Congratulatory fellow photographers and clients have asked me about this, so I thought I’d share a brief blog post about this recognition. I also wanted to tell you a bit about what makes up the application process.

First off, as soon as I found out about the National Association for Professional Child Photographers‘ (NAPCP) Master Photographer Certifications, I knew certification was a primary goal for me this year. NAPCP is an association of professional photographers who are recognized in the child and family photography industry. The association’s members include some of the best across the more specific niches within child and family photography.

According to NAPCP, “The NAPCP Master Photographer Certification Program rewards NAPCP members by acknowledging their excellence in the craft of professional photography. The NAPCP evaluation panel are constantly reviewing hundreds of images submitted in portfolios before awarding Mastery certificates in each category.”

To start, I painstakingly put together a portfolio of Newborn Photography imagery. I included some of my favorite photographs in the portfolio, in addition to the best technically proficient images that were so important for scoring purposes. I asked questions. I checked in with industry peers, as well as friends and loved ones. I checked my portfolio and checked it twice to be sure it met the incredibly detailed requirements. I am pretty sure I held my breath when I finally pressed that “Submit” button! I couldn’t wait to receive my results. Does anyone else hate to wait as much as I do?!

What an honor it is to now see my name among the other Master Photographers. Some feedback I received from the judges included, “Beautiful portfolio! Displayed a wide skill set in newborn posing and lighting while adding fun elements to enhance interest to the images. Well done!”

This was and is such a wonderful opportunity and accomplishment for me. And I have to say… it felt awesome to have a creative outlet like this – especially this year.

To NAPCP, thank you!

PRESERVING PRECIOUS MOMENTS™