07/08/2026
It's awards season!
I enter photography awards for one reason: to keep learning. This is the first time I've entered this particular award, and I'm blown away by the standard.
Itβs never really been about comparing myself to other photographers. There will ALWAYS be someone doing something better than you, differently to you, or creating work that makes you think, wellβ¦ bu**er, why didn't I think of that! π
For me, the real value in entering awards is the feedback.
Having judges who are genuinely at the top of their game look closely at one of my images and tell me what works β and, probably more importantly, what doesnβt β is invaluable.
Sometimes I agree with them. Sometimes I have to sit with it for a while. Sometimes I may even mutter things at my computer. But I always take something away from it.
This year I entered the International Pet Photography Awards, and I was absolutely thrilled that five images were awarded. This is the only one I can share for now, because the others still have some upcoming award commitments and need to remain under wraps.
Am I chuffed when an image scores well? Of course I am. Iβd be lying if I said I wasnβt. But I donβt see someone else scoring higher than me and think their success somehow diminishes mine.
There are photographers out there whose work absolutely blows me away. Good. I want that. I want to see work that makes me think differently, try harder and learn more.
Iβm not entering to prove Iβm better than the photographer next to me. Iβm entering because I want to be a better photographer than I was last year.
And if I ever reach the point where I think thereβs nothing left for me to learnβ¦ someone please take my camera away from me. π
Now, about this image...
The gorgeous Deasy Family who recently left WA for Victoria and wanted memories of their time in Perth. This image is titled, "The Order of Things", and represents each member of the family in the order they arrived. Emmy, Roux, Tango, Olive and of course Lenna. I imagine a time in the future when we recreate this image to capture their growing and changing family.
To me (and hopefully to my clients), beyond awards and accolades - storytelling like this is priceless.
