Knoxville commercial photographer Colby McLemore made a clean sweep of the top three professional photography awards at the 2011 convention of the Tennessee Professional Photographers Association (TNPPA), held in Franklin from August 20-22. This was the first time in TNPPA history that one photographer won all three awards. McLemore received the Photographer of the Year Award (for the top average score), the Presidential Award (for the highest scoring print), and the Stan Baker First Time Award (for the top average score for a first timer). McLemore also won eight additional awards at the competition, including the prestigious Kodak Gallery Award.

“Occasionally someone just appears in our association whose talent and personality just take us by surprise,” noted Dwight Jewell, TNPPA executive director. ”This year, Colby McLemore burst on the scene in print competition, with amazingly fresh and beautiful images.” TNPPA, established in 1960, is one of the state’s leading professional organizations for professional photographers.

“I’ve been workign hard to hone my craft over the years,” McLemore said, “but I was totally blown away at the awards banquet.” The subjects of McLemore’s winning prints included portraits, commercial work, and architectural photography.

Bolstered by his wins, McLemore next plans to enter his prints in teh Southeastern Professional Photographers Association district photo competition to be held in Athens, Ga., in March. Following that, he will enter them in the International Photographic Competition of the Professional Photographers of Amercia (PPA) in June.

McLemore is a professional photographer whose work includes commercial assignments as well as portraits and weddings. He is also an instructor for the University of Tennessee Photography Certificate Program, where he teaches classes on architectural photography, food photography, photo retouching, and other subjects. In September, McLemore will go on a statewide tour giving photography presentations to professional photography guilds associated with PPA. He also hold various photographic workshops throughout the region.