There are many photography awards that recognize technical excellence, composition, or creativity. Those are all wonderful achievements, but every so often, an award comes along that celebrates something a little more personal.

I’m honored to share that my photograph, Canopy of Light, has received ViewBug’s Pause Award.

According to ViewBug, the Pause Award recognizes photographs that do something increasingly rare—they make people stop. In an age of endless scrolling and split-second decisions, these are images that invite viewers to linger, explore the details, and experience the feeling behind the photograph.

When I first read the award description, it resonated with me immediately.

As a photographer, I’ve never been interested in creating images that simply document a place. My goal has always been to capture atmosphere—the quiet moments, the interplay of light and shadow, and those scenes that evoke an emotion long after you’ve looked away.

Canopy of Light is one of those photographs.

The warm glow of the string lights, the graceful curves of the canopy, and the calm evening atmosphere came together to create a scene that felt peaceful the moment I pressed the shutter. It wasn’t about finding the loudest subject or the most dramatic location. It was about recognizing a moment that many people might have walked past without noticing.

Receiving the Pause Award tells me that the photograph communicated exactly what I hoped it would.

One of my favorite parts of the award description reads:

“…the most impactful images aren’t the loudest—they’re the ones that quietly linger in our minds long after we’ve seen them.”

I couldn’t ask for a better compliment.

Photography continues to teach me that sometimes the quietest images leave the strongest impression.

Thank you to everyone who has followed my journey, encouraged my work, visited my exhibitions, and shared my photographs with others. Your support makes moments like this even more meaningful.

I’m excited to continue creating images that invite people to slow down, look a little longer, and discover the beauty that’s often hiding in plain sight.  Canopy of Light is available in the Bright Lights category, or on our Pixels page.

Thank you for being part of that journey.

Kathy