A Ten-Year Journey

Judy Reinford accepting the trophy for Diamond Photographer of the Year for her image.

Last Monday was the Grand Imaging Awards — the final head-to-head judging for IPC, the International Photographic Competition — and even now, it feels a little unreal to write these words.

I was honored to win Diamond Photographer of the Year in the Pets and Domestic Animals category.

When my name was called, I cried. Not quiet tears. The kind that come from years of hoping, doubting, pushing forward, and wondering if the work would ever be enough. This wasn't just about an award. It was the weight of a ten-year journey finally lifting in one overwhelming moment.

The image that earned this honor — Shadow Dancer Beneath the Moon, featuring Hendrika Aachje M. — is one I lived with for over two years. I revisited it again and again, tweaking, refining, questioning myself, walking away, then coming back with fresh eyes. I didn't rush it. I waited until it felt honest. Until it felt complete.

Along the way it was recognized at several major competitions, including Images of Distinction, where it received Best in Show. But this moment, this stage, felt different. This one felt like home.

For ten years I have dreamed of winning the Pets and Domestic Animals category. This is what I photograph. This is what I teach. It's at the heart of everything I do.

Ten years ago, at my very first Imaging USA, I stood in the image exhibit surrounded by winning photographs — quietly studying them, absorbing every detail — and thought to myself: I hope I can do that someday. I had no idea how long the road would be. Only that I wanted it badly enough to keep going.

Monday night, January 12th, 2026, that younger version of me felt very close.

I am profoundly grateful to Renaissance Friesians Inc. for welcoming me to their farm three years ago, when Imaging USA was last in Nashville, and for trusting me to photograph Hendrika and Ursel. They are truly magical creatures, and it has been an honor to tell their story through my art.

This win isn't just a milestone. It's a reminder that growth takes time, that persistence matters, and that the dreams we carry quietly for years are worth holding onto.

Sometimes, they really do come true.