As a Calgary portrait photographer, I pour my heart into every image I create—whether it’s a powerful boudoir session, an authentic branding portrait, or a timeless family photo.

This year, I had the incredible honour of having four of my images accepted into the National Image Salon, one of the most prestigious photography competitions in Canada.

Even more exciting? One of them received the highest possible recognition—an Excellence rating from all five judges!

Scroll to the end of this blog to see the special I have on right now in honour of this achievement!

What is the National Image Salon?

The National Image Salon is an annual photography competition where some of the best professional photographers across Canada submit their work to be judged. This year, the panel reviewed 692 images and 3 albums, awarding images across four categories:

• 15% were unaccepted
• 42% were accepted
• 30% received a Merit rating
• Only 13% achieved an Excellence rating

Earning an Excellence is rare. Earning it unanimously? It’s a once-in-a-lifetime achievement.

Here’s a closer look at the four images that made it into the show and the stories behind them.

🏆 "Excellent" – A Glimpse of the Man to Come

This portrait of a boy who is a tween, is one of the most meaningful I’ve ever taken. Having raised 3 boys myself, I find this age fascinating—children grow so fast at this stage, almost like newborns, changing before your eyes. One moment, they are still kids; the next, the childlike features are gone, never to be seen again.  It's my favourite age to capture for this reason.

During live judging, this image was initially scored as 2 Excellence, 3 Merit, which would make it a Merit image. But one judge challenged the others to take a closer look.  He only needed to convince one other judge to raise their score to make this an Excellence image. 

He did even better than that.  After discussion, the panel resubmitted their scores. All five judges awarded it Excellence. It was an unbelievable moment—one I never thought I would experience.

🎖️ "Merit" – A Nod to Tradition

Meet Rechelle, one of my Fabulous Over 40 participants from 2024. She celebrated turning 50 with a boudoir portrait session.  One of the looks she wanted to capture was in honour of her Chinese heritage, wearing a traditional Chinese dress and holding her grandmother’s fan.

The moment I saw her in the dress, I knew something was missing—until I remembered a golden crown I had purchased. The balance of the gold, the intricate textures, and the strength in her expression made this portrait truly powerful.  

She looks so regal, like the queen that she is!

This image was awarded Merit, a recognition of both technical excellence and artistic impact. Seeing it honoured at this level was a proud moment!

✅ "Accepted" – Family Circle

Although I’m best known in Calgary for boudoir photography and personal branding portraits, I also love capturing family photos. This stunning family pulled together a beautifully cohesive look for their session, and Jenn even had custom mother/daughter dresses made just for the shoot!

While family portraits are often about smiles (and yes, we got plenty of those!), I love adding a little “Blue Steel” (yes, a Zoolander reference! 😉). There’s something striking about a more serious, strong pose. This session gave us the best of both worlds—serious and silly—and was an absolute joy to photograph.

✅ "Accepted" – Tired of Fighting

This is, without a doubt, one of the hardest and most meaningful images I have ever created. You may recognize Debby Fisher as a legendary speedskating coach, or perhaps from another award-winning image I captured of her last year.

Debby was diagnosed with stage four cancer and asked me to photograph her journey. This portrait was taken just months after her diagnosis, meant to document her in a moment of struggle so that when she beat cancer, we could create a second image to reflect her recovery.

Tragically, Debby was unable to win this fight. But her legacy lives on in the Debby Fisher RU Fast Short Track Competition at the Olympic Oval and in this image, which will be featured at the National Image Salon in Ottawa and in the Best of Alberta Show, including at the Calgary Stampede this year.

It’s an honour to have her story remembered in this way and I think she is smiling from above knowing that she will be featured once again at the Stampede!!!

Celebrating This Moment

Having four images featured in the National Image Salon is a huge milestone in my photography career, and I’m beyond grateful for this recognition.

If you’ve been considering a portrait session—whether for boudoir, personal branding, child, grad, or family photography—I would love to create something special for you. Let’s capture your story in a way that feels meaningful, empowering, and timeless.

I'm offering a limited number of sessions at only $199 - March and April sessions only!

Act fast, click here for more information!