The winning shot for Alien Skin’s June Photo of the Month award is listed below.

As a quick reminder, the monthly photo-sharing theme was contrast.

Judge

Destination wedding photographer Dylan Howell is our guest judge for this month. We selected the top shots shared in the group and compared notes with him on which one should take the title.

Winner

Congratulations to Sharon Covert!

When discussing the winning photo, Dylan said, “This image stood out to me. It has a quiet sense of movement and beautiful black and white tonality. My eye followed the wind to the right of the frame and then the hand on her chest brought me back up to the windblown hair and her face peeking through. It’s a lovely picture.”

Sharon shares great-looking photos in the Exposure Users group on Facebook quite often. As the monthly winner, she gets a bunch of goodies, including a little promotion on the blog. Here’s a little more about her.

How did you get into photography?

My dad was a photographer, so he documented my life from the very beginning. His passion for the medium rubbed off on me. I always had a camera. It wasn’t until I brought my daughter home from Vietnam in 2007 that I began studying and practicing photography as an art. It comes naturally and easily to some, but for me it’s been a long winding road.

What is the importance of personal work?

Personal work is almost a matter of life and death. Photography has been medicine for me. It healed me when I was at my lowest and ugliest. It gave me a voice, which allowed me to share my story with the world. I am forever grateful for this gift.

What is your favorite photography accessory other than your camera?

It would have to be the vintage lenses I’ve been shooting with lately. I love how unique and unusual the photos feel when they’re shot with them. It’s fun to discover new lenses that produce quirky effects that are almost dream-like.

How do you stay current with industry trends/happenings?

To be honest, I try not to get caught up with industry trends. I feel like the more I stay away from that type of thing, the more honest and raw my art is. It’s so easy to fall into the trap of doing what everyone else is doing. I’m kind of a loner, so I just want to do my own thing, my way. I think if I were in the business of taking on clients it may be a different story, but thankfully I am lucky enough to be able to create just for myself.

How has Alien Skin’s software changed how you process your photos?

I love Alien Skin! My images are incomplete without it. No matter how much I edit an image in another program, I always bring it into Exposure to complete it. I have my go-to black and white presets, I adore the many options for light leaks, the bokeh effects are an absolute favorite of mine, and the available textures are fantastic. I’m never left wishing for more. The software has really helped to bring my images to a whole new level.

Thanks, Sharon! To learn more about her, visit her on Facebook, Instagram, and on her blog and website.

Prizes

Photo of the Month award winners receive a few swanky items from Alien Skin Software. They get one of our super soft tri-blend t-shirts, a laser-engraved 16GB thumb drive loaded with all of our photography software, and best of all, they are featured here on the blog.

Monthly Theme

The monthly photo-sharing theme for July is framing. If you’d like to enter, get your best choice shot for the topic posted before the 1st of August. Stay connected with all of the happenings in the Exposure and Snap Art Users groups over on Facebook. The announcement posts are pinned at the top of the groups on the first of each month.

Runner Ups

There were a bunch of great-looking photos shared last month, some of them are listed below. Congratulations to everyone who submitted last month. These are sweet!

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