PICTURE PERFECT
Saskatoon photographer gaining worldwide attention with ‘Savannah’ image
When Shannon Brunner took the photo she calls Savannah, she knew it was special.
She wasn’t the only one who noticed.
After winning a Canadian competition hosted by the Professional Photographers of Canada competition, Savannah is now one of the country’s 18 contenders for the World Photographic Cup.
Brunner, who is from Saskatoon, is Saskatchewan’s only entrant into the international competition.
“I’ve seen a lot of outstanding images, but when you see an image like this and it still moves you, you know that that’s exceptional,” said Nelson Simard, who organized the competition and has been a PPOC member for more than 30 years.
The photograph has an excellent chance on the world stage, he said.
“Savannah” depicts the granddaughter of one of Brunner’s friends. (The name of the photo is not the girl’s name.) Brunner said she “messed her hair up” and took off her glasses before snapping the photo.
She said she hoped to capture the girl’s seriousness and solemn expression, which was especially evident in comparison to the girl’s lively cousin, both of whom modelled during one of Brunner’s photography classes.
“I love this photograph of her, it says so much with her eyes.”
Brunner has been a photographer for 26 years and has photographed a lot of children, but this picture excited her.
She was thrilled to hear it will represent Canada and looks forward to seeing the images competing against it.
This is the first year of the World Photographic Cup, which brings together professional photography organizations from around the world. It’s unique because the photos have to be submitted by a professional organization. Many other competitions allow photographers to submit their own work.
A panel of judges from around the world, including one from Canada, will begin reviewing the entries in November.
Countries can submit up to three photos in six categories. The first, second and third place pictures are awarded points, and the country with the most points will be deemed the winner.
A full gallery of Canada’s submissions is available at www.thestarphoenix.com.