It’s getting to be that time of year again. The 2025 International Pet Photography Awards moved the submission of images forward a month, and thus the awards were also moved forward a month. A week or so ago, after the top level awards had been announced, they released to awards and feedback for all submissions.
Unlike competitions where there is only 1st, 2nd, 3rd, etc. placing, the pet IPPA (not to be confused with the Intermountain Professional Photograhers Association which is also IPPA, and which I will be talking about in another post!) gives awards to the top placing entries in each category, as well as an overall winner, but they also rate images based on specific criteria, and depending on the score the image receives, you can receive awards.
So, a score of 70-74 would earn a bronze, a 75-79 would earn a bronze with distinction, 80-84 would earn a silver, 85-89 would earn a silver with distinction, 90-94 would earn a gold, and 95-100 would earn a platinum. There can be as many of these awards as there are images that receive the score. For a look at images in all the categories, go check out the main pet IPPA site and look under 2025 Galleries.
Here are my awards for this year. I submitted a total of 12 images, with several being works in progress that received feedback, and were classified as ‘above professional standards’ but did not receive awards.
This was my highest scoring image (actually of all time for the pet IPPA), and while there are things on it that could be cleaned up, the connection between the man and his beloved dog had strong impact.
The story behind this image was ‘little dog alone in the big world’ (in fairness, he wasn’t alone – his Mom was holding his leash the whole time!), and the judges felt that that image capture the feeling, without giving you a sense of loss or abandonment.
My third silver, the judges loved the color palette, but thought the dog high-fiving into nothing was unclear. (I was trying to have her reach for the last rays of sunlight, and in hindsight, I know how I could have done that better!)
This handsome boy and his senior brother were on a road trip with their parents, looking for Alaska-like scenery. Jordanelle Reservoir in January was about as close to Alaska as we were going to fine, and both brothers clearly loved being out in the cold!
This image was actually one of many test shots that I did for a project last year that I ended up not using. It wasn’t that it was ‘bad’, just not what I was looking for with that project. But, I love the colors, and the lighting, and so did the judges!
You are likely going to see this image again, as I submitted it to the Intermountain PPA (to distinguish from the pet IPPA!) where it scored quite well. This was me practicing action photos in late winter with a dog (and her family) that I know well. I love the feeling of launching into space!
One of the things I set out to learn this year was panning (slow shutter speed to capture a sense of motion). I spent many, many hours practicing this, and this is once of my favorites. She looks like she is hovering off the ground, reading to spring. (And yes, this is the same dog as above!)
The handsome Kennzo is 16, and he and his 4 canine siblings, and his mother and I took a trip to the Uintas last fall to see what we could see. I loved the simplicity of the colors and the image – a senior boy enjoying Fall. Yes, he did go swimming, too!
The frisbee dog (of which there are already several photos) is a favorite model of mine, and this is proof that she does actually stay still from time to time! June is actually extremely well-trained, and her parents and human sibling are very patient with me and my camera!
My awards from the pet IPPA for the last 3 years earned me enough points to be in the first class of ‘Associate’ accredited photographers. I believe there were 57 of us, and it is quite an honor to be included in the first group of people eligible for this accreditation! The next step is the ‘Expert’ accreditation, for which I will need to earn at least one gold award (and a bunch more points!). It might take me a while to get there, but it is the next step in photography education and progression!
Stay tuned for the next batch of awards, including the wrap-up of Emerge, the 2nd year of the 3 year Unleashed Education challenges, as well as the Intermountain PPA awards!
And while these awards are nice, and I am certain pleased to earn them, more than the ‘shiny’ awards is the knowledge that I am progressing in my goal to move from being a good photographer to being a very good photographer (yes, that is a vague goal, I know… ultimately, I would like to earn a Master Photographer degree). Because ultimately, increasing my skills, tapping into my creativity, and pushing myself out of my comfort zone to create better images is why I enjoy photography so much, and why I look for feedback in competitions and classes. All of the feedback I receive (even when I think something is great and the judges don’t!) is an important part of my education.
Also, thanks to everyone who has give me their time and let me photograph their dogs for various assignments and projects – your patience while I walk 18 inches to the left, or stand around looking seemingly into space is invaluable. Thank you so much! (And if you would like to have your dog be considered as a model for my various projects, please sign up for the email list – all my model calls go out via email!)
Dogumentary Pet Photography
