Results Are IN!!!

Yes, I take pretty pictures. And I post them far and wide online. Okay, “far and wide” might be a bit of a stretch, since it’s usually just my social channels. 😉 BUT, they’re certainly out there, reaching friends, clients, and other pet lovers. As a result, I often receive enthusiastic encouragement to enter various photo contests. While I genuinely (truly!) appreciate the vote confidence, I’m very selective about which competitions I enter. Many contests come with copyright issues, image grabs, or awards that don’t carry any real weight. That’s just not something I want to mess with.

But the International Pet Photography Awards? It’s different. I enter this competition for one simple reason: the feedback.

Why This Competition Matters

The International Pet Photography Awards (IPPA) is unique because it promises two pieces of written feedback on every single image entered. This feedback comes from world-renowned pet photography experts – people who not only excel in photography but also have a deep understanding of dog body language. THAT is exactly what I came for. Sure, I know how to take “pretty pictures,” but I want to GROW. I want to create consistently amazeballs photos. I want to create A R T. I want my clients to have large, meaningful, impactful, wall art pieces that evoke emotion and celebrate the personality of their pets.

To create that kind of work, I need to leave my ego at the door, & accept the intentional, impartial, and yes, sometimes tough criticism the IPPA offers. That’s my why.

I entered the maximum of twenty images this year, determined to learn as much as I could from the process. And now, the results are in!!

A Bit About the Judging Process

• A selection of 16 international specialist professional pet and animal photographers have been chosen for their extensive experience and photographic skill across all genres of pet photography.

• The judges assessment criteria includes visual impact, technical excellence and emotional response. As well as the level of originality, vision and creativity. Judges will also take into consideration the animal’s body language and behaviour displayed in the images.

• Each image receives a score between 60 and 100 from five judges. Judges must abstain from judging entries that are known to them.

• The final score of the entry is the average score from all five scores given. Each entry also receives two pieces of written feedback, from two different judges.

  
  

2024 Results Summary

Here’s a quick rundown of my awards this year:

• 1 Silver Distinction (also a Category Finalist)

• 7 Silver

• 8 Bronze Distinction

• 4 Bronze

This year, ALL TWENTY of my submitted images were awarded! 🙌🏻This is an improvement over my 2023 results, where 13 of my 20 images earned awards.

I’ll be sharing each image in the order of their scores, starting from my lowest and working up to my highest-scoring photo. Alongside each, I’ll add the feedback I received (and my thoughts, where I have them). Something to keep in mind as you view them, my entries feature a near-even split between “regular” cherished companion dogs and (equally cherished) highly trained competitive sport dog types. Can you tell who’s who?? 🙃 

Oh, and just because you may have seen these images before, all but one of my submissions was created as part of a photography “challenge” – for 52Frames or Unleashed Education’s Embark & Emerge courses. Okay, here we goooooo!

“Bella Notte”, Creative Category, Score 70

Feedback:

• What a cute adaptation of a Disney classic. I adore the way 'lady' is looking at the 'tramp' who is looking at the viewer with an expression that says to me 'I'm just here for the free food'. There are some issues with the compositing techniques that could be worked on to elevate this image. I appreciate the blue colour cast as it is a twilight image however I feel there should be more warm light spilling over the sides of the table to the ground and onto the brick wall. Perhaps, adding soft glowing light to some of the windows behind would also help give this image more dimension. When compositing like this it is important to think about your background, mid ground and foreground and how they would play into making this a more realistic 3D image. Overall I applaud you on your attention to detail.

• An entertaining piece of narrative between the two animals. Some refinement in craft is needed with the in camera capture and editing. Elements on the table fall short of focus and a different aperture could have remedied this. Some masking work especially around the meal needs to be crafted better to appear less cut out. The colours in the immediate scene are of warmth and warmer tones however the blue background does cool down the feel giving some conflict in feel. Some more consideration around lighting would also help hold the composite together. The image gives the narrative of being lit by candle light however the shapes and shadows do not reflect that.

Ginger's note: This, my lowest scoring image, took the longest to create. 😅 Just goes to show (once again!), that level of effort does NOT guarantee or equate to a high-quality image! Composites such are this are not really in my wheelhouse, but I certainly gave it my all.

“Cozy Canine”, Portrait Category, Score 72

Feedback:

• Wonderful use of a fill light for the face of the dog. The expression is gorgeous. The colours are lovely. The left side of the image is much brighter, though. On the one hand, this could be fixed in Photoshop, but the sunlight caught in the plants in the left side of the background is not repeated on the other side of the image, which is a bit unfortunate.

• This is a lovely image, and I love the color harmony that you have created with the blanket, the background and the dog’s fur. Technically, the lighting is well done, however, the left side of the image is so much brighter than the right side of the image, especially in the background, which is distracting for the viewer.

  
  

Ginger's note: At this point in Moose's session, the sun had gone down, but I really wanted a warm & glowy backlight, so I faked it by putting a strobe back there.

 “Double Trouble”, Portrait Category, Score 73

Feedback:

• This is a lovely portrait of two family members, just hanging out together. The happy expressions are captivating and the posing adds a fun narrative. Adding more space at the bottom would allow more space for the legs and feet - even though we can't see them in this image, knowing that they are there makes the crop feel a little awkward. A gentler touch with the editing of the eyes would still allow them to draw the viewer in, but would keep them looking more natural. In all, this is a charming portrait that would benefit from a small few tweaks.

• I really enjoy these twins framed in the log fence. Great expressions, not too much tongue, they look happy and relaxed. It’s really a fun portrait and your tones are handled very well. You might crop a bit of the right edge out so the dogs aren’t quite so symmetrical in this composition. You need a little more space to ground their imaginary feet. Very pleasing, too identical but different dogs. Well done.

Ginger’s note: I originally had a looser crop, with more room on the bottom for their feet as suggested. But the area below their feet was dirt, not grass, and therefore pulled the eyes. In hindsight, I could have addressed the issue by simply stretching the grass downward in Photoshop.

“Ruth & Emily”, Pets & People Category, Score 73

Feedback:

• Wow, you captured whole rimlight. Well done! What a lovely scene and great interaction between the two. There are some bright highlights which are distracting. I would crop a bit tighter to get rid of the bright splashes of water on the right.

• Emotion plus here! The back lighting on this image is superb! The connection is amazing. Foreground blur is way too eye pulling and takes away from the moment.

Ginger’s note: I originally composed this with the thought of secretly witnessing a private moment, but I can certainly see the case for a tighter crop to emphasize their relationship.

“Rudolph's Replacement”, Portrait Category, Score 75

Feedback:

• I really like the idea of the lantern in the dog's mouth. But since you introduced it, I find the story confusing. The colorful bokeh. Is that representing holiday? Like I know there is an interesting story here and I know you can find it. What's the dog's story? Where is he? Where is he leading me to? And do those lights have anything to do with it? Needs a tighter story. Hints are fine but a little more visual context.

• This is a lovely festive feeling image, and the lights add a touch of nostalgia. I would love to see a little bit more detail in the front legs as they almost blend into the body and that area is a bit clunky as a result.

Ginger’s note: Yes, I was worried about the storytelling aspect of this image! 😝

“Say What?”, Portrait Category, Score 76

Feedback:

• The expression on this dog's face is simply brilliantly captured and gives the picture a very special effect. The tone-on-tone implementation of the colors in the picture creates a harmonious overall concept and clearly focuses on the rather dark face of the dog. However there seems to appear some halos around the dogs head. Pay a little more attention to the details when masking. The depths around the eyes are a little too dark, which takes away the lightness of the photo. It only takes small changes to fully develop the potential of this photo.

• Love the color palette, the setting really works with the texture of the boxer and the rocks. An asymmetrical crop, taking from a bit of the right and bottom, might give this image a stronger impact. The dog is just a bit too centered, give the composition a bit of tension. It looks like you just missed the focus on the eyes and your blacks could use a more detail. But overall, lovely job.

“Soup’s On”, Portrait Category, Score 76

Feedback:

• There's so much expression packed into this dog's face and pose, and the props just enhance it further, well done! To take this up a notch in the storytelling department, I'd like to see a little more visual context. The lighting has been well handled, but the blacks have been lost in the editing process on the dog's face, increasing the contrast in the darks would help. A fun and expressive image.

• Well done on presenting a really creative portrait. This has a delicious awkwardness about it and made me smile. It would have been great to have the dog's eyes looking straight at the camera.

“Hues of Rue”, Portrait Category, Score 77

Feedback:

• The strong color and compositional elements of the background provide immediate impact to this image. The framing of the dog works well inside the large green area, but watch the ear getting so close to the diagonal line between the two colors. In a perfect world, the dark green at the very bottom of the image would be that same teal as it does pull the eye away from the subject. Overall this is a fun and unique image!

• This is such a charming portrait, I just love this little dog's face. The things that detract are the design just tipping the dog's ear and that you've lost the dog's feet/body/tail because of the angle. A little more care in the composition would reflect a higher score but I do really like it and would love this if I was the owner. Big wall portrait.

“Dashing Deacon”, Action Category, Score 77

Feedback:

• You captured a wonderful action shot with a hilarious expression of this beauty. The setting is clean and very reduced to the minimum, still, I would consider shooting in portrait format here to add even more energy as the square format is a bit static.

• Great expression, lovely ear action. The dog blends into the colors a little too much, consider reducing the explore on the yellow grasses. Very fun, though!

“Abridged”, Portrait Category, Score 78

Feedback:

• Wow! This really captures that feeling of sneaking in late at night with your mom waiting for you - what a golden expression! The leading lines perfectly guide the viewer's eye straight to the dog, and the green background makes them pop beautifully. Fantastic job capturing such a relatable and fun moment!

• Fantastic use of leading lines to draw us into your subject. While the extremely shallow depth of field sits beautifully across the entirety of dog's face, using a slightly larger one to allow the front paws to hold sharp detail as well would help lift this image even further.

“Frond Frame”, Portrait Category, Score 78

Feedback:

• This is a really beautiful portrait that demonstrates how colour theory can enhance and emphasize emotion. You've done very well to capture this breed in a way that looks natural and healthy, as opposed to the low camera angle bogley eye images that we often see. This image screams connection, friendship and outdoor adventures@ The pieces of grass crossing over the dog's face whilst they feel quite sweet are clashing with the shapes created by the rest of the grass. Consider removing the top left one and see if that balances it better. A really beautiful portrait.

• What a sweet expression, so perfectly nestled among the grasses. Just to eliminate distractions from the face, not necessarily for an owner, definitely eliminate the grass cutting across the ear and you have two other bright, sharp blades that if not removed, at least tone them down and perhaps add a little blur so it doesn’t trap your eye. Great color palette.

“Emerge”, Portrait Category, Score 78

Feedback:

• This is just a perfectly framed portrait of this dog, I really like the subtle movement in it. It's not an action shot but the fur on the ears moving and the foot in motion and the drops of captures an evocative scene. The symmetry works for this particular image and the colors tones work really well. It's a quiet portrait but memorable.

• The composition of this image is wonderful as well as the pose and connection with the dog. The whites are very bright, especially on the dog's head and there is no light in the dog's eyes. If more light was coming from the front in a bit more directional light this image would be more impactful. This location is a fun and unique location.

“Luna”, Portrait Category, Score 80

Feedback:

• Well wow! You teach me! This is a wonderful image, you have captured this red landscape so well. Is this the United States? Utah? Arizona? Anyway, this dog is majestic and looks so beautifully dog. The colors are really cool as you have the red, green and blue all checking in. Consider cropping out the partial boulder on the left edge, you don’t need it. In a perfect world, we’d see all of the feet. Stunning nonetheless. Beautifully balanced in the tones.

• What an epic location - the intensity of the colours is vibrant, yet doesn't feel overdone. The use of flash on the dog has provided a slightly brighter, high contrast light, which is a little at odds with the low contrast, softer light on the background. This gives the scene the appearance of being shot in the studio with a backdrop. To connect the dog to the scene more, match the quality of the light by using a bigger light source closer to the dog, which creates a softer light. Keep exploring how to integrate dogs into these wonderful landscapes!

Ginger’s note: Just in case judge number one sees this post, yes – this was taken in the USA! At Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs to be precise. 😊 And for judge number two, yes, spot on - I was worried about the light mismatch! 🤪

“Bridging the Gap”, Portrait Category, Score 80

Feedback:

• The photograph is visually striking and memorable. The leading lines guide the viewer's eye effectively, creating a sense of movement and energy. The use of symmetry is visually striking and creates a sense of balance.

• Nice use of a low angle and leading lines to guide the viewer’s attention directly to the dog, creating an engaging portrait. Overall, it's a well-composed and captivating image—great job!

“Chaser & Kindle”, Portrait Category, Score 80

Feedback:

• Beautiful dogs and setting. The light is coming in hot and feels bright, except for the dark hole of the wood area. Consider cropping in tighter on either side to give a more square composition. It will give you less emphasis on the unnecessary part of the background, focus on them dogs, but still give you a strong sense of place. Lovely color palette.

• Beautiful job balancing the front light with the back rim light. Overall a beautiful color palette which matches your subjects perfectly. The blackness on the left side of the image is a bit on the heavy and dark side compared to the rest of the image. Consider lifting the shadows on that side just a bit to recover a small bit of detail. When possible, spend some extra time really trying to nail eye contact from both your dog models. When you have eye contact from one, but not the other, it can sometimes lead to a slightly confused look. Overall an absolutely stunning golden image!

“Light Shaft”, Portrait Category, Score 81

Feedback:

• A striking use of your harsh light to highlight your subject and create a dynamic composition. Subject is placed well within the frame and looking towards the light is a strong choice. There appears to be some slight masking inconsistencies near the back foot of your subject. A little more finessing with your post production and this image would be lifted much higher.

• Well done on trying to integrate a graphical style with the play of shadow and light in the background. Composition-wise it would be somehow more balanced to have the dog in the light instead of having the shadow go "through" the outlines of the head.

“It’s Not Polite to Stair”, Portrait Category, Score 82

Feedback:

• This is an interesting image with the steps adding texture and pattern. The pose of the dog is relaxed but the viewer is missing connection with the dog since it is looking just near the camera. It would be stronger looking directly into the camera or more obviously off to the side. The color palette of this image is pleasing.

• The colour palette within this image does very well to tone down the multitude of leading lines, when photographing a dog with a patterned coat it can be difficult to create a sense of calm and harmony when placed against a background with a lot of contrast. You’ve succeeded in creating a calm, and ethereal portrait which is beautifully mirrored by the dogs expression. The head tilt is very sweet and the lighting complimentary. The lack of direct eye contact is what lets this down just a little, the compelling expression would be really locked in if the viewer could get a sense of connection with the dog. A beautiful portrait and one that would be well worth revisiting given the opportunity.

“Land Cloud”, Portrait Category, Score 84

Feedback:

• The color harmony of this image makes it immediately impactful - as does the connection with the subject and pop of color of the pink tongue. Watch the highlights on top of the dog near the tail as they are looking very bright. The composition of this image is engaging and the angle of the ground adds interest.

• What a bright, pure and cheerful portrait! The white fur against the clean background creates a a beautiful high key image. The expression on the dog’s face is engaged and fun.

“Juno”, Portrait Category, Score 84

Feedback:

• What a well-defined pose! You can literally feel the tension that the dog is carrying and the direct eye contact literally draws the viewer into the picture. The colors are used excellently to achieve an authentic and harmonious overall picture and the tree trunk provides the perfect platform for the dog to strike a strong pose without becoming too large and important in the picture. Consider removing the two fur swirls at the back of the dog and pay a little more attention in preserving the details in the heights to realize the full potential of this picture.

• This is a stunning dog, and you have posed them very well. There is an air of authority and grace about them. Your use of a harmonious palette is strong, and I especially enjoy the repetition of the tans through the log, the dog, and a few spots in the background. The texture in the chest hair is delightful. there is a bit of a light halo effect around the top right of the dog's head and ear, which may well be natural from the background, but draws the eye, so would best be addressed to avoid confusion. Adjusting the angle slightly to avoid so much of the log being on the same plane of focus as the dog would reduce some of the detail in that which draws the gaze. Overall, you've created a lovely image here, well done.

“Moon Salutation”, Pets & People Category, Score 85 and a Category Finalist

Feedback:

• A silhouette picture with a very interesting pose that creates tension in the middle of the picture. Despite the fact that the woman is doing the exercise alone, the pose creates a connection between the dog and her. The colors of the sky are brought out well and the small moon is a special feature. All in all, a well-crafted silhouette image.

• It's a very powerful and strong photograph with all well-thought. Dynamic skies with it's clouds pointing at the subject make a perfect composition. It's a very unique take on silhouette photos.

Fun story about this one: As I was preparing this blog post, I decided to dig back through my 2023 IPP award posts for some inspiration and stumbled upon an unexpected gem. Last year, I submitted a yoga silhouette shot and received feedback that inspired me to revisit the idea this year - I just wasn’t sure when or how. Then, as I scrolled through old comments, I found this exchange regarding my submissions:

I had no memory of the comment, and, as it turns out, neither did she! But this year, she became my silhouette model. We both had a good laugh, agreeing we must have manifested this moment together last year. 🥰

And with that, my "report" is concluded. Thank you for following along - especially if you made it all the way here - I know it was a lot!

If you’re curious and would like to see some of incredible photos that my peers submitted, check out the wonderful video of the Top 100 scoring images! And if you want even MORE eye candy, head over to the IPPA website and browse all the awarded images using the 2024 Results navigation at the top.

One last thing before you go… I’m excited to share some bonus news. After the awards closed last year, the IPPA introduced an Accreditation Program to celebrate and honor exceptional work in pet photography. With my combined scores from 2023 and 2024, I’ve earned enough points to achieve the first accreditation level! I’m thrilled to announce that I’m officially a part of the “inaugural class” and am now a newly-awarded International Associate Pet Photographer (IAPP)! 💪🏻

Thank you SO MUCH for being part of this journey with me. I can hardly wait to see where this year’s feedback takes my work next! Who wants in?? 😁

Ginger Wick Photography is an award winning dog photographer specializing in creating beautiful custom artwork of dogs & their people. Based in Parker, CO serving the Denver area.