Winner of a
Lone Star Regional EMMY® Award -
Dee Ann Pederson's film,
"Against All Odds: Emperor Penguins Of Snow Hill Island, Antarctica"
The evening of Saturday, December 5th was filled with anticipation … and frayed nerves … as the Lone Star Emmy Show live-streamed its awards ceremony. And then I heard, “The winner is … ‘Against All Odds: The Emperor Penguins’" … YES! - the most exciting moment of my photography career. The virtual setting made it all seem a bit unbelievable and surreal; BUT when THE EMMY statue arrived and I held it in my hands for the first time and read the inscription, I can tell you there is no feeling like it!!!
My mind flashed back 20 years, returning from my first photography trip to Africa, when I KNEW without a doubt I wanted to do more with my life ... and that my corporate world was not it. I was scared to death to give serious thought to giving up a business I helped build, and enter the world and career of a nature photographer, but through a number of years of transition and the profound words of my life coach Bradford Glass, who would say when I would start to doubt myself, "You can and will make this happen” … I now feel I have accomplished "more" because I have something meaningful to share with others and the stewards of tomorrow.
I am deeply grateful to those who supported me early in this endeavor, and to those who have been so instrumental by my side on this journey; but none of it would be possible without the beauty of our natural, yet fragile world. Please do be kind to her and care for her well.
I knew the Emperor Penguins were magical. And I can't wait to return.
~ Dee Ann