PAPA International Professional Aerial Photographers Association, International, News Release 3/13/06
PUEBLO, COLORADO PHOTOGRAPHER HONORED AS
AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR

ORLANDO, FL, Feb. 25, 2006 -- The Professional Aerial Photographers Association, International (PAPA) is proud to announce that Jim Wark, owner of Airphoto, North America of Pueblo, CO was presented with the first ever Epson Aerial Photographer of the Year Award at the organization’s annual conference in February. Jim was selected for this prestigious honor, which is co-sponsored by Epson Corporation, for his outstanding photographic skills, his accomplishments in his field over the last year, ongoing support and encouragement to his colleagues and dedication to his craft.

“The selection of Jim Wark as the Aerial Photographer of the Year, was unanimous by the selection committee,” said Julie Belanger, Executive Director of PAPA, “Jim’s photography speaks for itself, but more than that, Jim is a generous supporter of PAPA encouraging colleagues to improve their photographic skills and reach for the sky in their art.”

As a sponsor of the award, Epson has the opportunity to feature one of Jim’s aerials in their advertising campaigns. The aerial, specially selected for Epson, is entitled Castle Butte, Monument Valley, Utah. The criteria for the selection of the Aerial Photographer of the Year involved an inquiry into the photographer’s accomplishments of the previous twelve months including photographic skills, published works and public exhibitions of his or her photography, and activities on behalf of his or her community of aerial photographers.

In addition to the recent publishing his fourth book, America, Flying High, Jim’s photographs are published worldwide in books and magazines and are currently shown (until April 1, 2006) as a one-man exhibition at the Hudson River Museum in White Plains, New York entitled, The American Suburb. He was also a recent guest lecturer on aerial photography at Yale University in New Haven, CT.

Jim has authored and/or provided all the aerial photography for four books:
America, Flying High; A Field Guide to Sprawl; Discovering Lewis & Clark from the Air and Colorado, An Aerial Geography of the Highest State. .Currently, he is working with a PAPA colleague on a new book, Flying High, Canada.

In 2005, Jim was awarded PAPA’s Lifetime Achievement Award, the first ever award of its kind for the Association. Jim’s work can be viewed at www.airphotona.com.

PAPA International is a professional trade organization, comprised of aerial photographers throughout the world. To read more about PAPA got to: www.papainternational.org

Image copyright, Jim Wark
For more of Jim's images:
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