An unplanned excursion to Paris, alongside an impromptu shot, has secured a place for one photographer from Victoria in the World Photographic Cup (WPC).
This competition is recognized among photographers as the “Olympics of photography,” and honors some of the finest photography globally by assembling teams to represent their nations.
“It’s a privilege to represent Canada,” stated Lee Milliken, 44, who shifted from a healthcare career to full-time photography at 32.
His entry for the competition illustrates the turmoil within the Salle des Etats, the gallery in the Louvre that showcases Leonardo DaVinci’s: Mona Lisa. The image is a composite created from multiple photos, utilizing a method known as “dragging the shutter,” which introduces motion blur and vitality into the shot. With minimal equipment, this approach can be challenging to execute.
“I didn’t have a tripod, as tripods are never permitted in museums, so I had to balance on my tiptoes and hold my breath to remain as still as I could,” he remarked.
The photograph marks a deviation from Milliken’s standard work, which mainly concentrates on architectural photography. A panel of Canadian photographers selected the image, and following three strenuous qualifying stages, it was ultimately chosen as one of the three entries submitted in the WPC’s commercial category, designating Milliken as a representative for Team Canada.
Currently, Milliken and his spouse operate Spartan Media, a studio they established in 2018. Since then, Milliken mentions it’s been “work, work, work” and that it had been years since he had submitted his work for awards. After joining the Professional Photographers of Canada in 2024, he resolved to re-engage in it.
“One of my aspirations was simply to get out there and capture more for myself of what I love. Then I aimed to participate in contests and submit my work.”
While his choice to return to competitions was deliberate, the chance to photograph in the Louvre was unplanned.
“I had no specific plan. Initially, we didn’t even intend to go to Paris,” said Milliken.
When their vacation to Greece in 2023 was altered by flooding, Milliken and his wife opted to transform their layover into their new destination.
“We flew to Paris five days earlier. So that became a spur-of-the-moment adventure,” Milliken stated.
The chance to capture his photo was even more spontaneous. When Milliken observed the frenzy around one of the globe’s most renowned paintings, he found inspiration.
“The frenzy that surrounds the Mona Lisa is surreal. It’s just endless. It’s one of those experiences you must witness to believe,” he shared.
“I aimed to recreate that chaotic motion by merging the images and incorporating the people.”
Regrettably, Milliken’s photograph did not progress to the top 10 commercial images. However, Canada was represented in the commercial category by Louis-Philippe Provost’s image of a fog-covered Empire State Building. Despite this, Milliken still intends to travel to Quito, Ecuador, to meet with fellow professionals, witness the announcement of the winners, and represent Canada.
The WPC winners will be revealed in March. Milliken and the other submissions from Team Canada can be viewed on their website.