Meet the Summer Judges

Here at McNeely Garden Studios in Davisboro, we have been hosting a year long photo contest. The Awards Reception will be on Feb 26, 2011 at 7. To see a virtual tour of our entries and judges, please visit : http://www.flickr.com/photos/25117564@N08/collections/72157623651702208/

A great big ‘THANK YOU’ to our judges for their time and expertise!

Bambi Cantrell

Bambi Cantrell Biography
World renowned wedding and portrait photographer, Bambi Cantrell, is one of the most decorated and
celebrated professional photographers of our time. After 25 years of photographing some of the most exquisite
and breathtaking wedding and portrait images from around the world, three best selling books entitled “The Art
of Wedding Photography,” “The Art of Digital Wedding Photography,” and “The Art of People Photography,” and
countless awards and accolades, Bambi Cantrell is virtually a household name.
Awards:
• Recipient of the prestigious “Golden Eye” award in 2008 from the Russian Federation of Professional
Photographers.
• One of the “10 Best Wedding Photographers in the World” said American Photo Magazine in 2007.
• First woman inducted into Microsoft’s elite “Icon of Imaging” program in 2006.
• Winner of the United Nations “International Leadership” award in 2003
• Honored by Wedding and Portrait Photographers International in 2001 with a “Lifetime Achievement”
award.
Workshops/Conventions/Schools:
Bambi is highly regarded in the photographic industry as the foremost expert on lighting and posing and spends a
great deal of her time educating photographers from around the world on her unique style and techniques that
have brought her fame and success. She is a member of both WPPI (Wedding and Portrait Photographers
International) and PPA (Professional Photographers of America), and is sponsored by some of the industry’s
leading manufacturers of photographic equipment including Epson, Microsoft and Nik Software.
Bambi Cantrell is a guest speaker at dozens of workshops and conventions around the world every year including
the annual WPPI Convention and Trade Show where for the last 10 years, 1500+ photographers have come to see
her speak. She has also been a print and album judge at the annual WPPI Print Competition, chairing the Album
competition in 2005 and 2006, and then in 2009 and 2010, Bambi was the Chairman for the Wedding print
competition. In 2006 Bambi traveled to Japan for a 4 city photography convention sponsored and hosted by
Asukabook, which saw over 3,000 professional photographers in attendance. In 2007 she spoke at the Russian
Federation of Professional Photographers convention to over 2,500 attendees. She was also a guest speaker for
the Professional Photographers of Australia in 2003 and at the PhotoPlus Expo in New York City for the last 4
years.
Bambi is a guest lecturer at a number of photography schools around the country including the Center for Digital
Imaging at Boston University in 2009, the Julia Dean School in Venice, California where she spoke in both 2007
and 2009, the Microsoft Summit in 2006 and the Santa Fe Workshops in 2000 and 2001. She has also been asked
to speak at the prestigious Brooks School of Photography sometime later this year.
Bambi Cantrell also hosts a number of her own workshops every year, typically offering at least 1 workshop per
quarter to a limited number of attendees. Photographers from around the world will travel thousands of miles to
take part in one of Bambi’s workshops where they will typically pay upwards of $1,500 to attend. These
workshops usually sell out within weeks of the announcement.

Jay Fletcher

 

Jay Fletcher Internationally known photographic artist, Jay Fletcher, remains a steadfast and loyal native son of Atlanta, Georgia. While often invited to teach other professional photographers around the country, Jay remains a portrait artist at his core. His unique style and unrivaled eye for tone and texture raise the level of his work to that of a true art form.

As well as being one of the leading black and white portraiture artists in the country, Jay has also established his reputation as one of the most prestigious and creative photographers of his time. His inimitable portraits have earned him the respect of his peers and captivated his clients, who include local Atlantans, major political figures, entertainment personalities, and foreign dignitaries.

Having been a successful portrait artist for almost 30 years, this native Atlantan has built a thriving business through his studio, Fletcher Portrait Artist, which is located in the heart of Buckhead.

During his 29-year career, Jay Fletcher has consistently produced superior images for his clients, and his talent and passion for his work have earned him the respect of his peers and accolades from corporate leaders, world dignitaries, and Nobel Prize winners. Considered by his photographic peers to be an expert in his field, Jay is in continual demand for teaching and lecturing within the professional community.

Most recently, Jay focused his camera on the Haitian people and the relief efforts going on there following the recent earthquake.

Over the past 30 years, Jay Fletcher has become internationally known for his stunning black and white portraits. This year he was honored to be invited to participate in the unveiling of his remarkable portrait of Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki in Nairobi. Additionally, he has photographed Ambassador Andrew Young and his wife as well as the presidents of Tanzania, Mozambique, Rwanda, and The Congo. He has also photographed numerous members of the entertainment and business sector including Sidney Poitier, Bert Reynolds, Chris Tucker, Kenny Rogers, Usher, Ludacris, Donald Trump, Ivanka Trump, Earl Klugh, Chaka Zulu, and others. In Atlanta his clients include Joel Katz, Norman Schrutt, Chosei Komatsu, Coca Cola, IBM, Greenberg Traurig, Evander Holyfiield, Jim Mora, Jr., Frank Ski, Arthur Blank, Bernie Marcus, Olga de Goizueta, and numerous others.