I'm in!

I am extremely proud to annouce I have been accepted into the Wedding Photojournalist Association (WPJA)! WPJA members include some of the most incredible, talented photographers out there, people I've admired for years, and now I'm one of them!

Membership in the WPJA is pretty exclusive--unlike a lot of photography organizations, you cannot pay to get in. Your portfolio and website are actually reviewed and must be deemed good enough quality, and concurrent with the philosophy of the WPJA, to get in. From their website:

"The Wedding Photojournalist Association is a highly screened, critical organization. Less than 5% of wedding photographers out there qualify for membership. "

and

"[WPJA is] an International, membership-based organization, represent[ing] professional photographers skilled in the documentation of weddings and events in a candid, unobtrusive style. The WPJA was founded to uphold excellence in the area of wedding photojournalism."

Less than 5% of wedding photographers qualify for WPJA membership.

Read that again:

Less than FIVE PERCENT of wedding photographers qualify for membership.

As you can see, I'm just a tad bit excited.

For more on the WPJA, including membership requirements, benefits, and the great article entitled "What is Wedding Photojournalism?", see their site. They have a seperate section for brides and grooms to help them plan the photography portion of their wedding, and regional listings for all members. But of course you won't be needing those--you already know who's going to shoot your wedding, right? ; )