I am pretty happy to be awarded again in the International Photo Awards in 2015. This year I received five Honorable Mentions in the three different categories Landscapes, Trees and Seasons.

The official Press Release:

On September 29 2015 the International Photography Awards competition (IPA) announced Category Winners of 2015 Competition!

This year, IPA received over 27000 submissions from 104 countries across the globe and is pleased to declare that Dave Derbis was awarded Honorable Mention in the Nature - Landscapes, Trees and Seasons Categories in the 2015 International Photography Awards (IPA) Competition for the winning entries "Quiraing", "Reflections of Scotland", "Kilt Rock Falls", "Kamnitztal" and "Geroldsee Reflection".

See photos below:

Quiraing - Prints Available

Kilt Rock Falls - Prints Available

Reflections of Scotland - Prints Available

Kamnitztal Herbst - Prints Available

Geroldsee Reflection - Prints Available

For more images and information see the awards page and the gallery of award winning photos.

Final Note:
I feel indeed honored to have received Honorable Mentions in the awards this year once again but I think I will not participate in any other future photo competitions after this year. Of course this decision has several reasons. First and foremost because I do no longer feel much attracted to the concept of competition in arts - it just is too personal and very subjective. In my humble opinion it can not be measured objectively by some kind of Jury, no matter how diverse and experienced the members may be. Secondly I begin to recognize that I no longer need an appreciation from someone else for my own art. And, since I don't have to earn money with it I can do whatever I want with my photography and don't have to create images which possible clients or juries may like or buy. I am free to create images which - above all - I like. Plus I can choose to take a time-out and create no new images for a while. It's great to have this option. I think I am - finally - doing the whole process of photography just for my own pleasure now (it feels similar to the time when I started with photography nine years ago, back then I was also doing it just for fun) without feeling any pressure or competetive thoughts and the need to return from each trip with lots of keeper images and stunner to make others say "wow". I am more and more enjoying the scouting and exploring of new* locations and the creative and sometimes complex process of image composition and post-processing just for the fun of it and to create images with a deeper personal meaning to me. And last but not least it also is a nice contrast and change compared to my other life as a professionell software developer in a large company and living in the city.
*at least those locations are new to me

Feel free to add any comments or questions below.