Michael Stahl, owner of Montclair’s Best Friend Photography, was named New Jersey’s Photographer of the Year by Professional Photographer’s of America (PPA) at the organization’s northeast print competition.
Some 740 prints were entered in the competition. Stahl’s cumulative score for his four entries (the maximum allowed) was highest among NJ photographers and his total score was 7th highest in the region, spanning from Michigan to Maine.
“We were thrilled to receive such recognition from the PPA,” says Stahl. “This was the first time I entered the competition so I wasn’t sure what to expect. We’ve created beautiful portraits for our clients over the years but judges have a lengthy set of criteria for evaluating prints.”
Photographs in the PPA print competition are scored on a numerical system with 100 being the top score. Prints scoring an 80 or above earn a “merit” from the PPA. All four portraits Stahl entered earned a merit and one scored a 95, placing it in the the top 1% of all photographs entered.
“The most important judging we receive is from our clients on a daily basis,” says Stahl. “And while we get great feedback, our goal is to continually improve.”
He is the best, we had pictures of our son taken there that are works of art!