Digital Photography students Jessica Daly and Hagar Wirba have been making a name for themselves in high level competitions and projects in the photography community. This week we speak to Jessica Daly about her recent success.

JESSICA DALY
Honorable Mention
International Photography Awards 2020

How did you find out about the competition you submitted photographs to?

I did a lot of googling around to see which Photography Competitions would be accepting submissions at the time; I usually will enter my images in the IPE (Interior Provincial Exhibition) and they do quite well! I wanted to see how my work would stand up on an international level!

What especially interested you in the competition/project, or prompted you to enter.

What piqued my interest in entering into the International Photo Awards was the fact that all entry fees are a donation to the Lucie Foundation. The Lucie Foundation is a scholarship program that helps cultivate new and upcoming Photo Talent!

Tell us about the image/s you entered. Explain your concept.

The image I entered is one of my favorites that I have taken over the past year, it is based in surrealism. My overall concept was to show how the blind see the world, the image is very subtle at first and then you truly see the image and the reaction is interesting – haha.

What does the success of your entry mean to you?

To me the success of the entry means more accreditation to my brand and business, I can now say that I am an award-winning photographer!

How do you see it helping your career?

I believe that this helps my career because it shows the level of work I can produce and clients are more inclined to work with someone professional, accredited, and can produce an exceptional concept or project from start to finish.

What have you learned at CAT that you think may have specifically helped with your success with these entries?

Without CAT I would not have studied surrealism as deeply as I did in the second quarter. The History of Photography class is where I figured out where the weird images I was making fit, what role they take on in the world, and what they truly mean not only to myself but to the people that view them.

What advice or tips do you have for other students looking to enter competitions?

My advice would be to find a competition that has meaning behind it and supports something that you also support! It made me feel good knowing that my entry fee would be going to a scholarship program that would in turn help someone like me!