Brooklynn Jarvis Kelson Was Awarded Student Photographer of the Year in the University Photographer’s Association of America Annual Photo Competition in 2023. This Year, She Won Again
For the second consecutive year, Brooklynn Jarvis Kelson (’24) won Student Photographer of the Year at the University Photographer’s Association of America Annual Photo Competition (UPAA). This year, she was also awarded first, second and fourth place for the Student and Associate category of the same competition.
The Student Photographer of the Year award recognized Kelson’s portfolio of photographs that she created during the 2023–24 school year, many of which were also featured in her senior capstone show for the BYU Department of Design.
Kelson has developed a love for dance photography, something that was fostered through her work at BYU Photo under Jaren Wilkey and Nate Edwards. “[Wilkey and Edwards] have changed my life forever and I know that without my experience working at BYU Photo and learning from them, there is no way I could have gotten this award,” she said.
While working for BYU Photo, Kelson had the opportunity to photograph dancers from various performing companies within the BYU Department of Dance. “I love dance photography so I wanted to incorporate that into my capstone,” she said.
For her capstone, she challenged herself by photographing dancers outside in nature, instead of in a studio. “Dance and nature make such a beautiful combination that shows the pinnacle of God’s creations,” she said. “That is why I called my capstone ‘Pinnacle.’ The photos celebrate and acknowledge the beauty of the human body and the earth around us.”
You can view Kelson’s winning photographs, as well as the other winners’ at this link.
