When photographer James Dillon decided to enter his first competition with the Professional Photographers Association of Massachusetts (PPAM), he wasn’t quite sure what to expect. What he didn’t expect was to walk away with one of the highest scores the organization has seen in more than a decade.

A PPAM member since 2019, James had never submitted work to the annual competition until this year. That changed after a moment of quiet curiosity during a bustling photography conference.

In June 2025, while attending a B&H Photo Conference in Manhattan, thousands of photographers passed by the same building. James was the one who paused. He looked up, noticed the striking geometry, and snapped. That image would later become Angles in Blue.

At the PPAM annual conference, 301 images were evaluated by five judges from across the country. Scores above 80 earn a “Merit,” an achievement in itself. Most images never reach that mark.

When Angles in Blue appeared on screen, it immediately stood out.

The judges awarded it an 87, the highest score of the day. Then they called it back for further review. Noting its resemblance to the intricate, almost impossible geometry of M.C. Escher, they reviewed it again and elevated it to the exceptional category.

The final score was a remarkable 97.

James was awarded both the First Time Entrant Highest Score Award and a Court of Honor distinction. He now plans to offer Angles in Blue and other fine art images for purchase, expanding beyond his well-known portrait work into a broader artistic collection.

For James, the takeaway is simple.

“You never know how you’ll do in a competition.”

It is a reminder that sometimes the most extraordinary moments come from simply paying attention. Whether you are traveling across the country or walking through your own neighborhood, there is always something worth noticing.

Sometimes, all it takes is looking up.