‘This is their Olympics’: Local photographers to represent Team USA at World Photographic Cup
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) - Two photographers based in Colorado Springs are now finalists in the World Photographic Cup.
Ken Childress and Dave Soldano are two of three American photographers who made it into the landscape portion of the competition.
"This year, both Ken and I from Colorado Springs, our images were selected to be two out of three of those, images in landscape, which was quite an honor and quite a coincidence, too. I mean both of us from Colorado Springs, so that was a big surprise," shared Dave Soldano.
Childress and Soldano also happen to be two finalists out of ten in the world in the landscape photograph competition.
"For the Professional Photographers of America, this is their Olympics," explained Ken Childress.
Childress explained the gravity of the situation to KRDO13. He expressed the honor of following in the footsteps of other photographers who have achieved finalist status, even those who've won medals. Now he's representing Team USA with his photography business partner and best friend by his side.
"Ken had an exceptional image this year. It's just fantastic. We actually took it together and he submitted his image. I didn't submit mine, dang it," joked Soldano.
Soldano also made it to the World Photographic Cup finals in the landscape category. It's his second time around making it into the competition.
Soldano and Childress run American Photo Treks together in Colorado Springs. It's a business where they hold workshops to teach other photographers similar skills. The two met at a late-night photography meet-up at the Paint Mines. They became fast friends and have learned from each other ever since.
The pair joined KRDO13 for a shoot at Garden of The Gods. Both Childress and Soldano were sporting their Team USA jackets.
Childress will travel to Ecuador in the coming weeks for the final photo presentation and award ceremony. Soldano unfortunately can't make it, but he, like the rest of us, has his fingers crossed for Team USA.
The pairs qualifying photos can be found below.
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