Charleston photographer named to Team USA
PRESS RELEASE
(Charleston, WV) — Local photographer Perry Bennett has been recognized on the national and international stage with two major honors in professional photography: earning a Platinum Medal at the Professional Photographers of America (PPA) 2026 International Photographic Competition and being selected as a member of Team USA for the 2026 World Photographic Cup.
During PPA’s International Photographic Competition, Bennett’s image, “Race Noir II”, (which was captured during the rainy, nighttime Criterium races in downtown Charleston, WV in 2024 as a part of the US Cycling Road National Championships) advanced to the Round of 4 in the bracket-style live judging held at Imaging USA; one of the world’s largest annual conventions and expos for professional photographers. Imaging USA took place January 11–13, 2026, in Nashville, Tennessee. Race Noir II is shown below.
From a pool of over 2,000 images, only 48 photographs earned a Platinum Medal, placing Bennett’s work among the most highly recognized images in the competition. Judging was conducted by a panel of respected industry leaders and top photographers from across the profession.
In addition to this achievement, Perry was recently selected to be a member of Team USA for the 2026 World Photographic Cup, an international competition co-founded by Professional Photographers of America (PPA) and the Federation of European Photographers (FEP). The team was officially announced during the Grand Imaging Awards at Imaging USA on January 12 in Nashville; and will go on to represent the United States at the World Photographic Cup, which will be held in April 2026 in Reykjavik, Iceland.
“It’s a great honor to win a spot on Team USA,” said Perry. “It’s an amazing group to be a part of. I push myself to be a better photographer each year, and to be recognized and given the chance to represent my country and the great state of West Virginia is just icing on the cake.”
Perry is the first West Virginian to be a member of Team USA for World Photographic Cup.
The World Photographic Cup brings together photographers from 57 countries, promoting international cooperation and excellence in photography. Teams may submit up to three images in each of ten categories, including Commercial, Illustration/Digital Art, Portrait, Nature, Sports, Wedding, and Photojournalism. Individual medals are awarded in each category, while national teams compete for the overall World Photographic Cup title based on aggregate scores. Team USA captured first place in the most recent competition.
These honors reflect Bennett’s commitment to technical mastery, creativity, and professional excellence, setting a high standard within the photographic community and beyond.
About Professional Photographers of America (PPA): Founded in 1868, Professional Photographers of America is the largest and longest-standing nonprofit photography trade association. PPA helps more than 35,000 professional photographers elevate their craft and grow their businesses through education, resources, and advocacy, guided by its mission of bridging the gap between photographers and consumers.
