By Emma Bouthillette 

Staff Writer

What makes a photo award winning? According to the Professional Photographers Association of New England, a photo needs to have impact, creativity, style, composition, print presentation, center of interest, lighting, subject matter, color balance, technical excellence, technique and story-telling.

Kennebunk professional photographer Robert Akers entered four photographs in the association’s competition this year and earned a merit toward his masters degree in photography for his print “Springtime in Maine.”

Akers said the day he captured “Springtime in Maine,” he was taking a walk down his street because he thought it was so beautiful outside. He said picking a good photo to enter into the competition is very subjective, but he chose this particular photo because he was pleased with the outcome.

“The white of the snow is so varied. It almost looks like a black and white picture with a yellow house,” Akers said. 

As a professional photographer for weddings and other events, he normally enters prints he shot for customers into competitions to earn merits toward his degree,  but Akers said he could not resist using “Springtime in Maine.”

In order to receive his masters, Akers needs to earn 13 merits in print competitions and 12 merits for service, such as presentations or educational lectures, and while he has already earned points for service this is his first merit in a print competition, he said. Earning merits in print competitions is difficult he said because photos need to exhibit the 12 elements, and score more than 80 out of 100 points. Only one-third of approximately 350 prints entered will receive a merit. 

He said he does not think about entering photos as he takes them, but rather reviews his collection every year to determine what seven he will send to the print competition for Maine Professional Photographers Association and which four he will send to the print competition for Professional Photographers Association of New England. Sometimes his selections fall just short of the 80 points needed to receive a merit.

“What qualifies a great picture?” Akers said. “I still haven’t figured it out completely, but I think I’m getting closer.”