My article for them was about balancing the creativity with the technical aspects of photography.  The industry is swamped by new photographers and many of these photographers have creative ideas but are lacking in the technical areas.  These same photographers will say that they don’t want to learn the technical side of photography, because they fear it will make them boring.  This is because some older and established photographers may be very technical but aren’t very creative.  This group fears that more creative attempts will mess up the perfection of their techniques, which make them professional.

The truth is that everyone, all photographers in the industry need to properly balance both the creative and technical aspects to truly be masters of their art.

If you are a member of the Professional Photographers of Canada, this magazine should come to you automatically, and I hope you read and enjoy this article.

(Article published in Gallerie, the official magazine of Professional Photographers of Canada. Printed by Matrix Group Publishing Inc.)

And as soon as the Chinese magazine comes, I will post about it.

In the meantime, if you’d like to see more of my work, or commission me to do a photograph for you, give me a call at 801-728-3317 and check out my website at BryCox.com.

Professional Photographers of America, Professional Photographers of Canada, and PhotoWorld Magazine of China all asked me for articles, and coincidentally, they all printed this month, August 2010.

All US professional photographers should get this magazine in the mail automatically each month, but in case you’re looking for it on newsstands, here’s what it looks like.

My article is on Fashion Posing — how to break the traditional rules of posing to create something exciting.  The basis of my article is that you have to know the rules of traditional posing in order to ‘break’ those rules and do something completely different, but that actually works visually and compositionally.

Here’s how the first page of my article looks (page 82-84).

I’m not only honored to be in this magazine, but feel it a special honor that I am in this magazine at the very same time they have a tribute to my favorite photographer and one of my ultimate photographic influences, Richard Avedon.  Avedon was one of the most influential and longest standing fashion photographers in the industry, and he passed away in 2004.

He really raised the bar with fashion and advertising and storytelling, and I have sought after all of his art books (which are very expensive).  I think I own almost all of them now.  His article is on page 22-24.

You can see parts of the current issue at the official website, PPMag.org.  And if you are a regular Bry Cox Blog reader, then you’ll remember I mentioned writing this article in a past blog post.

As far as the the Chinese and Canadian magazines go, I have not yet received my copies, but will post about them when they come.

If you’d like to see more of my work, or commission me to do a photograph for you, give me a call at 801-728-3317 and check out my website at BryCox.com.

Each year photographers are allowed to enter four images, and here were my four entries:

It was an exciting night, but I was actually out of town during the entire awards ceremony, speaking in Georgia at their annual professional photographers convention.  However, I was keeping tabs on the Utah convention by phone, trying to see how I did.  When the news came in, it was even better than I had expected.  I not only won the big award of the night (Master Photographer of the Year), but a number of other great awards as well!

The level of competition is very difficult in the Masters, as I compete against the absolute best of the best.  I am always trying to raise the level of quality that I offer my clients each year, and to do a better and better job in every way possible.  As expectations and competition in the industry continues to rise, I hope that clients see these awards as a sign that my quality and commitment to great portraiture also rises each year.

Now these images will go on to regionals and then nationals.  I’ll keep you all posted on how they do.

The interview was of me and two other people, all creative in our trades, asking about our thoughts and procedures in creativity.  Here’s a direct link to the show, here.

It begins with the quote from President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, Second Counselor in the First Presidency of the LDS Church:

“The desire to create is one of the deepest yearnings of the human soul.  We each have an inherent wish to create something that did not exhist before.  The more you trust and rely up the Spirit, the greater your capacity to create.”

Me at LDS Radio (2)

And here is my original blog entry, with more info on the interview.

I received NINE new image awards, including what is considered ‘the Best of the Best,’ the ASP State Elite Award! To even be eligible, a photographer must first me be a Master photographer, which is why it is called the best of the best – the highest scoring image by a Master photographer.

I also won TWO Kodak Gallery Awards, one of the most coveted awards available.

Here are the images and the rundown of awards for each image.

• ASP State Elite Award
• Kodak Gallery Award (Wedding)
• 1st Place Multi-State Regional (Master Wedding)
• 1st Place State (Master Wedding)

• 3rd Place State (Master Pictorial)

• 2nd Place State (Master Illustrative)

• Kodak Gallery Award (Portrait)
• 3rd Place State (Master Portrait)

Also, as one of the top scoring photographers, I won the ‘Court of Honor‘ award – an award that goes to the top 10 photographers.

Now these images will go on to the national level where I expect them to win even more awards.  I will now also be awarded ‘Photographer of the Year’ at nationals, but I’ll have to wait until then to receive that.

If you’re looking for some fantastic images of your family for Christmas from one of the state and region’s best Master Photographers, give me a call!  I’d love to create something award winning for you!

Until next time, Amercia!
– Bry

I WON THE GOLD!  It was very fun to actually be there to receive the award!  Even though I was there in China to speak at the convention, I didn’t expect to win any awards with so many photographers entering.  It was so exciting to have them call me up as the Gold Medalist too!

BryCox - PPA China Awards Night 1

When I went up to get the award, I handed my camera to Doug Box and asked him to take a photo of me winning.  After the shot, I took my camera back and took this quick pano of the audience photographing me!  Look at all the people grouped up on the sides!

BryCox - PPA China Awards Night 2

Here’s a close-up of one of the sides.

BryCox - PPA China Awards Night 3

But before they started giving awards, they event started with beautiful Chinese models coming out wearing some of the top images from the exhibition.  They were strutting to music with a heavy beat.  The lighting, fog, and bubbles made it look amazing.

BryCox - PPA China Awards Night 4

Here’s a close-up of one of the girls.  They were stunning women!

BryCox - PPA China Awards Night 5

The model on the right of this image is wearing one of my images, the famous portrait I did of Joe McQueen.

BryCox - PPA China Awards Night 6

Afterward some of the models asked for a photograph with me.  It probably didn’t hurt that I’d just won the Gold Medal in front of them, or that they were wearing some of my images, or that the place was decorated with my images…but I have to tell you that I loved the attention and felt like a rock star!  They were beautiful and stunning women who were amazingly tall.  Notice how tall they are compared to me.  I’m 6 foot 4 — especially tall for China.

BryCox - PPA China Awards Night 7

BryCox - PPA China Awards Night 8

Then before dinner that night the models changed outfits and came back out to do another dance.  I loved this one too!

BryCox - PPA China Awards Night 10

BryCox - PPA China Awards Night 9

The dinner room was decorated with our photographs.  That’s actually my image hanging behind us.

BryCox - PPA China Awards Night 11

Here’s another shot showing two more of my images on the wall along with images from the other speakers.

BryCox - PPA China Awards Night 12

This dinner felt like another awards ceremony because we were all presented with gifts from the Chinese.  Here is Dennis Craft and I getting some traditional cut-out art pieces.

BryCox - PPA China Awards Night 13

That night was fantastic!  It made me feel very grateful and blessed to do what I do — to be an artist and to be able to travel and meet so many people from all over the world.  It was a joy to be able to speak and share my artistic ideas with the Chinese photographers.  They were incredibly hospitable and kind.  I hope to get back over there again soon!

Some time ago I was interviewed by a writer for WPPI, and the article finally came out as this month’s “WPPI Photography Monthly.”  The second article was an interview that I gave to LexJet’s “In Focus.”

I know that my clients don’t get these magazines or have the ability to read them, but at the very least it should make you feel proud of the work I’ve done for you in the past as well as confident of the work I will do for you in the future.

It means a lot to artists to be recognized by industry leaders on a national level and it should mean a lot to you too as my clients, to know that your artist is a leader in the industry.

Next month in November, I’ll also be featured in the PPA’s “Professional Photographer” magazine — the biggest photography trade magazine in the country!  I’ll have more on that when it comes out next month.

Well, until next time, America!
– Bry

The magazine received over FIFTY-THOUSAND entries.   They chose only 18 images.  I found out today that my photograph is one of those to be showcased in the magazine’s special November issue.

This image, titled “Woman of Wind” is the portrait that will be showcased in November’s magazine.  You can see more from this photo session on the ’slideshow‘ section of my main website, BryCox.com.

It is quite an honor and I am very excited!  I had no idea that there were so many entries either.  I just got the word and wanted to get this info up on my blog so that you all could share in the excitement. 

Ok.  Now I should head to bed.  Until next time, America!
– Bry

I am very pleased to announce that I won two awards for my album, Angie & Steve which you can see in full right here.

Albums are judged on image quality and design throughout the entire book.  The first award was First Place Master Album.  I then won the Fuji Masterpiece Award for the entire wedding division from this album as well.  This makes a total of 6 total Fuji Masterpiece Awards now in my collection.

My next two images, though they didn’t win first, still did very well.  This image below, won 2nd place Master Portrait…

…and this image won 3rd place Master of Electronic Imaging.  This was in the Electronic Imaging section because the background was completely created in post-production using tools that I sell photographers (available in the Products section of the BryCoxWorkshops.com site).

Even though these images placed 2nd and 3rd (which is very hard in the Master division), I still expected them to do better.  Nevertheless, they go on from here to compete for Regional and National awards where I know they will do extremely well for sure.

This competition was part of the Intermountain Professional Photographer annual convention and print competition.  There are two divisions in the print competition: General for the general photographers, and Masters for Master Photographers.  As a Master, I compete in the Masters division.

Well, that’s it for today.  Until next time, America!
– Bry