Can't Believe I Received My ASP Fellowship!

I received my American Society of Photographers Fellowship last week, and I could not have been more honored to receive this prestigious recognition. My wife, Lynn, joined me on stage to place the Fellowship ribbon and medal around my neck, and four of my brothers attended the gala to support me. I also had the privilege of sharing the stage with two outstanding photographers who received their Fellowships that evening: John Hartman and my best friend, Joe Glyda.

https://video.wixstatic.com/video/482e4f_505ef8d44ee94c20a3fb78650f15ef2a/1080p/mp4/file.mp4

Earning an ASP Fellowship requires meeting several challenging requirements. Challenging may not be a strong enough word—it was one of the most difficult things I have ever accomplished professionally.

The first hurdle is the paper, which details your photographic journey and the progression that led to the body of work you submit. The paper must be a minimum of 2,000 words. Mine ended up being just over 3,000 words. One week before the submission deadline, I was told that, in its current form, the paper would not be successful. Thanks to the tremendous help of my brother Tracy, and especially his wife Michelle, I was able to rewrite much of it in time. Their guidance transformed it into a much stronger and more compelling story.

The second requirement is the submission of 25 images. These photographs must not only stand on their own as exceptional works but also function together as a cohesive body of work. After reading the paper, the judges enter a room where all 25 images are displayed on a wall. The applicant is responsible for selecting the images, determining their order, and arranging them within three rows. The judges evaluate the collection as a whole before carefully reviewing each individual image to ensure it meets the high standards required for Fellowship.

Did I mention that most applicants do not receive their Fellowship on the first attempt? I was fortunate to be one of the few who earned it on my first submission, something for which I am deeply grateful.

The video accompanying this post was shown during the ASP Gala just before I was called to the stage to receive my Fellowship. Two of my closest friends were invited to create a tribute video for the presentation, and I would like to thank Gary Hughes and Bill Barbosa for their kind words, generosity, and friendship.

The video also features the 25 images that were included in my Fellowship submission. I hope you enjoy viewing them as much as I enjoyed creating them throughout my photographic journey.