International Award Winning Photographer

October 19, 2009

Petoskey News-Review

Karen Walker recently was recognized in the print competition during the Professional Photographers of Michigan's annual fall conference at Crystal Mountain Resort in Thompsonville.
Walker took the top prize in the senior portrait category.
Sensing that the senior portraits she had taken of Boyne City resident Dylan Percy were something special, Walker entered a collage of them in the competition.
"This is the second year in a row that I've had the top photo of a senior guy," Walker said. "I believe guys feel as comfortable in front of my camera as the girls do. We have a lot of fun with the portrait sessions, and it comes through in the finished images."
Walker is a Certified Professional Photographer with specialty endorsements in high school senior photography, weddings, portraits and children's photography. She also specializes in photo retouching, restoration and enhancements, a skill she uses to give her images an extra touch of artistry.

Photographer of the Year Award
July 2009

Karen recently qualified for the prestigious "Photographer of the Year Award" from Professional Photographers of America.

Several images created by Walker were accepted into the collection of the 2010 International Print Exhibit. Walker's work will be on display at the Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center, January 10-12, 2010, in Nashville, Tenn. This exhibition is held in conjunction with Imaging USA, an annual convention of professional photographers and several photographic associations.

A panel of over 40 eminent jurors from across the United States selected the top images from more than 4,300 total submitted by photographers from around the world at Gwinnett Technical College in Georgia. Judged against a standard of excellence, almost 1,700 images were selected for the General Collection and just over 500 were selected for the esteemed Loan Collection - the best of the best. Walker's image titled "Still Waiting for Daddy's Return" was one of the "best of the best" chosen for the Loan Collection. In addition, Walker had four images selected for the General Collection which earns her the title of "Photographer of the Year". Walker's Loan Collection image will be published in the much-anticipated "Loan Collection" book by Marathon Press.

Karen Walker is the recipient of several awards in recent print competitions. Awards include the Digital Photo Pros Photographer of the Month, Court of Honors Award in the Electronic Imaging and Retouch/Enhancement categories at the Professional Photographers of Michigan's annual convention as well as a Michigan Top Seven Photographers Award. Karen also had images win top merit awards at the Professional Photographers of America's 117th Annual International Print Exhibit. Karen is one of approximately 800 photographers in the world to achieve this level of accomplishment and one of only a handful to have prints earn merit in both the Electronic Imaging and Open categories in the same year. "Participating in print competition is a great way to improve my photographic skills which carries over to my everyday work for clients."

In addition to the awards, Karen has also earned specialty endorsements in the areas of portraits, weddings, children and high school senior photography from the Professional Photographic Certification Commission. Karen is the only Certified Professional Photographer in the area to hold any specialty endorsements.

Karen has been busy remodeling and expanding her studio at the Walker Building in East Jordan. "I've expanded my gallery space as well as the area I use for photographing clients, including a new natural light area, making this one of the largest studios in the area." Karen said. "This is in addition to the outdoor and lake front areas that are within walking distance of the studio" she added.