You guys know I compete in photography competitions. At least since 2017, when I entered the Professional Photographers of America's International Print Competition. The rules are a bit different in this competition. You can enter a maximum of four images in the Photographic Open. There are two categories in PPA -- a merit image (worth 1 merit) or a loan image (a higher standard worth 2 merits). Or actually three categories. No merit.

This January, one of my images -- the one of the Weimaraners -- was the second place Grand Imaging Award finisher in the animal category for IPC and I got quite a handsome trophy for it along with two merits. All four of my images either merited or went loan and I earned a gold medal along with six merits for the year.

When you earn enough merits, you can be awarded a Master of Photography degree. This year, I'll have enough merits for my degree. This year I also became a PPA Certified Professional Photographer, which is based on a 100-question test and a series of technical images. Not kidding, the images were hard.

• This spring, I entered four images in the PPA's district competition, the lead up to the international competition. I got three merits and two top 10s in the western division. Submissions for the IPC are currently underway.
• In April, I entered the Animal Image Makers Print Competition and placed third overall in the baby animal category for my kitten image "The Queen's Gambit" and I also received enough points that I am one of first 12 photographers that earned AIM's Accredited Professional Animal Imagery designation.
• In May, I also entered a European International Competition, the WPEs, with six images and five of them earned silvers (one crashed and burned). Those are shown below.
• This month, I had two images shortlisted in the top 100 of the Pet Photographers Club annual competition. The name may not sound super professional but I'm telling you, it draws a world-class caliber of animal photographers that do amazing work.

Now, why do I do this? Is your ego so big, Diana, that you have to be stroked with awards? To be honest, a little bit but that's not entirely it.

Two years ago, I actually began having someone mentor me in my competition images, Francie Baltazar Stonestreet. She didn't do the work for me but she pointed out flaws that the judges would notice. And oh my gosh, did I learn. It was painful sometimes, but I learned.

And it changed entirely how I look at my work. Competitions aren't always about client sessions. Sometimes you come up with an idea and a plan to execute it. Other times you work on client images, elevating them to become more refined.

But here's the thing. Now when I do my client images, I'm always adding in the things I learned in competition. And, ha ha, it takes me so much longer to edit even the proofs because I want to make them so much better.

And that is the most important reason why I enter competitions. To give you better images. To give you a more creative session. To give you technical excellence as well as impactful photographs.

I know, blah-blah-blah me. But I don't want your kudos or congratulations. I want you to have the best I can give. And I do feel each year, my work gets better because of competitions. So even when I don't win, we win!