You're "Looking" at a new WPJA Member!

I was quite thrilled this week to learn that I was accepted for membership into the Wedding Photojournalist Association (WPJA). I have heard stories from photographers all over the country of how hard it is to get in, some people applying multiple times with still no luck, so when I got the email only a week later welcoming me as a new member of the WPJA I was elated.

So, what is the WPJA, you ask? For non-photographers reading this, here are some excerpts from their site:

"The Wedding Photojournalist Association (WPJA) is a professional organization composed of photojournalists and wedding photographers from around the world. What sets our members apart in the industry is their candid, documentary approach – a distinctly artistic vision toward wedding photography."

"The Wedding Photojournalist Association puts the world’s best wedding photography at your fingertips. We offer a new perspective on wedding photography - quietly capturing the real moments as they happen for the bride and groom. It is our goal to use photography to tell the story of your wedding day, not dictate it for you."

"IMPORTANT NOTE: Membership in the WPJA depends entirely on photographers meeting our high standards for inclusion. One CANNOT simply pay his/her way into the WPJA. We emphasize this is NOT another ad-driven wedding web site."

This is what I'm about, a story teller, driven to capture the real emotions and events of the wedding day, so it's nice to be a part of an association that helps explain my style for potential clients. I also look forward to the quarterly photo competitions!