Wedding & Portrait Photographers International (WPPI) Now Accepting Submissions for Annual 16x20 Print, Album, and Filmmaking Competitions

NEW YORK, Nov. 21, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Wedding & Portrait Photographers International (WPPI) announced today that submissions are now being accepted for its annual Honors of Excellence 16x20 Print, Album, and Filmmaking Competitions.  In addition, WPPI announced today that Jerry and Melissa Ghionis have been appointed Competition Directors of the Honors of Excellence competition.  As Competition Directors, they will oversee and implement new competition rules, submissions, judging, and the Honors of Excellence award ceremony. The deadline to register images online is January 8, 2014 and all prints, albums, and films must be received at WPPI headquarters in New York by January 25, 2014. All winners will be announced and awards and prizes will be presented at the Honors of Excellence award ceremony on March 5, 2014 in Las Vegas during the WPPI Wedding and Portrait Photography Conference & Expo.

The newly-named Honors of Excellence program was created by Jerry and Melissa Ghionis, under the direct supervision of WPPI Director, Jason Groupp.  The program incorporates a new set of rules and guidelines designed to make participation easy, efficient and rewarding for entrants.  A new, online information hub is now available so past entrants can view their Honors of Excellence Points, download certificates and manage their records at their convenience.

Jerry Ghionis is widely regarded as one of the top wedding photographers in the world and he has won numerous awards at WPPI including 6 Grand Awards and 8 International Wedding Album of the Year awards.  Jerry and Melissa are longtime WPPI members and their seminars and workshops have been educating -- and entertaining -- photographers around the world for years.

The live competition judging will be held March 1 & 2, 2014 during the WPPI conference at the MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas and is open for viewing by WPPI attendees with a Full Conference Pass. Judged by panels of professional photographers, the spirited and educational judging process has become the cornerstone of the annual WPPI conference and places focus squarely on the talents of photographers and filmmakers worldwide.  Entries will be displayed individually -- and anonymously -- and critiqued by the panel of judges using a point scoring system. WPPI attendees are encouraged to enter the competition in advance and visit the exhibition of award-winning entries to learn more about the artistry of wedding and portrait photography.

"Melissa and I are proud and excited to have an integral role in modifying and reshaping the Honors of Excellence program to help make participation more educational, fairer and more rewarding while also encouraging greater commitment to one's craft," explains Jerry Ghionis.  "This annual competition allows us to share our experiences as photographers, and encourage others to share their amazing talents during the WPPI show and be recognized for their achievements.  We are looking forward to viewing all the creative entries for the 2014 competition."

"Jerry and Melissa Ghionis bring a wealth of knowledge and success to WPPI and the Honors of Excellence program," said Jason Groupp, WPPI Director of Education and Membership.  "Their guidance and improvements in the categories and the rules now make it easier and more rewarding for participants and will help to greatly expand the Competition.  Each year we look forward to seeing -- and sharing -- the creativity of our contestants through their photographs.  With the addition of filmmaking, this year will be especially exciting," Mr. Groupp adds.

16x20-inch Print Competition Details
Photographers are welcome to submit their 16x20-inch Print entries for consideration into the following categories:

Wedding Division
Bride and Groom Together (Wedding Day); Bride or Groom Alone (Wedding Day); Bridal Party/Family and Friends; Engagement; and Wedding Details

Portrait Division
Group; Children/Babies; High School Seniors; Animals/Pets; and Beauty/Boudoir

Photojournalism Division
Wedding Photojournalism; and Non-wedding Photojournalism

Creative Division
Commercial; Fashion; Illustrative; Composite; Bride and Groom Together Non-wedding Day; Bride or Groom Alone Non-wedding Day

Premier Category
The Premier category is for first-time entrants in any professional print competition.

Entry Fees
The cost for each 16x20 print entry is $40 (WPPI Members) and $60 (non-members).
Multiple entry discounts are as follows:*
Enter 7 prints; get 1 additional entry for free
Enter 10 prints; get 2 additional entries for free
Enter 15 prints; get 3 additional entries for free
*Rates per entry are based on membership / non-membership costs per entry

New - In-Camera Artistry Competition Details
To promote in-camera artistry (SOOC or straight out of camera); there will now be a category for the purist photographer with no raw adjustments, retouching, Photoshop, etc. allowed.

The cost per entry for WPPI Members is $20 and $30 per entry for non-members.

Digital Photo Album Competition Details
Photographers are encouraged to submit a series of digital images presented as a story for consideration into the following album competition categories:

Event/Informal; Engagement; Wedding (Multiple Photographers); and Wedding (Single Photographer)

The cost per album entry for WPPI Members is $50 and $65 per entry for non-members.  Quantity discounts:  Enter 4 albums; get 1 additional album entry for free

Filmmaking Competition Details
Filmmakers are encouraged to submit short films for consideration into the following filmmaking competition categories:

Wedding/Engagement Short Film; and Commercial/Illustrative Short Film

The cost per film entry for WPPI Members is $50 and $65 per entry for non-members.
Quantity Discounts: Enter 1 film; get 1 additional film entry for free.

Prizes and Awards
The Grand Award for each category (16x20 Print, Album, and Filmmaking) includes: a $2,000 cash prize (U.S. dollars), a complimentary Full Conference Pass for WPPI 2015 Conference and Expo, and complimentary entry into next year's Honors of Excellence Print Competition (10 print maximum). In addition, all Grand Awards, as well as First, Second and Third Place winners will each receive custom-designed, engraved crystal awards. All winners will be announced and awards and prizes will be presented at the WPPI Honors of Excellence award ceremony in Las Vegas on March 5, 2014.

For complete information on entry submissions, prizes and competition rules, visit www.wppiawards.com

View the 2013 WPPI 16x20 Print and Album Competition film at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z9lUMisJnVI

All WPPI 2014 classes, events, and the expo will take place at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, NV from February 27 - March 6, 2014. WPPI is the biggest event in the world for photographers and filmmakers specializing in the creative and business aspects of wedding and portrait photography. Last year, nearly 12,000 registered attendees and over 180 speakers from the U.S. and 46 other countries including Latin America, Australia, and Russia, attended the conference and expo.

Registration for WPPI 2014 is now open.  The early bird registration rate for a Full Conference Six Day Pass to the WPPI 2014 Conference and Expo is $199 for WPPI members and $379 for non-members, through December 12, 2013. After December 13, 2013 registration rates increase to $275 for WPPI members ($399 for non-members) through February 26, 2014.  A Full Conference Six Day Pass includes one (1) free guest*, and provides access to up to 6 full days of comprehensive learning, including all Platform classes, live 16x20 Print, Album and Filmmaking competition judging, all special events, and a 3-day pass to the biggest photography expo for wedding and portrait photographers in the world. Plus Classes, Master Classes, WPPI University and the WPPI: Filmmaking class cost additional.

Additional information and a complete schedule of seminars and activities are available online:

Website:          http://www.wppionline.com
Facebook:        https://www.facebook.com/WPPIOnline
Twitter:             https://twitter.com/RFWPPI

About WPPI
The WPPI Wedding and Portrait Photography Conference + Expo is the premier industry event for photographers and now filmmakers specializing in the creative and business aspects of wedding, portrait photography and filmmaking. Each year, nearly 12,000 professional photographers and imaging experts attend WPPI to learn new techniques from industry leaders, build new relationships to grow their business, experience new products and solutions from major manufacturers to improve their productivity, and enjoy the many attractions in Las Vegas.

SOURCE Wedding & Portrait Photographers International