An unplanned journey to Paris and a chance snapshot granted one photographer from Victoria a place in the World Photographic Cup.
The contest is recognized among photographers as the “Olympics of photography” and celebrates some of the finest photography globally by uniting teams to represent their respective countries.
“It’s a privilege to represent Canada,” remarked Lee Milliken, 44, who shifted from a health care profession to photography full-time at the age of 32.
His entry into the competition illustrates the disorder present in the Salle des Etats, the gallery within the Louvre that houses Leonardo Da Vinci’s: Mona Lisa. The image is a compilation of multiple shots utilizing a method termed as “dragging the shutter,” which aids in creating motion blur and dynamism within the frame. With restricted equipment, it’s a style that proves challenging to execute.
“I didn’t possess a tripod, since tripods are never permitted in museums, so I had to sort of stand on my tiptoes and hold my breath to remain as motionless as possible,” he mentioned.
The photograph marks a shift from Milliken’s typical work, which mainly centers on architectural photography. A panel of Canadian photographers selected the image, and after three demanding qualifying rounds, it was ultimately chosen as one of the three images submitted in the World Photographic Cup commercial category, making Milliken a representative of Team Canada.
Currently, Milliken and his spouse own Spartan Media, a studio they established in 2018. Since then, he claims it has been “work, work, work” and years had passed since he submitted his work for recognition. Upon joining the Professional Photographers of Canada in 2024, he decided to re-engage with competitions.
“One of my ambitions was just to get out there and shoot more for myself of the things that I adored. And then I aimed to begin entering competitions and submitting work.”
While the choice to return to competitions was deliberate, the chance to capture photographs in the Louvre was not.
“I had no strategy in mind. Initially, we didn’t even plan on actually going to Paris,” Milliken stated.
When a planned vacation to Greece in 2023 was disrupted by flooding, Milliken and his wife opted to transform their layover into their new destination.
“We reached Paris five days ahead of schedule. So that was like a spur-of-the-moment journey,” he recounted.
The chance to photograph was even more spontaneous. When Milliken observed the turmoil surrounding one of the globe’s most renowned paintings, he drew inspiration.
“The chaos surrounding the Mona Lisa is unbelievable. It’s simply, it’s continuous. It’s one of those experiences you must see to believe,” he explained. “I just attempted to create that chaotic motion by blending the images and incorporating the people.”
Milliken’s photograph did not advance to the Top 10 commercial images, but Canada was still represented by Louis-Philippe Provost’s photo of a fog-laden Empire State Building in the commercial category. Nevertheless, Milliken still intends to journey to Quito, Ecuador, to connect with his colleagues, witness the announcement of the winners, and represent Canada.
Winners of the World Photographic Cup will be disclosed in March. Milliken and the rest of Team Canada’s submissions can be viewed at wpcteamcanada.com.