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Show your work. Grow your craft. Fuel your creative soul.
Open to all photographers — members and non-members alike
You're good at what you do, and we know it. Don't wait for others to realize it on their own — go for it!
Participating in MPPA's annual image competition gives you the opportunity to show your work. It also provides an opportunity to get better at what you do. After all, the critiques that are given offer ways to improve your images. You'll walk away filled with ideas and inspiration to fuel your creative soul.
Submit your images at printcompetition.com.
Download the Complete 2026 Rules Here
Creative Challenge entries are free for members. To enter, email your entry to info@maineppa.com with the subject "Creative Challenge 2026."
Deadline Extended: Saturday, March 7th, 2026, by 8:00 PM Eastern
Jury Chair: Mark Sweeney
Get expert feedback from our jurors after judging! Choose the images you entered and submit them through printcompetition.com to receive real feedback from our panel for just $10 per image.
Critique submission deadline: Monday, March 16th, 2026, by 11:00 PM
Stream the live judging on the Print Competition Game Day app at printcompetition.com/event/gameday
Watch in person on the big screen at Smitty's Cinema in Topsham! Image Competition Watch Party (Club 79)
Join us IN PERSON for 2026 MainePPA Image Competition Watch Party (Club 79) at Smitty's Cinema in Topsham!
SEE YOUR PHOTOS ON THE BIG SCREEN! Stuff your face with food and full bar menu! Yell at the screen when the judges don't merit the image! Let's have some fun together! Did we mention that there's an arcade available during lunch as well?
There is a food/beverage minimum we need to meet so please register so we can plan ahead! See you all soon!
FMI on how to enter MainePPA Image Competition visit here: Image Competition
Join us for 3 days (and 1 BONUS day) of fun, education, and networking!
Registration includes classes (except bonus day) and welcome/after parties. Attendees earn 1 PPA Merit
Full convention details available here
All sales are final and non-refundable.
4:30 pm
Registration Opens
5:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Kristin Jones
Night Portraits
9:00 pm - 11:00 pm
Welcome Party at Hotel Suite TBA
8:30 am
9:00 am - 9:30 am
MainePPA Annual Meeting
10:00 am - 12:00 pm
Jen Stitt
7 Steps for Client Experience
12:00 - 2:00 pm
Lunch on your own
1:00 –1:45 pm
Better know a Member Networking
2:00 pm - 4:30 pm
Patrick Wine
The Big Picture: Wildlife
6:00 pm
Convention & Speakers Group Photo
6:30 pm - 9:30 pm
MainePPA Award Ceremony & Banquet with DJ Rob Burnell
$70
Register here: 76th Annual MPPA Awards Banquet
9:30 pm - 11:00 pm
After Party at Hotel Suite TBA
5:30 am - 8:00 am
Landscape Shoot Out at Portland Headlight
8:30 am - 9:45 am
Rebekah Wheeler
Breakfast with MainePPA President
9:30 am
Meg Loeks
Elevating the Ordinary: Portraiture
12:00 pm - 2:00 pm
2:00 pm - 4:00 pm
Elevating the Ordinary (Continued)
4:15 pm - 4:30 pm
Silent Auction Closes & Announcements
4:30 pm - 6:00 pm
Image Competition Feedback & Discussion
6:00 pm - 9:30 pm
Dinner on your own
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
9:00 am - 5:00 pm
Aaron Nace
The Art of Photoshop
MainePPA $249 / PPA $299 / PUBLIC $399
(PPA Merit Class)
REGISTER HERE
Lunch Buffet Included
An Evening of Celebration, Recognition, & Community
Wear your best gold and glittery attire
Our Convention Banquet & Annual Image Awards Night is an evening of celebration, recognition, and connection—where we honor the photographers who entered our annual image competition and celebrate excellence in the craft. Join us for a night that blends inspiration, community, and a thoughtfully curated meal in a beautiful banquet setting.
Guests will enjoy a delicious buffet served with warm dinner rolls and whipped butter. A cash bar will be on-site as well.
This special evening is a highlight of our convention, and seating is limited. Banquet tickets are $70 per person and must be reserved online. Tickets are non-refundable.
When reserving your ticket, please be sure to share any dietary restrictions so we can accommodate your needs and ensure everyone enjoys the celebration.
Please also register for the full convention—it's included with your Active Membership Dues!
We look forward to celebrating achievement, excellence, and community with you on this unforgettable night.
Join us for BONUS DAY with Aaron Nace covering photoshop topics:
Nondestructive editing techniques
Layer Styles and Blending Modes
Gradient Maps
Benefits of Smart Objects and Filters
Camera Filters for Global Adjustments
Dodge and Burn Techniques without color shifting
Advanced Compositing in masking with Refined Edges
Layer Blending, Photo Stacking
INCLUDES LUNCH BUFFET / PPA MERIT CLASS
MainePPA $249 / PPA $299 / Public $399
ABOUT AARON NACE:
Aaron Nace is the founding father of the platform Phlearn – a learning community dedicated to helping photographers and graphic designers learn and improve their craft. Phlearn has 21.7M subscribers on Youtube. Phlearn was created in 2011 and is one of the largest photography-based platforms of its kind.
Learn the tricks of the trade to photograph people and their dogs.
Unlock your inner dog whisperer and enhance your portrait sessions.
Dogs don't just sit for portraits; they share emotion and deep connection with their people. In this all-day workshop with Travis Patenaude, you'll learn how to bring those stories to the surface.
Travis will walk you through his approach to working with dogs of all personalities and how to understand dog body language, guiding you as you photograph real dogs and their humans in a variety of lighting setups. You'll discover how to create comfort, invite authentic expression, and craft images that feel honest and heartfelt. And you'll get to practice these skills.
Come ready to learn, play, and create images that are truly meaningful.
Travis Patenaude, a highly acclaimed dog photographer from Stink-Eye Photography, creates unique portraits that foster an emotional connection between the subject and the viewer. He believes emotions and feelings are a vital part of telling stories and have to be put in a form that touches the hearts of people to evoke empathy and to make the viewer want to learn more about these dogs.
Travis is an advocate for animal rescue and animal rights, in particular raising awareness for the plight of the hunting dogs of Spain. He has won international awards and has been published across international print, online media, and magazines.
Networking dinner after at the Family Dog in Orono, 6 p.m. with Travis and Deb Bell.
Challenge the portrait norm with street photography!
This 3 day retreat includes a introductory lecture on Friday evening, daily meetings at photo headquarters, photo excursions with Barbara, and live critique of each student’s work.
Only 8 spots! PPA Merit Class
Photo Headquarters in West End: 1 room with Queen Bed, $400 for 3 nights
Holiday Inn by the Bay: 2 Queens, $250/night
FRIDAY
12pm Lunch at Honeypaw (optional)
2pm Street Photo Practice (optional)
3pm Lodging Check In (optional)
5pm Dinner on your own
6:30-8pm Introductions & Street Photo Lecture
8pm Social Hour at Photo Headquarters - BYOB
SATURDAY
7am Meetup at Photo Headquarters - Walk to Farmer’s Market at Deering Oaks Park, Shoot streets on the way
8:30am Walk back to Photo Headquarters, Shoot streets on the way
9:30am Image Submission Deadline
10am-1pm Image Review at Photo Headquarters
1pm Group Lunch at Octillos or on your own
3pm Meetup at Photo Headquarters - walk to Old Port/Downtown
7:33pm Sunset
8:30pm Group Dinner at Little Tap House (optional)
SUNDAY
7am Rise & Shooting on your own (optional) maximize your time!
10:30am-12:30pm Image Review at Photo Headquarters
1pm Group Lunch at Ugly Duckling or on your own
2:30-3:30pm Review top 3 images from each photographer at Photo Headquarters
6pm Closing Group Dinner at Eventide Oyster Co. (optional)
MONDAY
10am Lodging checkout
