Of the 4,685 entries we received this year, the judges chose 125 for inclusion. While this is fewer than last year, more series entries were selected, so we’re actually showing more total images this year.

“The vast majority of the photography submitted was elegant, well executed and quite impressive,” said juror Shana Darnell. “It was nice to see such a variety of genres of photography and subject matter. It broadened my scope of what we could be entering as a company to the competition.”

“There was some wonderful creative thinking and technical execution, especially in the commercial work,” said juror Sarah Leen. “Also editorial portrait photography was quite strong.”

Juror David Meredith noted a considerable amount of post-production work done on the submissions, a trend that certainly doesn’t seem to be slowing. “Clients must like the illustrative quality that reminds me of airbrushing from years ago,” he said.

“For a while now I felt creativity and ideas were taking a back seat to the digital capabilities we have,” said juror David Allan Brandt. “But if the concept isn’t there, the image doesn’t work. It’s nice to see photographers starting to use digital as just another tool in their belt and not as the end all.”