I studied ON FILM!! I know, I know… admitting this totally reveals my age. But hey, you’re probably thinking, “Damn, she looks amazing for someone who actually knows how to develop film in a darkroom!” (And if you have no idea what a darkroom is—bless your digital heart.) The short of it is. 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 recognized as a qualified Newborn photographer with the APNPI, an international photography association. I have received several accreditations, awards and have become on of their mentoring & educating photographers.”
Trayc Dudgeon of Blue Rooster Studio
“When judging, I’m looking for proper exposure, focus, and sharpness Clean editing with no over-processing or distracting artifacts Excellent use of lighting (natural or artificial) Good color balance and tonal range Composition and Creativity.”
Denise Jackson
“Hi, I’m Denise of Appleseed Photography! Newborn photographer with over 12 years of experience. I’m passionate about capturing the tiniest moments & helping other photographers grow in their craft. With a heart for teaching & a community over competition mindset, I love creating space for connection, support & shared success in the newborn photography world. I am a believer in ” we rise by lifting others!“
I am looking for EMOTION captured ( are the fingers a little off but you caught that SMIILE?!)
Light placement ( only if baby seemed to be cooperative, because sometimes we only have a split second to get a photo with no chance to correct anything- and thats okay!) So know just when Im judging, it’s based on the way it ‘looks’ though I know there are realities that happen during these sessions! Wrapping- I want to see a clean and neat wrap! These small details make or break the image ( again, UNLESS you caught a smile- because emotion trumps all!!)
Editing- I love a polished yet natural edit, though I also love gorgeous artistically enhanced images! I appreciate all styles and art forms. Posing- I will be checking the poses to ensure they are done safely & correctly! Angles- oh this matters so much!! The smallest movement of your camera will change the entire outcome of the image!
When it comes to our art and work, I KNOW it comes from our HEARTS this is why receiving critique can be so hard sometimes, just know that I want to see you succeed! Our work is 100000 tiny details to create the final piece- I am wanting to share some of those tiny details with you to help you in achieving YOUR vision!
Another small thing to remember, just because you received feedback, does NOT mean your image isn’t amazing! It’s just a little nugget to help you evolve, which is a continuous thing in photography!
Know that you aren’t doing anything ‘wrong’ you are growing and changing as an artist. Don’t be hard on yourself, enjoy the ride and know I am genuinely here to HELP YOU!!!
Kayleigh Ashworth
Kayleigh Ashworth is an APNPI accredited, multi-award winning artist, recognized as one the best Maternity and Newborn Photographers in the Inland Empire; and operates a successful portrait studio located within the heart of Downtown Murrieta, in Southern California. Established in 2015, Kayleigh Ashworth Photography has helped countless women hone in on their artists skills, foster confidence in working with newborns, emphasizing safety above all, and maximize business goals.
Kayleigh and her work have been featured on the comedy series ‘The Try Guys’, featured on CBS8 San Diego News, and has had a televised interview with Intuit Quickbooks featured as an inspirational story for other businesses. After years of experience serving families from all walks of life, and furthering her education with industry leaders, Kayleigh now offers 1:1 Mentoring, as well as online tutorials and Adobe Photoshop actions for those wanting to expand their knowledge. It is Kayleigh’s mission to raise the standard of Newborn Photography – in safety, quality, and performance – and empower women to thrive within their business by sharing her knowledge and experiences learned throughout her career. www.kayleighashworthphotography.com