Blog | Milestones Photography: Wedding Photojournalism, Fargo & West Fargo, North Dakota; Moorhead, Minnesota; South Dakota

The results from the first Wedding Photojournalist Association (WPJA) contest of 2010 were announced recently and I was lucky enough to take fourth in the Creative Portrait category with a photo of Mikaela and Olnick in the fog on their March wedding day in Langdon, N.D. The judges said, “The best portraits incorporate creativity with an accurate portrayal of the subjects. This image does this beautifully, and simply.”

We love when the weather or a location gives us the opportunity to make images that are truly unique to one couple and their day.

The WPJA is made up of wedding photojournalists from around the globe and it’s an elite group. Photogs must apply and have their work approved before gaining entry. The quarterly contests are judged by some of the finest working photojournalists and editors in the country, including Pulizer Prize winners. Only the top 20 images are recognized, so it’s a great compliment to have one of your photos rise to the top.

While this WPJA award is our most recent, it’s definitely not our first. Britta has had more photos place than I have, and among active WPJA members she has more overall wins than any photographer in North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, Montana, Idaho, Wyoming … you get the picture. Of the hundreds of WPJA members in the country only 12 have had more contest wins than Britta.

Twelve. That’s 1-2. (12.)

And the rest of the world? Oh, well only four photographers outside the U.S. have topped Britta for wins.

That’s some big talent in our humble state, folks.

And as a studio? There are only five studios in the country with more WPJA wins than us and only two in the rest of the world.

England, Italy, New York and West Fargo, N.D. Sounds good, eh?

Milestones Photography is one of the top-ten award-winning WPJA studios in the world and we got here by telling couples’ stories with honesty, clarity, humor and grace. Wouldn’t you like us to tell the story of your wedding day too?