Join us in Helena, MT April 6th-8th for some amazing educational opportunities! We have some world class speakers lined up for the weekend including:
Richard Sturdevant
Richard Sturdevant is a leading expert in photographic artistry and creative composites. His award winning work, style, and techniques have earned him high praise in the photographic industry. Richard is known for an impressive track record in PPA print competition - receiving 17 prints with a perfect 100 point score in both state, regional and district competitions. He also made history with PPA at SWPPA District competition in September 2010 for the highest print case ever scored in the USA, Receiving a 100 print score on all four of his prints. He is the Overall Grand Imaging Award (GIA) Winner for 2011 and 2012 with best print in PPA. In 2013 he received 1st and second place in the GIA Awards for best Master artist Image and 3rd Place in Portrait. In 2014 he was Named as a finalist in the First World Cup and Also won Grand Imaging Awards 1st Place in Illustrative and Second Place in Master Artist held At Imaging USA in Phoenix, Arizona. Richard is the only Photographer in PPA History to go Double Diamond four times 2012, 2013, 2015 and 2016 He’s has been awarded Diamond Photographer of the year 11 times with Diamond and Platinum awarded at Imaging USA 2011 and 2014. In 2013 Richard also became a PPA international Juror.
Sturdevant’s fluid combination of photography with fine art skills stems from his original artistic roots. Prior to becoming a photographer, Richard made his living as a classic and award-winning artist and also was a national art instructor and a published subject matter expert. Using airbrush and oil, his unique but photorealistic style made for a natural transition to photography. Today his passion for painting comes alive in his creations of photographic art.
As a photographic artist, Richard received the prestigious title of 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013 Southwest Photographer of the Year with SWPPA, 2009, 2010 and 2012 Texas Photographer of the Year with TPPA and 2008-2010 Dallas Photographer of the Year with DPPA. He also achieved International Gold and International Platinum Photographer of the Year with PPA in 2007, 2008, then went double Platinum Photographer of the year for Photographic Open and Electronic Imaging in 2010. From 2005 to 2011, he received 15 Kodak Gallery Awards as well as 16 Fuji Masterpiece Awards. He also received 1st place in the portrait & Group category in the 2010 and 2011 WPPI 16x20 print competition.
Richard owns and operates Sturdevant Studio - a thriving portrait studio in Garland, Texas. He specializes in fine art composites, seniors, families, wedding, and commercial photography. He was featured on the cover of Professional Photographer in Dec 2012 with his Award winning image Time Traveler, He was I featured Rangefinder magazine August 2006 where his image “Durrel’s Run” was featured on the cover. Richard is a member of PPA, ASP, WPPI, TPPA, DPPA and is PPA Master of Photography, Master Artist of Photography and Photographic Craftsman.
Pete Rezac
Pete Rezac, a portrait photographer based in Reno, Nevada, still chooses to work with medium and large format cameras and film in creating his fine art portraiture because of the tactile process it provides him in creating his work, along with the rich tones and high fidelity of the photographs that come from these tools. Seeking an authentic look to his children character portraits, Pete was inspired to create timeless portraits showing children at their best. This work has earned him numerous accolades from the photographic community.
Pete holds the Master of Photography, Photographic Craftsman, and Certified Professional Photographer degrees from the Professional Photographers of America, along with the Professional Photographers of California Master Photographer and Service Medallions. He is also a PPA approved Certified Professional Photographer Exam Preparation class instructor and active educator teaching and mentoring other professional photographers throughout the United States. Pete is also a Professional Photographers of America print juror in training and working towards the goal of becoming an affiliated judge. Pete also serves on the Board of Directors for the Professional Photographers of California
Pete supports PPA Charities Celebration of Smiles Day fundraiser. He and his orthodontic partners were top donors in the country in 2017, 2016, and 2015. Additionally, one of Pete’s images earned Best of Show for the Celebration of Smiles 2015 national event.
Accomplishments:
International Photographic Competition Platinum Medalist - 2016, 2015 International Photographic Competition Gold Medalist - 2017, 2014
PPA Western District Children’s Portrait 1st Place - 2017
PPA Western District Certified Professional Photographer District Award - 2017 PPA Western District Children’s Portrait 3rd Place - 2015
Grand Imaging Top 10 finalist Children’s Category - 2015
California Studio Portrait Photographer of the Year - 2018
California Children’s Photographer of the Year - 2017, 2015
California Certified Professional Photographer of the Year - 2017, 2015 California Top 10 - 2018, 2017, 2015
Kodak Gallery Award Western States District - 2012
PPA Charities Celebration of Smiles Day Top Donor - 2017, 2016, and 2015 PPA Charities Celebration of Smiles Day Best in Show Portrait - 2015
PPA Charities Image Impact Award - 2016
Ted Linczak
Ted & Rachel Linczak, M. Photog.Cr., are the owners and photographers of Linczak Photography and Nuvo Images. After starting their business in 2006, they quickly became one of the most sought after photography studios in Northeast Ohio, and in 2012 expanded their market reach with the Nuvo Images brand in Charleston, SC.
Ted’s style is glamorous and combines high fashion photography with photojournalism to display relationships and connections between his subjects. His instincts lead him off the beaten path as he continuously challenges himself to not only stay current in the field of wedding photography but also create new trends and set new precedents. His goal in education is to teach photographers the fundamentals of beautiful posing, lighting, and capturing the decisive moment.
Ted won the overall Grand Imaging Award from PPA in 2016 for his album 1863, which also was awarded the Gold Medallion Award by the American Society of Photographers the same. Ted received the 1st Place Grand Imaging Award in the Non-Event Album category for one of his portrait albums in January 2018, and won the 1st Place Grand Imaging Award in the Event Album category for one of his wedding albums in January 2017. He has placed in the top 3 for the category in both 2015 and 2014 (3rd and 2nd respectively), and has been a GIA nominee for the last 5 consecutive years. Ted was named the South Carolina Master Photographer of the Year for 2017 and 2016, the Ohio Photographer of the Year for 2017, carrying the same title in both Ohio and South Carolina in 2015.
Melissa Thompson
Melissa started her photography career at the age of 13 as the yearbook photographer at the local junior high school. She worked at a portrait studio through high school and attended Northwest College in Powell, WY earning her degree in Photographic Communications in 1998. Prior to opening her own studio, she went to work at a high-end studio in Rapid City, SD photographing weddings and seniors.
Shortly after becoming a CPP, Melissa set a four-year goal to earn her Master of Photography degree with client portrait work and met that goal in 2015. During that time, she has won numerous state awards, 1st Place Senior Portrait for Western District, has been in the Top Ten for Wester District and has one ASP, six Top CPP, and five LexJet awards. She has also been Photographer of the Year in Wyoming and Montana a combined seven times and up for Grand Imaging Awards twice.
Her love for print competition landed her in the Judges Workshop this past August to start her journey of becoming a juror. She is excited to sit on panels among her peers scoring beautiful imagery and making many new friends along the way.
