Smoky Mountain Professional Photographers Awards Competition

Smoky Mountain Professional Photographers Awards
Top Five Honors to Kathryn Rutherford
and
Names Her Both Artist of the Year and Electronic Imager of the Year

The local chapter of the Professional Photographers of America held their annual photographic and artisan competition on Thursday, February 16, 2006. Five of the top eight awards, including Best of Show for the entire competition, were awarded to Kathryn Rutherford.

The purpose of this annual event is to allow Professional Photographers and Photographic Artisans to demonstrate their skill and expertise in the following areas: photography, photographic retouching, restoration and oil painting or digital imaging whether it be computer enhancement of a photograph or an original work of art. Scored from a possible total of 100 points, by a panel of five certified professionals, entries are judged for their technical proficiency in each of the individual categories.

Based upon her scores, which ranged as high as 99, Kathryn was presented two Award of Excellence honours in Full Brush Oil and Awards of Excellence in both the Photographic Portrait and Electronic Imaging-Restoration divisions. She was also given the Distinguished Award for Electronic Imaging. Her Full Brush Oil Portrait entitled "Victoria Jean Riley" was then given the highest award of Best of Show as the most outstanding work of imagery in the entire exhibition.

The scores and awards earned Kathryn the title of Color Artist of the Year and Electronic Imager of the Year along with the presentation of the BEST OF SHOW plaque at the annual Awards Banquet held on December 6, 2006.