I have never before entered any of my photography work into any awards, and I believe that was because I honestly thought that I wasn’t good enough, because I never finished school (my highest level of education is to year 9).
The thought of having numerous eyes, inspect every little detail of the imagery that I had put my heart and soul into, literally petrified me.
But I swore at the beginning of 2021, that I would get out of my own way and do the things that scared me stiff, no matter how much I was going to hyperventilate about it!!!
And when the March callout for The Portrait Masters entries, with knees knocking and heart racing, I uploaded a selection of my own photography works to be judged by 5 internationally renowned and awarded, independent Masters of Photography in the world and then waited anxiously for their decisions.
Nothing could have ever prepared me for the onslaught of emotions I’d be feeling, when I found that I had been awarded 5 Bronze Awards. I could not stop crying for over an hour and the utter disbelief that 5 Masters in the Photography world had recognized my work to be at a professional standard was just mind blowing!!
This makes all the hard work, very late nights and early mornings of developing, designing, preparing and delivering my style of portraiture work, all worth it.
Most people are not award of just how much time and effort we professional photographers put into what we do. It is A LOT! And when that time and work is acknowledged by peers in your industry, it really is an overwhelming and very humbling place/space to be.
So let me extend my very heartfelt love, gratitude and – understanding of the courage it takes to step in front of a camera – THANK YOU, to my amazing clients, my husband (he is the first black and white image). This celebration is as much yours as it is mine.
And to the 5 Masters from The Portrait Masters Awards, I thank you for your time and your complete, utter honesty on the quality of my work. I do appreciate you all.
This whole process has taught me sooooo much about myself, my work and my approach to life in ways I had never expected!! And I think I may have caught the awards bug!!
